[Nexus] GLoG 81: Ghostbusters!

[OrchestraHc]

Sprite #2, by now, has decided that freezing and being perfectly still is an excellent course of action.
After all, he just got kidnapped by some strange creature's...tentacle? Arm? Leg? Some weird appendage it doesn't entirely agree with.

Maybe if it sits really still and doesn't try any funny business, the dragonite won't eat it.


Meanwhile, the other sprites have continued their advance on Kashi.
They'll continue until they're pretty much right up against the peculiar dragon, staring up expectantly.
Or well, probably staring.

They might be getting horribly distracted by any coins that are nearby.
Coins are good eatin'.

Storytime!

Oh dear, he forgot about that little guy. He should do something nice for it. Picking up a coin already fallen from the ground, possibly disturbing Sprite 2's friends, he'll try to place the little guy into his claw with the golden coin. Then he'll watch once again, like someone watching an insect.

[Mr. Moon]

Kax is being annoying!

"If you are not a healer, then I don't see why I should tell you." The orc gives an infuriating shrug as he says this. "And even if I wished to, it wouldn't be here. Now, are you going to help me, or should I find someone else?"

[Slii Arhem]

[Story Time]

First a big fox, and now a dragon! Too much for the tiny goblin with a notoriously short attention span. She spins around and looks at Kashi with wide eyes.
Woooow. A dragon? I had no idea dragons were real!

Storytime!

Dragons are totally real! And kind of sad that Lily doesn't like the funny little sprites. Still, between her pets and food and their company, he'd rather stick next to her.

And then Brinika is staring at him! He stares back, tilting his head at the tiny goblin and moving a little bit closer to give her a sniff.

"Snyuu! <Hi!>" He trills out a greeting, even though he knows she can't understand him. No one except for the meany-head dragonite can around here.

[Morty]

[Storytime]

Reelshka's gaze slowly turns into a glare.
I am one of the people in charge of this place. Would you be willing to reveal more about just what kind of help you need and why elsewhere?

Brinika, meanwhile, is being sniffed at by a dragon. With wide eyes, she reaches out to try to touch Kashi's snout.

[Mr. Moon]

Storytime

Ah. She was a leader here. That changed a few things.
Next time, Kax chides himself, ask more about who you're talking to.

"I might," he relents. "Depends upon where you have in mind."

[Lex-Kat]

[Island Cave]

"Well, I should hope so. We're looking for someone to tell me to grow up."
... Don't you mean whether you should grow up there Vincent? Way to be biased.

The Old Man grins. Well that's simple enough. Grow up. He then turns around to resume playing his game.

But Caroline interupts. Vincent said it wrong, sir. He wants to know if he should grow up, or stay at the age he is?

The Old Man turns back toward the pair, frowning. Vincent, do you want to grow up?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Storytime!]

All of this lacking love, for the coin-loving ash creatures.
Well, that's a lie.
The dragonite is trying to be better, so kudos to him.

A clever move on his part, offering a coin to the sprite. It is a near-foolproof ploy for calming the little thing down (aided by releasing it from antenna-grasp).
As the coin appears, the sprite's eyes immediately lock onto it, little arms reaching up to grasp for it.

Soon, it shall be eaten much the way an amoeba eats.
The sprites simply spread their bodies around it, then close back up.
Om nom nom!


Back down on the ground, the other four sprites are momentarily distressed by a series of shoos, growls, and a coin being plucked from their midst.
They have a solution for that, however!

They all grab as many coins as they can hold (two), then skitter around to another side of Kashi!

[Slii Arhem]

Storytime!

Kashi has a very big other side for the sprites to scurry around, being twenty feet long and mostly wrapped around Lily and Freddy's blanket, so the sprites can hide from the scary growls and shooings with their stolen loot-food.

Brinika is allowed to pat Kashi's snout, but as she does so a forked tongue flicks out and tries to lick the underside of her wrist. The dragon is making friends!

Well, probably. Lily seems to like him anyway.

[OrchestraHc]

[Storytime!]

All of this lacking love, for the coin-loving ash creatures.
Well, that's a lie.
The dragonite is trying to be better, so kudos to him.

A clever move on his part, offering a coin to the sprite. It is a near-foolproof ploy for calming the little thing down (aided by releasing it from antenna-grasp).
As the coin appears, the sprite's eyes immediately lock onto it, little arms reaching up to grasp for it.

Soon, it shall be eaten much the way an amoeba eats.
The sprites simply spread their bodies around it, then close back up.
Om nom nom!


