Location: A forest glade.

Cast:
Relovic Voraneth - Lord of a Major Cairhien House.
Two NPC Servants of House Voraneth.
Prickle - A wolf
Wintersun - another wolf

The forest is quiet around you, the sun's fading light only trickling through the canopy overhead. The call of a bird, the hint of a whispering through the wind are all music here in the deep forest, the moss spongy beneath your feet. As the light fades, the howl of a lone wolf can be heard, far off. It is a common enough sound in the forest, one hunters are well used to. But it still seems to frighten the retainers, and they glance around the ground cover to either side as though expecting one to jump out at them. One calls out softly, "Lord Relovic. Ah. Sir? Hadn't we better see about making camp soon sir? It'll be dark soon."

Relovic looks up from where he had stooped down to the ground to examine some tracks in the fading light. "Hmm, old." he mumbles as he looks at them. He rises just at the moment the wolf howls. Being a hunter and used to these sounds of wildlife, he thinks nothing of it. Since he thought nothing of it, he is slightly surprised when one of the servants ask his question. Turning to look at them, he notices their unease and gives a mental sigh. Next time I shall come alone is thought with exasperation. Making an effort to take in the dwindling daylight, he nods and replies, "Yes, we might as well. Tracking will just become harder." Taking a moment to look around he spots what seems to be a good clearing of a ways to the south. "Come, let us find a good place to camp." he says as he starts of not as silently as before through the woods.

The two retainers hurry along behind their master, each looking quite a bit relieved at the prospect of food and a warm fire. "There's sure to be good game tomorrow m'lord. We might catch a few at that creek we past a ways back in the morning."

Even as the two retainers hurry behind you with their mindless chatter, there is an odd feeling... a feeling of being watched, perhaps, even if from a distance. But an inspection of the bushes around you reveals nothing, and the forest appears peaceful.

Relovic nods and gets a better look at the clearing as the party comes closer. It seems an ideal site for camping. "Yes, that creek we passed will be a good site to go back to. I found a few tracks there. Old ones, but still there." As he enters the clearing he replaces his arrow back in his quiver but keeps the bow in his hand as he has this odd feeling. He takes a moment to look around the glade as he absently orders the retainers to get some wood for a fire.

Swift four-legs are further south now, Brother. The image of a deer flashes into your mind, and thoughts that are not your own. That deer... a sensation of hunger passes with it, of the taste of raw flesh in your mouth... but then it's gone, the moment passed.

Relovic jerks his head towards the south, but nothing is seen there. A look of bewilderment and confusion pass quickly over Relovic's features and he looks toward his retainers to see if they... heard, anything.

The two men are chattering amongst themselves, of women they had left behind in Cairhien -- real or invented is hard to tell. Clearing brush away from the campsite with their feet, they seem not to have noticed your startlement, or what caused it.

Relovic scratches his chin thoughtfully and then tries to dismiss the thoughts and images that were not his own. Things like that just don't happen. Relovic's mind however doesn't give up so easily and he keeps thinking about just what that was. He goes about setting up a firepit, lining an area with stones as he waits for his retainers to bring back some wood. His mind still lingers on those thoughts that came from somewhere else.

Another howl sounds, an eerie note that sends chills up a person's spine. The two retainers heading into the brush stop in their tracks, glancing around warily. "Ah. M'lord! We'll just gather some wood around here then. Plenty here, no reason to go off into nowhere!" Again there's that feeling of being watched, this time accompanied by a vague sense of curiosity.

Relovic nods to the servants and looks towards the sound of the wolf. "Of course, gather what you can. I think we should stay together, just in case." That last part is added in a softer whisper. His mind goes back to the image, and thoughts he had. The image of a deer and the taste of raw flesh. And now the sense of curiosity. He looks off towards the wolves for a few more moments before he starts to gather some kindling himself.

Several hours pass, with nothing more eventful happening save that curious watched feeling that you can't seem to shake off. Your two retainers start becoming more themselves, lively and chattering. You'd swear they were never quite so annoying back in the city... it must be this forest air. As the fire begins to dwindle, one of them tosses another log atop it and sends a shower of bright sparks to flying toward the night sky. One man rolls up in his cloak, leans against a tree, and begins to snore softly. For some reason though, you can't seem to get to sleep. That feeling... it must mean something. You aren't a madman -- at least, you don't think so. Of course, the thoughts that intrude on yours might make you re-evaluate that assumption. We have heard of those like you, Brother.

Relovic is staring down into the fire, enjoying the warmth it gives as he is wrapped in his cloak. At the intrusion of another, something, into his mind, he jerks his gaze up and looks around the glade. Taking his bow in hand he stands and looks around glade. "Who's out there?" He calls and then looks to the retainers, "Did you hear, something?"

The man wrapped in his cloak stirs only a bit, and mumbles out, "S'nothing but us here m'lord... likely a bad dream or sommat."

Relovic isn't so easily calmed and he takes another few moments to double check around the perimeter of the camp. "Who said that!?" he mumbles to himself emphatically. Finding nothing but that feeling of being watched, he goes back over to the tree he had been sitting against, sets his bow down and sits back down, still looking out into the forest.

Meanwhile, a brief but seemingly endless series of images flashes into your mind, that of a dark wolf, but over that, beyond that, an animal with an edgy nature, a feeling of caution to his personality. There's a memory too, of being stuck in the nose and face with the quills of a (porcupine) strange beast, so real and vibrant in your mind that your nose almost aches in empathy. Prickle. The wolf's voice, more emotions and sensations than words, sounds again in your mind, clear and confident.
We are your brothers. You need not fear. You are not alone.

