"Well, goes both ways."

[[Left Chaos Domoth to send cookie to Lief and let her know that I was planning on attending Elexia's play on Sunday]]

Before the Master Ravenwood Tree.
The dark heart of Glomdoring Forest is almost audibly beating in this, its shadowy centre. Tall, blackened trees surround this clearing, pressing together into an imposing barrier of rotten vegetation. Moulds and fungi are smeared across the plants, their pungent stench suffusing the forest. The branches are coated in dark slime, slick tendrils that hang downwards. Although a variety of trees might actually grow here, the black tar that coats them renders them indistinguishable. A thin black mist creeps between the trees, hanging low across the ground. The floor of the clearing itself is simply bare earth, cracked and dry. Overshadowing all is the Master Ravenwood Tree itself, jutting into the sky like a twisted fist.
You see a single exit leading north.
Brennan Stormcrow cocks his head to one side, looking you over with an appraising stare.
Brennan Stormcrow exclaims, "Mighty Crow has his eye upon you, Dark Savant!"
A dark nighthag turns her gaze to you momentarily.

You drop a mechanical dirigible.
A mechanical dirigible whistles and cheerfully offers several mechanical chirps as it bounces up and down on currents of air, puttering in lazy circles.

You give a dark mint chocolate leothin cookie to a mechanical dirigible.
A mechanical dirigible takes a dark mint chocolate leothin cookie from you, grasping it delicately in its metallic claw.

Faintly buzzing, you say, "Deliver to Lief."

You feel the gaze of the Silent Lord suddenly, overwhelming fixate on you for several moments.

You have emoted: Gurashi gives pause.

A soft, hollow voice whispers to your thoughts, "I've lured her from the forest, little one. Shall I punish her for causing you such grief?"

You have emoted: Gurashi's eyes widen, expression twisting into confusion. "...what?"

Suddenly, you ask, "Why?"

You think to yourself: Oh.

You trace the name of Lief on the surface of a primaeval shadowglass snowglobe of dark fauna, and then shake the globe vigorously. As the swirling particles within clear, you see the vague outline of rising valley by the hills.
You see the following in detail:
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You crease your brow in a frown.

Midnight shadows coalesce around a new day, and Mother Night embraces the land in utter darkness.
It is now the 8th of Roarkian, 549 years after the Coming of Estarra.
There are 10 days until the New Moon

You think to yourself: ...Hifarae.

You have emoted: Gurashi looks ready to move, but his legs don't seem to want to. Beside him, Bizirik whines, cocking its head.

You think to yourself: ... please don't.

"Why not?"

You have emoted: Gurashi pauses at the edge of the woods, as if not daring to breech beyond the treeline.

You think to yourself: Caused my own grief.

You think to yourself: Could have ignored request, or told her to deliver own message, but chose to deliver instead.

You have emoted: Gurashi stares out over the trail, scanning the path ahead and the southern highway beyond that. Quiet.

Suddenly, you whisper, "Do You want me to bring Miss Lief to the Wyrd?"

A sudden sense of amusement touches your thoughts. "Do you truly think you could, little one?" The voice seems to creep closer, whispering even more softly, "Maylea's roots have dug quite deep in her soul."

Weakly, you whisper, "...before, she would not even consider... coming into Glomdoring..."

Reaching out a hand to lean against a nearby tree, you whisper, "But during the Festival, stayed, and even -sang- ... is something small... but everything great starts small, right...?"

You have emoted: Gurashi looks out towards the road again, frowning.

Great Southern Highway adjacent to Glomdoring Forest. (road).
The shadowy outline of a twisted forest casts a dark gloom here. One or two light fluffy clouds drift lazily through the sky. Running parallel to the Southern Mountains, the highway meanders through the lower boundaries of the basin of civilization. The ground is smoothed by time, by feet, by beasts of burden, all of whom continually press down upon any vegetation who dares to try to shoot a sprout up in the path of commerce. The highway passes next to Glomdoring Forest, its enormous blackened trees twisted and warped by some tortuous power. The air is thick with the fecund smell of decay. An uneasy sense of foreboding hangs in the air.
You see exits leading southeast and west.

You think to yourself: What am doing.

You have emoted: Gurashi drags his hands back across his head, flattening his antennae.

You have emoted: Gurashi drums his hands atop his head, chittering softly.

<--distracted by IRL stuff, alas

Your mandibles twitch slightly as you voice a brief, curious chirr.

"Hmm...", the voice whispers softly. "What stopped you from running to her, little one?"

You think to yourself: .......damnit.

You have emoted: Gurashi doesn't answer. Every so often he seems emboldened and takes a few more steps, but he quickly slows, as if tugged by an imaginary string.