Back down on the ground, the other four sprites are momentarily distressed by a series of shoos, growls, and a coin being plucked from their midst.
They have a solution for that, however!

They all grab as many coins as they can hold (two), then skitter around to another side of Kashi!

Storytime!

Well that's interesting...

But he doesn't have much gold on him, even less considering the sprite's little friends took the rest. Maybe it eats fish? The dragonite takes a tiny piece of his fish and gives puts it in his claw for the ash sprite.

((Am I correct in assuming the ash sprites are like these little guys?))

[Reinholdt]

[Island Cave]

The Old Man grins. Well that's simple enough. Grow up. He then turns around to resume playing his game.

But Caroline interupts. Vincent said it wrong, sir. He wants to know if he should grow up, or stay at the age he is?

The Old Man turns back toward the pair, frowning. Vincent, do you want to grow up?

[Island Cave]

"Ummm... maybe? It never really mattered one way or another before." Vincent says.

[Morty]

Storytime

Ah. She was a leader here. That changed a few things.
Next time, Kax chides himself, ask more about who you're talking to.

"I might," he relents. "Depends upon where you have in mind."

Once the story is over, we could head to the infirmary and you'd tell me about what you need, Reelshka says. Though she'll probably ask Pathfinder to come as well. This orc seems rather suspicious.

Storytime!

Kashi has a very big other side for the sprites to scurry around, being twenty feet long and mostly wrapped around Lily and Freddy's blanket, so the sprites can hide from the scary growls and shooings with their stolen loot-food.

Brinika is allowed to pat Kashi's snout, but as she does so a forked tongue flicks out and tries to lick the underside of her wrist. The dragon is making friends!

Well, probably. Lily seems to like him anyway.

Brinika giggles when Kashi licks her wrist. Tee hee! That tickles! You're funny, dragon, she says, not sure if the big lizard can understand her. She pats Kashi's chin now.

[Mr. Moon]

Storytime

"I see." Tel-Zaf Kax's big, square head nods up and down once in a show of consensus. "I look forward to it."

His gaze never wavers from the bonfire. He seems content to stand there and wait for the story to end.

[Lex-Kat]

[Island Cave]

"Ummm... maybe? It never really mattered one way or another before." Vincent says.

Then it's simple. The answer is no, you're not ready to grow up. He turns back around and waves them away, dismissively. Now go and have fun.

Caroline looks at Vincent, wondering if that's the answer he wants.

[Chaotic Bob]

Now looking slightly bloated (it did just stuff a whole coin into its body), sprite #2 peers at the fish rather curiously.
A single finger will be extended to poke at it, before the sprite proceeds to ignore it and stare up at dragonite with a slightly less-terrified look.

A much more friendly one, in fact.
The bigger scary kidnapper gave it food! So obviously it wasn't that bad.

((You are quite correct. #3 and #5 may even have a sordid, poorly drawn affair.))

[Reinholdt]

[Island Cave]

Then it's simple. The answer is no, you're not ready to grow up. He turns back around and waves them away, dismissively. Now go and have fun.

Caroline looks at Vincent, wondering if that's the answer he wants.

[Island Cave]

Vincent frowns. Not really.

"Hold up. I got a bit more for you first. How do you feel about killing bad guys?"

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

Caroline puts her head in her hand, and shakes it in the negative.

The Old Man doesn't look back. That depends. he answers. On who you consider the bad guy.

[Reinholdt]

{Island Cave}

"You know. The enemies, monsters, and people we're supposed to stop from doing whatever nefarious schemes they have in mind. The bad guys."

It's not a hard concept in Vincent's mind.

[Gullara]

Rowan Cabin

Julie scoffs, "Trust me, if there's anyone more unsuited to raising a child than me, I couldn't name them. Once you've got some rules set down for yourself, like always make sure their heads are well protected, and stay near them in case of crying, you'll get the hang of it." That mothering instinct is present even in succubi it seems. Julie doesn't really believe Cessie's serious about her concerns, but that's mostly because she's blanked out the part of her memory that covered her own little emotional freakouts about becoming a single mother.

[Rowan Cabin]

"You worry too much, Cessie. I know you'll do just fine." Sakura says with her usual optimism. "I don't think it's possible not to be scared about it. I know I sure was."

[OrchestraHc]

Now looking slightly bloated (it did just stuff a whole coin into its body), sprite #2 peers at the fish rather curiously.
A single finger will be extended to poke at it, before the sprite proceeds to ignore it and stare up at dragonite with a slightly less-terrified look.

