Difference between revisions of "Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 7"

Latest revision as of 05:45, 22 May 2013

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REDACTED says, "I would still like to find Coyote and explain what happened to one of his followers. Besides that, we can't just leave Spar's child roaming around out here." She shrugs and sits on the ground watching her mate carefully brushing the coyote, making sure it doesn't do anything unwarranted to her mate.

Sorien softly churrs, "I found where the bowl was carved. It was up over there (she gestures with her free hand in the direction she'd gone)."

Apostasy seductively says, "Looks like we've a couple of options then. We see if we can use that shrine to make Coyote appear here, or we track down whoever carved that bowl and left the offering and see if they can give us any info."

Sparhawk's course takes hir past Loki, who shi nudges. "You should apologize too, because that hurt worse than dying. As you and I should both know."

Cilan thinks for a moment before pulling an MRE out of her pack, and moving towards the altar, along the way she muses, "Well... it can’t hurt to try..." opening up the kit, and dumping the food, which had apparently been a vegetarian burrito, near the area containing the grains and vegetables, and she calls out, "Coyote... come here, and answer us!"

Cilan regally proclaims, "uh.. please!"

Apostasy giggles. "That's the weirdest offering and prayer I've ever seen, sis."

Loki glances towards Sparhawk. "Ah.. sorry.. I don’t really feel pain at all... felt some other funny stuff... I do forget," he murmurs. "Well, I apologize to all of you for what my machine did! However, not all is bad!" he exclaims, curiously watching Cilan dump the food into the bowl. "Hey Coyote! If you’re listening come out and speak to us so we don’t feel foolish talking to nothing!.. Like Cilan.. said."

Cilan rubs at the back of her head and chuckles to herself, "Uh.. heh.. yeah.."

Sparhawk rolls hir eyes. "Unless Coyote shows up to make fun of you, I can't imagine that'll work. So who wants to help me sneak up and surprise a god?" This last is quite cheerful, possibly even chirpy.

Sorien mumbles under her breath, "Oh for Pete's sake..." But continues to brush the coyote.

Coyote in the form of Carson bursts out laughing at Cilan's offering. He's across the glade, leaning against a tree, somehow no one has noticed him there the entire time. His red wide-toothed and grizzled face looks like he's seen the funniest thing in his entire life.

Apostasy twitches as she sees Coyote, but doesn't do anything, foolish or otherwise.

Sorien softly churrs, "Huh. Well, kid, there's Grandfather."

Cilan regally proclaims, "Uh.. and who are you?" obviously having never seen the human form of Coyote, "Uh.. are you a friend or something?"

Snowblind looks at the shrine again. Taking a few quick steps back as Cilan does her thing. "One should often should more respect than that." Shi mumbles before looking towards the laughing Coyote. With a small bow shi nods to him "Hello there."

Sparhawk dashes over toward Carson before people can get more than a single sentence out. "Hey! I got you the best thing ever: a surprise!"

Loki waves to the individual. "Hello Mr?.." he asks, peering towards Carson the human Coyote. He follows after Sparhawk. "Didn’t expect to see a person out here.. or are you perhaps not a person?" he inquires, peering curiously at the man.

Carson's eyes narrow at the approaching... gryphon. His amusement fading in favour of a more sombre look. "What could possibly have brought ya back here. Are ya just braindead or somethin’?"

Sorien gives another brushstroke, then whispers to the 'yote. "When Sparhawk wants you to approach, do so politely; this is the one who likely can help you."

Snowblind pads over a nearly complete circle and ends up back at Sorien's and the coyote's sides. Shi reaches out and softly starts to scratch the little one and give her a belly rub.

Sparhawk has just barely managed to stop blushing purple by the end of Carson's response. "A bus, preceded by the fascinating message I need t'give you. Which is that you're the godfather to Kaylah just this week, and grandfather to someone you left behind as of the week before.” Spar switches back to the plural speech to finish lamely, “We...haven't picked a name for ourselves yet."

Apostasy exclaims "You made -him- her -godfather-???"

Sorien blinks. "News to me...

One of Carson's eyebrows raises at the the terms, he turns to REDACTED and Sorien and grins, "So ya two are enjoying my gift, did ya bring the babe with ya?" His smile seems wide hearing the name chosen for the baby. And then something occurs to him, "Wait, grandfather? Wha’ are ya talking about?"