You think to yourself: ...because running to help is not the answer.

You think to yourself: ...but still want to.

You have emoted: Gurashi suddenly turns, walking back towards the Glomdoring.

You have emoted: Gurashi stops abruptly, turning again on the highway, chittering noisily.

Great Southern Highway adjacent to Glomdoring Forest. (road).
The shadowy outline of a twisted forest casts a dark gloom here. There is a moderate breeze here. Running parallel to the Southern Mountains, the highway meanders through the lower boundaries of the basin of civilization. The ground is smoothed by time, by feet, by beasts of burden, all of whom continually press down upon any vegetation who dares to try to shoot a sprout up in the path of commerce. The highway passes next to Glomdoring Forest, its enormous blackened trees twisted and warped by some tortuous power. The air is thick with the fecund smell of decay. An uneasy sense of foreboding hangs in the air.
You see exits leading southeast and northwest.

"How interesting are you, little one... I look forward to see how you grow within the Wyrd. I am always watching..."

You have emoted: Gurashi suddenly whips around, scanning the landscape around him. He frowns, antennae raised, twitching...

You have emoted: Gurashi exhales, dropping his hands from his head.

<-- Ran to Hifarae, a room away from Liefy

Floating innocently, a glistening snowflake twinkles with frigid allure.

You stare implacably at a glistening snowflake.

You think to yourself: ...Miss ..

<-- Suddenly, Xenthos!

Ilistala, an enormous leopard inches bashfully over to you and nuzzles you tenderly.

You hug Ilistala, an enormous leopard compassionately.
A loud rumbling emanates from Ilistala as she rubs against you.

You see the following people here:
Xenthos, Gurashi.

You have emoted: Gurashi wraps his arms around Ilistala, an enormous leopard tightly, giving the leopard a great squeeze.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard purrs loudly, rumbling against your carapace with your arms enfolding her.

Voice muffled by Ilistala, you say to Xenthos, "Are going to Domth."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "We're about to head back to Frosticia."

You clear your throat.

Faintly buzzing, you say, "Domoth."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Unless you wish us here."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "They do not really -need- us."

Finally letting go, you say, "I will meet you there."

You pet Ilistala, an enormous leopard ingratiatingly.
A loud rumbling emanates from Ilistala as she rubs against you.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard stares at you, her whiskers twitching while purring against your face.

You have emoted: Gurashi bows his head against Ilistala, an enormous leopard's, then pats her neck twice.

Faintly buzzing, you say to Xenthos, "Will be O-K. Will come up soon."

You stare implacably at Xenthos.

You pet Ilistala, an enormous leopard ingratiatingly.
A loud rumbling emanates from Ilistala as she rubs against you.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard glances towards Xenthos, then ignores him and returns to focusing solely upon you.

Reassuringly, you say to Ilistala, an enormous leopard, "Is fine."

You pat Ilistala, an enormous leopard in a friendly manner.
A loud rumbling emanates from Ilistala as she rubs against you.

A red grouse sifts carefully through the grass, looking for seeds.

You tilt your head curiously at a red grouse.
A red grouse coos nervously at you.

<-- Call Bizi!

You put your fingers in your mouth and let out a high-pitched whistle, then hope for the best.
Bizirik, the leothin trots in with head high.

Bizirik, the leothin snorts.

You crease your brow in a frown.

You have emoted: Gurashi opens his mouth as if to say something, then shakes his head.

You think to yourself: Cannot do it.

Midnight shadows coalesce around a new day, and Mother Night embraces the land in utter darkness.
It is now the 9th of Roarkian, 549 years after the Coming of Estarra.
There are 9 days until the New Moon

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon, "You prayed to Him, didn't you...?"

Ilistala, an enormous leopard tilts her head and listens intently to you.

The grass around you rustles slightly as the night breeze caresses you.

Lief enters from the north, emanating an aura of immense power.

You blink.

You have emoted: Gurashi opens his mouth again, this time in surprise.

Lief wings quietly in, plant debris clinging to her kimono robes. After a brief nod of acknowledgement to Xenthos, she turns her full attention to you. "I did," she murmurs to you, her eyes studying you. "How did you know?"

Suddenly, you exclaim to Lief, "Because was suddenly Mister Lord Silence asking -me- if should smite you down!"

You have emoted: Gurashi claps his hands onto his hips and stares firmly at Lief, tapping his foot against the ground in an almost comical display of disappointment.

You see the following people here:
Lief, Xenthos, Gurashi.

You stare implacably at Lief.