A much more friendly one, in fact.
The bigger scary kidnapper gave it food! So obviously it wasn't that bad.

((You are quite correct. #3 and #5 may even have a sordid, poorly drawn affair.))

Storytime!

Ah well, nothing ventured nothing gained. The Dragonite flicks away the fish piece. He will try to pat it lightly with a claw whiles he lowers the sprite to the ground. Curiosity satisfied, he'll let the little creature go.

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

"You know. The enemies, monsters, and people we're supposed to stop from doing whatever nefarious schemes they have in mind. The bad guys."

It's not a hard concept in Vincent's mind.

Ooooooh, those bad guys. The Old Man says, facing Vincent and Caroline once again. Then by all means yes, kill them. They should be dealt with quite harshly in fact.

He then stands up and walks toward Vincent. And now that you mention it, I remember that there is one such villain. he pauses. But no, I think it'd be much too dangerous for a kid and his young girlfriend. He turns to go back to his seat.

[Mindfreak]

Lucy immediately looks to the sky.

"My word, it is quite late. Is it not?"

Nodding stoically, the undead nurse continues.

"Then I presume we shall have to make camp or wait till morning."

Lucy and Bill
"Rarararar"*
*Let's make camp then.
Bill then scratches the ground up until it was soft, and then curled up in a ball on it.
"Rararrrara rararra rara?"*
*Are you going to sleep with me and stay warm or go be by yourself then?

[Mina Kobold]

[Lucy and Bill's Glorious Camping Adventure!]

The nurse take a moment to reply, pondering something.

"I believe I shall manage. I do not seem to recall having slept since my arrival in this strange land, so I shall see if I can determine whether I will need to at all."

Lucy smiles embarrasedly as she remembers something more.

"And besides that, I do not think I would have an easy time sleeping if that Monster might return to haunt your dreams."

[Mindfreak]

Lucy and Bill
"Rar."*
*Mmk.

And then Bill falls asleep.
Thankfully he doesn't snore.

[Shadowcaller]

Rowan Cabin

Julie scoffs, "Trust me, if there's anyone more unsuited to raising a child than me, I couldn't name them. Once you've got some rules set down for yourself, like always make sure their heads are well protected, and stay near them in case of crying, you'll get the hang of it." That mothering instinct is present even in succubi it seems. Julie doesn't really believe Cessie's serious about her concerns, but that's mostly because she's blanked out the part of her memory that covered her own little emotional freakouts about becoming a single mother.

[Rowan Cabin]

"You worry too much, Cessie. I know you'll do just fine." Sakura says with her usual optimism. "I don't think it's possible not to be scared about it. I know I sure was."

[Rowan Cabin]

"Well, I guess everyone have their own issues with babies." Cessie replies. "It's a big change as I'm sure you both can tell. How is Adir and Eric taking it anyway? I know it was originally Harnel that wanted us to have children. It's a part of his culture you could say." She asks.

[UncleWolf]

StoryTime!

Pathfinder lets the audience talk amongst themselves for a moment to speak to a few of his spirit companions, telling them which story they were going to be telling next. As they wait, his brother Waterstrider holds Tito close. "It'll be okay. I'm sure his next story will be happier." He promises the little halfling boy.

During the brief interlude, the spirits remain still, watching the storyteller in the smoke. Finally, Pathfinder finishes his quiet talk and reaches for some powder from one of his pouches. His misty paw grabs a handful before he tosses it into the smoke, giving off a bright flash of green light and turning the flame into a similar color. It should be easier on the audience's eyes, and Pathfinder's form reappears in the smoke. "Some of you may know that my race was created by two of the greatest Spirits that ever blessed our realm with their paw-steps. Dawn Wolf, The Great Mother of Sky and Fenrir, The Lord of The Earth." As the Wolfen speaks, the image of part of a world comes into detail amidst the smoke. The scene is of a starry night above a forested mountain range. Slowly, according to his words, the star and earth slowly begin to twist, forming two wolf shaped beings who begin to chase each other around the smoke cloud, playing in joy as they travel throughout the world. In their footsteps, Wolfen sprang up from the ground, forming little villages.

"As the years passed and their creations grew, a great hole started growing in their hearts. It took several generations for them to realized why, but eventually they took true Wolfen forms, allowing them to bear an actual child of their own. Not only would the child be strong of flesh and blood, but would inherit part of their spirits." Dawn Wolf and Fenrir circle each other quicker and quicker before blurring together and forming a small Wolfen cub in the arms of his mother. "Their son's Child's Name was Dark Step. His fur was of bright red, but all his paws were of black. He grew quickly with the other cubs of his generation." Before their eyes, Dark Step played and wrestled and hunted alongside his friends. He was always taller and stronger, but there was no animosity amongst them. "He was destined to be a great leader and warlord. But unfortunately, Dark Step grew dreadfully ill the year before his Naming Ceremony." Pathfinder fades into the smoke as a scene begins to unfold...

