Stonehowl Links Stonehowl Holt's information is hosted on Tawmis' website. You can help ease the burden of bandwidth by making a donation through Payapl.

krwordgazer wrote: An egg A rabbit or ravvit Self-sacrifice A practical joke A bowl of fruit A dark or bad occurrence Krellin moved through the forest slowly, his spear gripped tightly in his hand. He was, without a doubt, the best of the human hunters. His skin was decorated in mud, twigs and branches were entwined within his hair. Everything to hide his scent from the prey he hunted this night. He was not hunting anything big this night. No, tonight’s hunt was something special. The rabbit was his prey tonight. The rabbit symbolized speed, agility, cunning, and dexterity. It was what he needed, in the next step, to win the hand and heart of Yurika, daughter of Wurik, Chief of the Humans. He paused after a moment, touching the ground. There, gently in the soft dirt, had been what he was looking for; rabbit tracks. He followed them into a small pasture, where he saw a number of rabbits feeding on the grass. He remained hidden, his eyes looking over each of the rabbits. After a moment, his eyes locked on his desired target. With a powerful lunge, he threw his spear. Before the rabbits could react, the spear plunged into one of the rabbits, killing it instantly. The other rabbits immediately scattered, self preservation their only concern. Coming out of the bushes, he approached the slain rabbit and held it up to the air, “Grethen, thank you!” he said, praising the human god for his good fortune. Slinging the rabbit over his shoulder, he knew the next challenge would be more difficult; the challenge of strength. He returned to the village, and entered his hut and began preparing the rabbit. He would present it to Wurik, to eat, as a part of the test to win his daughter’s hand; proving that Grethen had granted him agility, cunning and speed; the marks of the rabbit. As he left his hut to get Chief Wurik, another figure in the shadow of the night snuck into the human’s tent. ** He’s going to get us all killed one day, ** Shadow sent, from the treeline. ** All this does is anger the humans. ** ** Relax, ** Treerunner sent back, as he climbed out of the human’s hut, holding the flayed rabbit. ** It’s just a practical joke – I will give them back their precious rabbit meat!** Treerunner returned to the shadows of the trees. ** Yurn, ** Moonsong, his soul mate had sent, ** Shadow is right. Perhaps this is not wise. ** Treerunner, whose eyes and hair matched the color of tree bark, climbed next to his soul mate, Moonsong, whose hair was as white as the twin moons, eyes as blue as the noon skies. ** You worry too much. ** He sent, with a playful wink. But Moonsong was not eased by her mates playful demeanor of the situation. Krellin led Wurik into the hut and smiled, “There, I have captured the essence of speed, agility and cunning – and the right to marry Yurika. The test of strength after our marriage shall prove once and for all, that Grethen approves of our marriage!” Wurik looked at Krellin, then at the table, then back to Krellin. “What is this? Some sick joke? Is this what you think of my daughter?” Krellin could not understand the reason for Wurik’s angered tone until he looked at the plate that once had the flayed rabbit – and now, in its place – was merely… an egg? “I have no idea what’s gotten into you, Krellin, but this will not be tolerate!” Wurik growled. “Grethen has changed the meat to an egg,” Bone Dancer whispered into Wurik’s ear. “He does not approve of this marriage! This is an ill omen against Krellin, Chief!” Krellin followed Wurik and the Bone Dancer out, “I assure you, there was rabbit meat on that plate…” Treerunner was watching as the three humans exited the hut. ** That’s my cue, ** Treerunner smiled and leaped down from branch to branch. Moving through the shadows he snuck into the human’s hut, this time with more than he had left. No one was none the wiser when Treerunner snuck back out, pleased with himself. He scampered up the tree, and sent to the others, ** Now watch this.