Sorien softly churrs, "No, Kaylah stayed home. We didn't know how safe this journey would be."

Loki glances to Carson, finally pinpointing who he is. He leans against a tree, glancing towards the others, just listening to the others, having nothing to really contribute, but perhaps a few questions.

REDACTED frowns, and holds her hand over her womb protectively, but says, "You should know, but we found one of your follower's dead, she took her own life and we were bringing her corpse to you... well I'll let Spar explain the rest."

Sorien looks at REDACTED. "Sweetie, I don't mind, but did you agree to him being godfather? Do you know what a godparent's duty traditionally is?"

Snowblind continues to provide the little coyote with a belly rub to go with Sorien's brushing. Shi makes no attempt to make eye contact with him after hir little greeting to the trickster. Instead shi just listens then leans towards Sorien to whisper something to her.

Snowblind whispers to Sorien, "Do you happen to have another brush I could start using? This conversation will go for a bit and I am not really needed for this part."

Sorien whispers to Snowblind, "Of course. In my bag, just grab one."

REDACTED' face looks blank, "I'm not even sure what that term means."

Apostasy seductively says, "The godfather is the person who's meant to look after the spiritual growth and wellbeing of the child, I think."

Sorien softly churrs, "A godparent, traditionally, is responsible for caring for a child if the parents are gone, and for the moral education of the child as well..."

The coyote is still busy being brushed, and ignoring the growing scene in favour of more brushing.

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah."

Apostasy shrugs. "Or that."

Sorien glances down and continues the brushing.

Sparhawk chirps a snatch of melody over at Sorien, one of the many that runs through hir head most of the time, and says, "Child of mine, child of mind...present yourself to your ever-so-wise, ever-so-dangerous and ever-so-clever grandfather. Please. Then we may tell him a story."

REDACTED shifts and fidgets before saying, "I would not presume to ask one as powerful as Coyote for something like that."

Apostasy's tail twitches agitatedly as she hears people being so deferent to Coyote, but she holds her silence.

Loki shrugs. "Seems reasonable to me." he mumbles in response to REDACTED. He glances over to Sparhawk, and then to Coyote, waiting to see what happens.

The coyote pulls itself free of the brushing, "But we were enjoying ourselves." Its ears hanging low, but it moves toward Sparhawk anyway, and looks up at Coyote's face. Its tongue hangs out panting as it approaches.

Snowblind nods to Sorien and gets up getting another brush out of her bag. As it seems that coyote has been called away for the time shi instead starts with brushing hir own tail out and will move to other things later.

Sorien grins. "Brushing is the best bit of being fuzzy."

Carson looks down at the pair, eyes fully narrowed it inspects the coyote and the gryphon. "Ya brought it out, didn't ya think I mighta had a reason ta let it die?" Carson's posture shifts a bit toward agitation as he lifts himself from his casual pose against the tree.

Apostasy smirks at the fact that Coyote is clearly put out by the revelation.

Sorien stands and approaches Carson as well, not saying anything but not aggressive either.

REDACTED follows after Sorien and leans in to whisper to her mate.

Loki stares at Coyote, his grin fading to a rather displeased look.

The coyote's tail drops and it's head sags as it hears Coyote's words.

Cilan scritches behind the coyote's ears, attempting to console it, though still, she remains quite silent towards Coyote, letting those that actually know what to say do the talking.

Sparhawk sits and runs hir hand down the coyote's back, regarding it with obvious love. "Could be. At least one of us here has been wrong before. Would you tell a newborn orphan to her face that she needs to die, though? I carried this child, raised it, and all the while worked really hard to make the Shadow as uncomfortable as humanly possible. Is the answer to death ever more death, sir?" The coyote and the gryphon have a matched pair of pathetic expressions.

Carson chews his lip for a moment, looking at the two grovelling in front. "I didn't say nuthin about killing it now, the shadow as 'twas only a small part of itself. But ya took a big risk for yourself and for me, and that doesn't sit well." He notices Apostasy's smirk and eyes in her direction but continues to talk to Spar, "What ta do, we can't have something that's a danger to people running free. Are ya sure you can teach it not to take people's freedom from them?"

Apostasy's lips curl into a small snarl as she sees Coyote look at her, but turns away and starts pacing, wondering how much longer this is going to take.