Dark Step arrives at a cave, smiling and wagging his tail as the thirst for adventure fills him. He waves behind him at the other Wolfen who were barely able to keep up, but they join him momentarily. With a spear in his paw, Dark Step gets on his belly to crawl through the entrance. He knew exploring a place like this was dangerous, but with his soon-to-be mate Silverstreak behind him and her brother Tanhide with them, he couldn't but feel safe. There was no one else he trusted more aside from his parents. His thought's stop when he thinks he hears a small crackling sound, but when nothing new comes, he feels Silverstreak's staff poking his rear. "Get moving. We still need to hunt on the way back and we don't want to stay out too late. I don't wish to spend another night on Watch." Her brother chuckles, but even so, Dark Step understood the need to hurry. "Alright, lets get going."

It seemed like eons, but once they finished crawling through all the passages, the three of them entered a large natural cavern. Struck speechless, it took a small crackling noise to cause their ears to twitch. Following the sound, Dark Step's eyes found a small shard of glittering blackness resting in a little pool of standing water. As he moved closer, the presence it gave off made his fur raise. It was definitely unsettling, but nothing bad came from picking up a crystal, right? With his curiosity deepening, he reaches into the water to pick up the shard against the wishes of Silverstreak and Tanhide.

As soon as his paw made contact, the shard vanished and a terrible itching sensation crawled over Dark Step's body, quickly turning to fire and making him howl out in agony. It only lasted a moment before sweet blackness washed over him. The last thought to occur to him was questioning why his left paw was now white...

The images of the two smaller Wolfen pick up Dark Step's collapsed body and make their way back to the village, giving him to Dawn Wolf and Fenrir. For nine days and nights the pair watch over their son, but eventually he passes and his soul joins their spirits. "What Dark Step had found would have instantly slain any Wolfen of lesser blood and spirit, but because of his heritage, he lasted for a while. What he found had been the very anti-part to everything he had known. Dark Step, who had died without Name, had found an undissolved shard of The Darkness." Pathfinder explains as an image of Darkness' jaws drift in the smoke behind him. "In mourning, his parents gave up their existence of flesh and returned to their Spirithood to spend time with him. When they saw his spirit however, it had been changed. It wasn't the one they had made when Dawn Wolf had given birth." Dark Step's body grows larger in the smoke, and in the center of his heart lies the shard he had picked up. "To their knowledge, it was the first time Darkness had merged with anything of Spirit. As much as they loved their son, they grew afraid until he looked up at them and smiled, saying the two words that would ease them.

He simply told them..."Thank you."

With that, their reunion was complete, but it wasn't long until Fenrir asked why. Looking up at them, Dark Step explained. "Father, mother...no one could have asked for prouder parents. No one could have made him happier in life than they." He told them before cracking a smile. "Except for maybe Silverstreak, but that time had passed." Dark Step admitted. Amidst their chuckles though, the son started to look sad and distressed. They asked if it was because he missed his friends, and though he said yes, it was more than that. "What of the rest of them?" Puzzled, Dawn Wolf asked who he meant. "The other Wolfen. Those that pass on. They don't ascend like myself, so what happens?"

His parents couldn't answer as they didn't know themselves, so Dark Step continued. "I can see their lights of Life winking out one by one. Can't I do something?" He asked, crying out in dismay. He didn't know that the Darkness within him allowed him to see such things when his parents couldn't. Taking a chance in the dark, and in an attempt to sooth his son's turmoil, Fenrir nudges Dark Step gently. "You can. You are more than us now. You're the one who can go out and make sure they have a life beyond the mortal." With his parents' encouragement, Dark Step began his new path as the guide for the souls of the fallen..."

Pathfinder sweeps his paws to wipe the images out of the cloud before addressing the audience. "It was shortly after that a new group of Wolfen appeared. Shamans. Each one of us have a link to Dark Step, a tiny sliver of Darkness that rests within our soul to intermix with Life and Spirit. It is because of Dark Step that we're able to transcend into Spirit to aide our tribes from beyond death. When each of our times come, the current Dark Step comes to us and reaches out with his or her white paw. In payment though, it is also necessary for Dark Step to take our Earned Names from us, to grant them to others worthy of them." Pathfinder informs everyone as the smoke begins to die down. "As for those without Earned Names? It is these souls that Dark Step holds a special affinity to. For those who have passed on young, they are offered his or her black paw and given a name. For those especially young though...cubs not even yet old enough to speak, Dark Step, with the help of Dawn Wolf, places them within expecting mothers to grant them a new life."