Before your display of disappointment, Lief wilts back a bit. "I was *very* nice when I spoke with Him," she protests. "Why did He ask you if you wanted me to..."

Lief trails off, her brow furrowing as she turns her gaze back to you, once more studying you. "What did you say?"

You huff and puff in outrage.

You have emoted: Gurashi doesn't answer, though his foot does stop tapping.

Lief stares implacably at you.

Bizirik, the leothin snorts, pleased as a peach.

You have emoted: Gurashi casts a glance at Xenthos and Ilistala, an enormous leopard, finally dropping his hands from his hips.

Quietly, you ask Lief, "Know how are always saying that, Lady of Serenity is with you?"

Lief's faeling ears twitch as she wings around you. "I know," she says with a nod of her antlered head. "She is."

A little louder, you say to Lief, "Well, goes both ways. Mister Lord Silence is -always-. -Watching-."

Lief is silent for a moment before she draws herself up to your front. She searches your bulbous red eyes, and she quietly asks, "You have joined His Order?"

You boggle at Lief.

Faintly buzzing, you exclaim to Lief, "What? No!"

Lief exhales softly, her shoulders sagging with unspoken relief. "Then...why is He always watching you?"

You flail about helplessly.

With growing frustration, you say to Lief, "Because is judging my potential, and apparently am having a -lot- of it, -maybe-."

Still flailing, you say to Lief, "But! You!"

Bizirik, the leothin blinks.

"But me?" Lief asks you, her eyebrows drawing together.

You have emoted: Gurashi exhales, then continues to speak loud and firm. "For some reason, when -you- go and do things that are challenging Mister Lord Silence, it gets back to -me-." He claps his hands together, waving away the cloud of gnats.

Faintly buzzing, you exclaim to Lief, "Know you think are being nice but have to consider your... position...!"

You have emoted: Gurashi flails again.

Your eyes raise to the heavens as a look of hope flashes across your face.

You have emoted: Gurashi flails again, looking to be at his wits end.

"Did He tell you I had challenged Him?" Lief asks you, dumbfounded. "I *thanked* Him."

Faintly buzzing, you say to Lief, "No, know, but -- augh."

You flail about helplessly.

Suddenly reaching out with his smaller hands and shaking the faeling lightly by the shoulders, you say to Lief, "Do not think He wants to talk to you, Miss Lief!"

You stare implacably at Lief.

"He did!" Lief meets your stare, her hands clutching at your smaller wrists to steady herself. "He thought I wanted to encourage Him to hurt you more, so I could pick up the pieces, but I *showed Him* I am not like that."

The lonely cry of a circling hawk fills you with unexplained remorse.

Still clutching, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to you, "He no longer does, I think, and that's *okay*. But I showed Him that you are my *friend*, to His disappointment."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Daring of you, to claim to know His mind."

Pausing and looking over, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "I should not say what He said to me?"

You boggle at Lief.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Perhaps you only heard what you wish to hear."

You have emoted: Gurashi quickly and gently releases Lief's arms, stepping back.

Slowly releasing your wrists, Lief tilts her antlered head. "I am paraphrasing a little bit, yes. He told me I possess a childish blindness, and that He is disappointed. How would you decipher those words?"

You think to yourself: Blindness...

You have emoted: Gurashi pauses at this, antennae twitching.

You think to yourself: ...that which blinds them...

You have emoted: Gurashi exhales softly, his shoulders suddenly sagging.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Is it not clear? You twist His words. You say that he is disappointed in your friendship? Even in your own telling, He said simply that He feels sorry for how you have closed your eyes and shut out that which might challenge your own convictions."

"I would say you are twisting His words about," Lief points out to Xenthos. "He never said that He feels sorry about any of this."

Sighing softly, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "It is... perhaps not odd that one of Hers would learn to misread Him so."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "How else would you determine disappointment, when applied from a God to a mortal?"

You have emoted: Gurashi falls quiet, his chest heaving as he takes a great, calming breath.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "You- we- are much less than They."

Peering, turning to better face him, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "One can be disappointed for a great number of reasons."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "They take pleasure in seeing us grow into ourselves... but when we choose instead to hide away under a rotten log, well."

You think to yourself: Do not feel so good.

Lief opens her mouth, then closes it, shaking her antlered head slightly.

Softly, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "The Divine... They do not see the world the way we do, Lief. We are in many ways children to Them. They look at us and see fragments of those that They knew, that They loved, but only a fraction of what They were."

You have emoted: Gurashi's attention turns from the faeling to Xenthos, listening.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I interpreted only the words as you reconstrued them. I do not claim them for true, for only They can know Their own minds. Would you have ever expected Lady Maylea to act as She did, striking at Him, before She did it?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Or, perhaps, offering Him a beverage full of poison?"