Sorien headtilts. "Of all people, you should know that nothing is certain."

Sparhawk answers the statements in order, "The shadow is a small part of everyone who knows the touch of fear and despair. Since we found the name of the enemy of life I have devoted myself to turning aside fear, salving despair, and preventing my friends from causing fear and despair in others. We are not running free, no more than I am--and I am as dangerous as this child, should I choose to be. But I do not. And I believe I can teach this new thing, this unique life that came from your magic, unrestrained science, feral nature, and my love, what choices are right." Shi shivers a bit at the end of the statement from adrenalin.

Sorien puts her hand on Spar's flank in support.

Loki nods in agreement with Sparhawk.

Carson's face ponders his cold hard stare seems almost harsh, but he looks down, and the little coyote is looking up, it's eyes wide and sad, manipulative even. A grin breaks over his face and Carson guffaws. "So dramatic." and he bends down to hug the little coyote, and it laps at his face. "Ya might want ta tell your dragon friend over there that she's being a might bit disrespectful considering the gift I gave her." Just barely loud enough for Apostasy to hear, but clearly directed at Cilan.

Carson says, "And the lady over there." pointing at REDACTED, "mentioning something about one of my missing followers?" He says to Sparhawk

Cilan nods affirmatively to Carson and adds, "Alright.. but chances are, by the volume, I think she already heard you.." looking next to Apostasy she continues, "Right?"

Cilan regally proclaims, "Oh.. and.. sorry about the offering, it was all that I had on me.."

Apostasy freezes mid stride and turns slowly to face Coyote. Her fingers twitch, half curling into fists, and her tail lashes about angrily. "....gift. Gift. Fucking GIFT?"

Carson almost -smirks- at Apostasy's swearing and attitude, his cocked eyebrow remains, he removes himself from hugging the coyote in front of him and yawns before saying, "Normally I'd expect some respect, but you've already suffered enough, and will suffer more without my adding to it in the near future. I only sought to prepare you and hopefully save your life with my gift." He says to Apostasy, a very candid response from the usually indirect Coyote.

Apostasy is pulled up short by Coyote's words, not expecting anything close to that direct or explanatory. "I... you.... what?"

Sorien raises an eyebrow at that. "What's coming?"

REDACTED shifts a little uncomfortably at Apostasy's reactions, and places a hand on her mate nearby. Almost as if to hold back her protective nature.

Sparhawk has hir beak open to say something but Carson's directness is disorienting. And shi figures Apo ought to get a chance to respond first to something obviously pointed her way.

Sorien leans into REDACTED.

Cilan looks curiously towards Carson, but like most of those here, she remains quite silent.

Carson says, "If I told ya what is going to happen, it will only change it and possibly make it even less likely that ya will live through it. I'm afraid I cannot say any more beyond that, and I'm very sorry for what your father did ta ya, if it was any recourse I would have approached your lesson in a different way if it were possible." Carson's accent returning along with Coyote's obfuscation. He shifts a bit uncomfortably at this point.

Sorien glances at Apo, a bit of surprise on her face, as well as concern. She almost starts to say something, and then stops.

Apostasy shudders at the mention of her father. She hisses through clenched teeth, "How can you have known about that? I told -no-one-. And that I still don't know what lesson you're trying to teach." Her tail still twitches in agitation, but there's something besides anger there now.

Sorien looks at REDACTED with the obvious desire to help Apo, and the equally-obvious lack of knowledge as to what to do.

Sparhawk quietly lifts the little 'yote and sidles away from the direct line between Carson and Apostasy...but not too far. Shi brushes with fingerclaws at the grooming Sorien had to leave half-done.

Cilan looks to Apostasy a concerned look on her face as she looks over to her, her mouth opens, at least for a moment, but closes, whatever she had wanted to say not wanting to come out, so instead all she does is place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Carson says, "Poor girl, ya will just have to face your fears and overcome them and ya will find out why I did what I did." He watches as Sparhawk moves, and then coughs loudly as Spar leaves, "I wasn't done with ya yet."

Sorien kisses REDACTED, and moves towards Apo; she can't hold off trying to help.

Apostasy clenches her fists. "He's gone. He has to be. It's been more than a year and a half. He's gone and I'll never see him again." She repeats the words quietly to herself like a mantra.