** Krellin entered his tent again, frustrated, and unsure of what had happened to the rabbit meat – when suddenly he stopped in his tracks. “By Grethen’s might!” he exclaimed, barely about a whisper. “Wurik!” he turned out and shouted. “Come! You must come!” Wurik turned, “Krellin, this had best not be another jest…” “It’s not, Chief,” Krellin said, his face pale, his voice quaking. Wurik walked in behind Krellin and could not believe his eyes. Now, in the egg’s place, was the promised rabbit meat – as well as several baskets of fresh fruit; so plump and rich that Grethen himself must have brought them down! “Don’t you see?” Krellin said. “The egg… it must have symbolized the birth of this wondrous meal for you, Chief! Grethen’s blessings are upon me!” “It would seem,” Wurik said, sitting down to eat the food, as was customary. ** One of these days, ** Shadow sent to Treerunner, ** your tricks with the humans is going to back fire on us. ** ** One of these days, ** Treerunner smiled, ** but not this day.** The marriage of Krellin and Yurika was a beautiful one. But not all present were pleased with how it had turned out. “You must follow Krellin, tonight,” Bone Dancer told his son, the young Tamier. “But tonight he hunts the black bear, for his test of strength,” Tamier replied, looking at his father. “He can not have any company on the hunt, just as he can not on any of the hunts.” “I know this son of mine,” Bone Dancer snarled. “But you are a mighty hunter – perhaps second only to Krellin himself. If you were to slay the black bear, you could prove that Grethen favors you over Krellin.” “But,” Tamier looked at his father, “I have not done any of the other tests. I have not interesting in wedding Yurika.” “She is daughter to the Chief,” Bone Dancer snapped. “If you wed her, it would give us power over the tribe. You would become chief when Wurik passes. Is she not a beautiful woman? Why would you not want to marry her?” “She is,” Tamier admitted. “Perhaps the most beautiful of all the women, in our tribe. But her heart has long since belonged to Krellin, and his to her. I never thought anything of her because of their love.” “Love has little to do with this,” Bone Dancer snapped. “Grethen’s will must be followed! He has told me it is your destiny to wed Yurika.” “He has?” Tamier asked, disbelieving the words. “He has,” Bone Dancer nodded, his eyes dancing with mischief and chaos. Krellin moved across the stone floor slowly. His eyes were scanning something on the ground this night. The Black Bear, the symbol of strength. He had tracked her for several hours – and now found her den. He peered inside, and she was nowhere to be seen. “I will wait,” Krellin said, “and like the fox, I shall hide. Like the eagle, I will strike.” Several hours had passed. The animal sounds around him grew quieter. She was coming, the Black Bear. But she did not reach the cave. Instead, a cry for help ripped through the silent night. Krellin recognized the voice. “Tamier?” He stood and quickly ran towards the sound of the human crying out for help. Krellin came to an immediate stop. The Black Bear had trapped Tamier up in a tree. “What are you doing out here, boy?” Krellin asked, as he gripped his spear. “I wanted to see how you hunted,” Tamier lied. “I wanted to learn from the master hunter!” “Not on a night where I am on one of my tests,” Krellin snarled back, rushing the black bear. “It was foolish of you! I was ready to surprise her and now she has us both at a disadvantage!” Krellin danced around the bear, jabbing his spear at it, until the Black Bear’s attention was strictly on him. “Now, run boy! Get down from that tree and run!” Tamier did as he was told. He never looked back. Krellin now faced the bear one on one. He knew how to kill the Black Bear. He had watched them for many moons now. He knew their weakness. This was not ideal, but all was not lost. Unfortunately, fate played a hand against him. Tamier had followed him. And Bone Dancer, Tamier’s father, had followed his son. He had watched as it fell apart. All of his planning and scheming was now crumbling around him. If Krellin killed the Black Bear and returned with it, it would seal his marriage to Yurika forever. Bone Dancer pulled a small dart out of his pouch, and dripped it in a small vial. He put it in the blow dart, and blew. It struck true. Krellin barely felt it. He was too concerned with the Black Bear. But the small dart had felt like a mosquito bite to his neck. He slapped his neck, bothered only for a second, and felt the dart. He pulled the small dart out, which was no more larger than a small blade of grass. There was a certain smell to its tip. Venom. Almost seconds after his realization, he felt its effects, immediately paralyzing him. Krellin crumbled to the ground. And while he could not feel the pain; nor could he scream, as the Black Bear took advantage of its sudden fortune and began rending Krellin’s flesh apart. Not ideal, Bone Dancer thought, but he knew how he would already turn this to his advantage.