Tilting her antlered head a fraction, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "You know Silence better than I to feel comfortable determining what He feels, but I do not know nothing of the Gods. You needn't instruct me on how They see us."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to Lief, "Then act like it." <-- :U

Blinking slowly, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "I'm sorry - what?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "If you need not be lectured on Them, then -show- it, instead of ascribing your interpretation of emotion to Them. What you feel... it is not what They do. And then to further contort it, by 'paraphrasing' his words until it has lost all of its original meaning... you are not acting as if you know of Them. The only other interpretation is that you do this all intentionally."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "For the sake of my son, I am choosing to take the kinder interpretation." <-- ;A;!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lief cants her antlered head to one side. "He spoke that He is disappointed. I am...ascribing my own emotion to Him by saying that He was disappointed." She furrows her brow, considering.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "By framing His disappointment in your own mortal terms."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "And you claim that there are many ways to take disappointment, yet you know Him well enough to choose one."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "And ascribe it to Him."

Quietly, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "And you know Him well enough that He would have the kindest sort of disappointment for an Avatar of Serenity."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I do think even He could pity one such as you."

Lief dips her antlered head toward Xenthos. "I doubt He could as well."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "As I said- daring of you."

You have emoted: Gurashi watches the exchange, gaze drifting from each person talking. He remains utterly silent, mandibles twitching.

Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "Ah - forgive me, I misheard you."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Yendor and Evette are requesting my attention. I will return if I am able."

Lief falls quiet, considering.

You stare implacably at Xenthos.

<-- He go~

You have emoted: Gurashi stares off after Xenthos as he leaves, his eyes wide.

You stare implacably at Lief.

Quietly, you ask Lief, "...are O-K?"

Lief's faeling ear twitches to your words, and she turns to smile quietly at you. "Yes. I feel bad that you had to listen to him digging into what little I had said. I hadn't even had the chance to tell you everything, or to see how you were."

<-- Xen back

You have emoted: Gurashi's open mouth shuts as Xenthos arrives, mandibles clicking against his face as he looks for what it is he'd like to say.

You have emoted: Gurashi's mandibles click again. Crickets. He looks at either party present, then sighs loudly, hanging his head.

The grass around you rustles slightly as the night breeze caresses you.

As she hovers there, Lief watches you, the beginnings of her smile fading once more. "I will leave you with your people," she finally says into the silence, bowing her antlered head.

Suddenly, you say to Lief, "Should learn more about Lord Silence."

You have emoted: Gurashi claps his hands together, each fingertip perfectly aligned with its opposite.

Lief pauses near the pathway, peering at you. "I have been trying to," she points out. "By speaking with Him and by reading about Him."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Perhaps you might do better by speaking with Rancoura."

"I will not speak with the one who murdered Shashi," Lief says flatly.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Then perhaps you are not truly willing to try. Shashi only died to seek a cure for your own Lady's actions. Yet you blame Rancoura."

You have emoted: Gurashi chirrs softly, hands still pressed together. "Well, maybe not Lady Rancoura - but He has other followers."

The glowing fireflies confound your vision with their chaotic dance.

Softly, Awanydd Lief Myeras-Silvermoon says to Xenthos, "We all make choices in our lives. It is utterly ridiculous to shift blame like that onto a victim when Rancoura made hers."

You have emoted: Gurashi suddenly touches Xenthos's arm. "Look, could also stand to learn more about Lord Silence. Because..."

You stare implacably at Lief.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to Lief, "Indeed, we do all make our choices."

Just as softly, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "As you do now."

Xenthos turns his attention to you, clearly dismissing Lief from his thoughts.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "We still have some things to finish for you, aye?"

You have emoted: Gurashi nods once.

Midnight shadows coalesce around a new day, and Mother Night embraces the land in utter darkness.
It is now the 10th of Roarkian, 549 years after the Coming of Estarra.
There are 8 days until the New Moon

Faintly buzzing, you say to Lief, "O-K. So - O-K, things are suddenly crazy, but."

Xenthos drafts you into F'ai Glomdoring, and you step into formation behind your new commandant.

Xenthos decides to distribute the loot of F'ai Glomdoring evenly.

Lief dips her antlered head in acknowledgement. "Thank you for coming to see me," she says to you, a fast-fading smile touching her lips.

You have emoted: Gurashi opens his mouth to answer... then nods, confused.

Lief gently strokes Bizirik, the leothin's head, then flits away.

Lief leaves to the south, emanating an aura of immense power.

Your eyes bug out as you boggle in amazement.