Sparhawk nods, glancing back and forth between deity and warrior. "One unpleasant story at a time, yes?" A backing-up hexataur is an interesting feat of engineering, like a bendy tractor trailer.

Sorien gently puts a hand on Apostasy's arm.

Still having her hand on Apostasy’s shoulder, Cilan says with a careful, and obviously concerned tone of voice, "Even if he isn’t gone... you still have an over-protective sister that will do everything in her power to make sure he stays that way.. away from you, and unable to hurt you ever again...”

"Ya are a ridiculous sort, aren't ya?" Carson smirks at Sparhawk's antics. "Now, Sparhawk, that is what ya are calling yourself these days is it not? Do tell, why you chose to keep my... grandchild secret from me when I recreated you from the wellspring?"

REDACTED' tails twitch, watching both scenes silently. She sits down upon the ground to watch Apostasy's emotional response, studying Coyote's reasons behind his words. She chews on the side of her lip, pressing it between her sharp teeth and her tails twitch in agitation.

Sparhawk bows with wings extended and an imaginary hat atop an imaginary powdered wig. "I do try. As for secrets...I suspect it has to do with coming to terms with being a material object again all of a sudden, and not understanding what I had just accomplished. I came back as fast as I could, really. Is that sufficient answer?"

Apostasy sinks to the ground, sitting with her knees hugged tight against her chest as she stares at the ground in front of her. Her eyes look a little unfocused, like she's not actually seeing what she's looking at. She still whispers occasionally... just snatches audible. "Gone.... not coming back..... can't hurt me..... gone...."

Sorien sighs and stays near Apo. "Hey... Hey sweetie. We're here."

Carson says, "For now." He approaches Sparhawk and looks into hir eyes, touching hir beak. He presses his lips close to Spar's earholes and whispers really low. "Your child still walks within you, whether you realize it or not. One body will never contain it. You'll need to find a permanent home for at least part of it to grow and expand in a way that will make it happy. How you do that I cannot tell you."

Cilan lustily hisses, "There, there, sis.. we're here, so I can promise you that he -is- gone, and you don’t have to worry about anything, anymore!"

Sparhawk's eyes are all big and round, though shi does twitch just a little with the need to go give a big physical or philosophical hug to Apostasy. When Carson's whispering is complete, shi says to him, "D'you mind if I put Inza's story off while I help reassure our local dragoness?"

Carson nods and quietly says, "Walk with me. Tha poor girl's going to need ya all far more than this." his voice is sombre.

Cilan nods affirmatively and responds to Carson, "I’ll do whatever it takes to make those around me happy.. so.. lead the way."

Carson waves to REDACTED to come as well, motioning to bring everyone over to Apostasy.

REDACTED jumps to her feet, moving to follow.

Sorien looks up as Carson approaches, rubbing Apo's back.

Apostasy flinches away from the contact a little, silent now and just staring with that same unfocused gaze.

Sparhawk jumps to hir paws and follows eagerly, not having to be told twice to do things shi wants to do anyway!

Sorien softly churrs, "Hey sweetie... Come back to us."

Carson approaches, his gait slow and measured, hoping not to push at Apostasy's anger further, and seeing she's gone mostly catatonic he moves up to the weeping dragoness. He places a weathered hand on her face, and says, "He can't hurt ya, but you can, and have been ever since."

Sparhawk lies down next to Apo, cataloguing distractions and jokes and discarding them as unhelpful. All shi comes up with is a reassuring purring noise and trying to lean around and catch Apo's gaze.

REDACTED moves up and places a hand on her mate's shoulder, trying not to crowd Apostasy out, but still trying to offer her support.

Sorien glances at REDACTED and smiles just a bit at her support.

Apostasy's eyes regain a measure of focus, and she looks up at Coyote, whispering, "Why... why did you have to bring those memories back?...."

"If ya don't face them, they would cripple ya when your friends’ lives are at stake. Would ya have preferred I left it for then?" Carson's voice is soft, calm, and his wording a little harsh but still surprisingly direct.

Apostasy shakes her head almost imperceptibly.

Sorien kisses Apo's arm. "We're here."

Sparhawk murmurs, "I prefer helping to seeing people suffer. We are all of us here, Apo."

Cilan drops her hand from Apostasy's shoulder down to her hand, her own fingers soon lacing with hers, and in her usual calm voice she adds, "No matter what happens, I’ll always be here.." seeming to be the only thing she knows what to say at this point.