"That said, the path of Dark Step is one that is merely temporary. It is a long and trying duty to one's race, but it is a necessary one. Because of this, it is tradition for Dark Step to choose a predecessor every hundredth year to take his or her place. It is a great honor for the one chosen, but the burdens are heavy." Pathfinder explains. "And as for the second life of the first Dark Step, you ask? Well my friends, that is a story for another time..."

Slowly, the flames turn back to their normal color and die down. The smoke lessens and it isn't long before the surrounding spirits dissolve back into the grave mist and seep into the ground...

[Slii Arhem]

Brinika giggles when Kashi licks her wrist. Tee hee! That tickles! You're funny, dragon, she says, not sure if the big lizard can understand her. She pats Kashi's chin now.

Storytime!

Kashi extends another lick to Brinika's chin, proving his tongue's reach is actually longer than her arm! He seems very happy with all the new friends he's been making.

And then the story starts back up, and he settles back down to watch it. This time, it's a tiny bit easier to follow, and at the end he feels kind of sad for Dark Step, and happy that he has other Wolfen to play with in his new home now.

He's also feeling very tired again, even though he just woke up from a nap before the story started. Looks like it's time to finish his meal and collapse right there, circled tightly around Freddy and Lily. A few more coins fall out from between his scales for the cowering sprites to eat.

There's enough room for Brinika to cuddle up inside the circle, if she wants. Kashi even sleepily extends a wing over Freddy and Lily, making a sort of shaded area underneath.

Yay dragontent!

[Rowan Cabin]

"Well, I guess everyone have their own issues with babies." Cessie replies. "It's a big change as I'm sure you both can tell. How is Adir and Eric taking it anyway? I know it was originally Harnel that wanted us to have children. It's a part of his culture you could say." She asks.

Rowan Cabin

"Eric was so much more enthusiastic than I was. I hardly knew what to do, but he couldn't stop gushing over the thought of having children. I honestly wasn't sure how to react, but I was so glad to have him back that I just kind of skipped past all that." Julie answers readily, glad to be sharing experiences with so many other people in her situation.

[happyturtle]

Storytime!

Lily wakes up in time for the story, and listens intently, snuggling with Freddy and Kashi throughout. When it's over, she squirms away from Kashi and flings herself at Pathfinder, hugging him tightly.

The important part of the story to her was that Pathfinder would have to lose his name when he died, and he would probably get chosen to be Dark Step.

Tito doesn't take it as hard. He knows that Names are important to the Wolfen, but he doesn't really understand how much. "Did Dawn Wolf and Fenrir have any other children?" he whispers to Waterstrider.

[Rebonack]

[Storytime!]

Oh boy hugs and snuggles!

As Lily escapes the Huldra will carefully crawl out of the dragon-tent to see where his friend is heading off to. Ah! Hugging the sleeping? Pathfinder. She'll most certainly be safe over there.

And so Freddie plops down on his haunches as he considers the shaman's story. It's... interesting to say the least. And strange.

The Wolfen just sort of fade eventually after they die?

They don't have someone like the Emperor to refine them into something greater after their death? He wonders if they're like the Discordant spirits, left to wander until something gobbles them up. That seems like such a sad thing to expect from death...

[Gullara]

[Storytime!]

Renetta hangs off of every word that comes out of Pathfinder's mouth. She couldn't have enjoyed that story more. She leans against Waterstrider a little bit and looks up at him once the story is complete. "I never knew he was such an amazing storyteller."

[Rowan Cabin]

"Adir's just been great with Laela, and he's always jumping to help with her. She just loves him." Sakura says, smiling at the thought. "I'm so glad he came around from when I first got pregnant. He wasn't sure what to think then." Not that she ever really doubted he would.

[Shadowcaller]

[Rowan Cabin]

"It was the opposite when I get pregnant. Harnel really wanted a child but I wasn't so sure. Back when I was a teenager I'm pretty sure I swore never to have children. My mother had nine children in total so I guess I didn't want to repeat that." She smiles slightly as she finishes that sentence. "Harnel wouldn't mind having nine children himself though from what I have heard. It's a cultural thing."