Relovic brings his hands to his face as he is assaulted by these images. Shaking his head he rises again and grabs his bow as he almost shouts, "Who said that!" His gaze travels through the forest and rests looking in the direction of the wolf. "No. Impossible." He says in a whisper. "It can't be," he continues in a whisper, not wanting to accept these images in his mind. Questions race through his mind. How? Why? What?

CalmcalmCAlmcalm donotworrywearehere, Brother. A sensation of worry and concern passes over you, this time the thoughts merging, more than one voice. You're aware of something out there, in the forest, but can't quite say where it is or distinguish the voices from each other. Your two retainers sit bolt upright, scrubbing sleep from their eyes as they kick themselves out of their cloaks. "What! What is it M'lord!" Their eyes quickly scan the forest, and as nothing comes leaping out at them, they turn to eye you instead. "Are you well, m'lord?"

Relovic realizes how he must look to his retainers and tries to calm himself, or at least make himself appear that way. Turning back to face his servants he says in a somewhat calmer voice, "Yes, yes I am. It, it must have just been a dream. Don't worry, go back to sleep. I'll take first watch." He make an effort and manages to calmly walk back to his tree and even puts on a smile. As soon as the retainers eyes close his smile fades and he glances nervously around. Most of his glances go off towards where the wolves made their presence known.

There is a long pause in thought, an hour where all you feel is that curiosity from somewhere out there, and if you close your eyes you -almost- feel sure you could pick out separate beings wandering about, out of sight. But that sense fades and wavers, so elusive you aren't sure if it's your imagination or an extension of this... what... madness?... that's overtaken you. Your thoughts remain troubled and disturbed, and a second impression, different from the first, is left in your mind. This one, you are sure, is a female, and with her thoughts come the image of a sunrise over a snow-capped field, the golden rays streaking across the pale surface to stain the snow a vibrant yellow, a newness permeating the image.

Do not be afraid, Brother. This voice is more soothing, and you get the sense this female has said this same to one other. You are safe. We are kin. Do not fear.

Relovic is very agitated during this hour, and tries to make sure he doesn't wake the others. He's already made them nervous enough and rumors will be hard to keep from spreading about... about what, being mad? The image of the winter sunrise strikes him with his beauty at first, but he then shakes his head, knowing it shouldn't be in his head. What? How? he repeats in his mind, trying to rationalize it somehow. Though how he can with, this, seeming talking to wolves continues to elude him.

Be calm, Brother. WinterSun's echoing voice, strong and youthful, sounds in your mind. WinterSun? That is her name, but it is so much more than that, too. There are others like you. What you had assumed to be the innocent reflection of firelight against the damp leaves of the bushes opposite the camp turns out to be the eyes of a wolf as those same leaves part. She paces a few steps forward, cautious, yet you get no feeling of danger from her, only curiosity. Were you to look, you'd see the second wolf behind her, darker and hidden in the shadows. Prickle.

Relovic is frozen. He moves no muscle and barely seems to breathe as he looks at the wolf, WinterSun? and the shadow that is behind her, Prickle? How echoes again in his mind and in the back of his mind is a little voice that wonders who those others are. The fire burns low and casts it's flickering light over Relovic. His hand inches towards his belt knife since his bow will do no good at this range. If this wolf attacks, he will not go down without a fight. And yet at the time his hand goes towards his knife, he doesn't wake the others. He has connected the thoughts to these wolves and somehow senses that they indeed mean no harm, yet his hand still inches, just in case.

The large white wolf -- an Alpha, surely -- shifts her golden gaze just a bit, eyeing your hand as it inches toward your knife. Longsteeltooths not needed here, Brother. The smaller black wolf -- whose fur you now notice matches his name, sticking up in all directions -- steps up beside the female. Neither of them have shifted in their stance or bared their teeth, yet you notice a distinct change in disposition, a heightened sense of caution. It is Prickle's voice you sense this time, and the dark wolf looks at you with those eerie eyes as though he knows you better than you do.

You are as BrightHawk, Oak Wind. Run with us and join the hunt. Again that image, deer and the exhilaration of chasing the sun through the forest... and... what was it he called you? Strength, the towering image of the oak, the wind scattering amongst its leaves, the breadth of its branches... these images flash through your mind, linger a moment, and are gone.

Relovic's hand stops going towards his knife, more in shock than anything else. Was that image, me? A moment passes as he takes this in and then he realizes that Prickle? asked him to hunt with them. More shock follows. Hunt with you? I, i can't do that. Not only can't he, he isn't sure he want's to. Confusion lies along this path of thought since he likes to hunt, but he is needed. He has a sister to take care of, a House to oversee. Thoughts tumble through his head as he sits motionless staring back the wolves.

You are thinking as two-legs, Oak Wind. The thoughts from the wolves are scattered with confusion at your mention of houses and human responsibilities, yet they echo with the afterimages of the hunt and of other wolves. The firelight reflects lantern-like in those golden eyes, and the wolves watch you a moment before fading back into the bushes. You're sure you can feel them now, loping off to join more wolves further off. You are welcome here, Oak Wind, comes the final, lingering thought pressed in against yours. Brother.

Relovic lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looks around nervously. He slumps back against the tree and merely breathes for a while, trying to sort things out. He must have dozed off because when he opens his eyes, the fire has gone out and seems to have been out for at least an hour. He gets up and wakes one of the others, "Your watch" he mumbles semi-coherently and goes back to his tree, a look of confusion still on his face.