"I gave to ya, the internal strength to fight these things ahead of time, and prepare for what is ta come. Someday perhaps you will understand why I did what was done. I am sorry my lessons are harsh and cruel, but if I didn't like ya I wouldn't have bothered." Carson's measured words end, and he bends forward to kiss the dragoness. A pulse of golden light fills the air between them, and he backs away.

Sparhawk is unable to avoid saying, "And me without the spectrometer turned on..." Shi strokes the tiny 'yote and wrestles with the decision of a hug being useful or more traumatic still.

Sorien softly churrs, "Apo? (She noses the dragoness gently)"

Apostasy shivers as the light fades, and nods to Coyote. "I won't say thank you.... but...." As her words trail off, she squeezes Cil's hand, and counters Sorien's nosing with one of her own.

Sorien softly churrs, "Hey. You're with us again. I was worried..."

Sparhawk grins. "Don't make me think you're trying to compete with me in the mind-being-elsewhere contest, now!" Shi rubs at the tall dragoness' knee, which is available down at Spar's end.

Carson growls a bit, looking off in the distance from everyone, "Not now ya feathery twit." his voice is low, but those with good hearing may pick up on the words.

Apostasy headtilts at Carson's words, just about hearing them.

Sorien glances in the direction Carson seems to be looking, not sure if he meant Spar or something else...

Carson appears to return to reality, shaking his head and putting his fingers up to the bridge of his nose. He then wipes sweat off his forehead and says, "Ignore the ramblings of an old man. It's nice ta see the young miss has returned ta reality now though. I believe ya had something ta talk with me about?" He says, although not saying who he meant.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar... Go ahead. I have something to ask too when you're finished."

Carson swats at the air a moment, while his eyes focus on Spar.

"Huh?" is all Sparhawk can come up with after hearing about feathery twits. Spar's right here, and Loki's with the machine... "Oh, right. We found Inza near the road...her body, at least. She was unable to deal with the pain of being Inza, and decided being nothing was preferable. We were bringing the remains for whatever ceremony you or your people deem best, but Someone was feeling claustrophobic. And has been borrowing it for a bit." Shi tilts hir head to look at the reconstructed coyote. "We will give it back if you ask, because one body is clearly not enough to contain the complexity of my child."

Carson nods at Sparhawk, "Does the child know -why- she chose death? I set her free and even gave her the option of returning to her old form and home, but she left in the night without saying anything." He frowns a bit, and brings his hand to his chin. He kicks at the ground with a foot and says, "The child can keep the body, she certainly won't be needing it, but it still leaves ya the quandary we talked of before."

REDACTED' reaction to Carson's increasingly odd antics is to shake her head, she looks almost drained at dealing with the supernatural at this point and clings as closely to her mate as Sorien will let her, remaining silent and observant.

Sorien kisses REDACTED' cheek.

Apostasy sits quietly, only half paying attention as she sorts her thoughts.

Sparhawk looks down sadly. "I heard a few echoes of despair from when she was in the dream, but you would have to ask the person who was there. As for the other I have a few ideas, but I haven't shared them with anyone out loud because there is so much I didn't know about what happens up north here. I expect we need to investigate another pack creature."

Carson's eyes fill with the spark of Coyote as he says, "The packs in general are very dangerous, I've been meaning to put them down for the sake of humanity’s freedom, but thus far they are contained in a place that only I and my people wander." His brow frazzles, "If you think ya and your child can deal with that for me, I may reward ya for saving me the trouble."

Sorien softly churrs, "Uh... Yikes. How many people... As opposed to animal life, have they absorbed? And are any of those recoverable?"

The little coyote speaks up, "We... I can feel her sadness and despair. She was shattered long before she was taken by us. Her missing her pack, her... family? is what drove her to unlife." Carson turns to the little coyote and frowns, asking, "She hid much of that from others, had she simply asked for help I could have done something. In fact, I would have done something had I not been so preoccupied lately with other things."

Carson says to Sorien, "All life, all life in their territory has been absorbed. People, insects, organic material, even some plants. It's what they do."

Sorien softly churrs, "Can the people be saved?"

Sparhawk coughs a little on something stuck in hir throat, much like surprise. "Can't do that just the two of us! Need at least stout allies. And knowledge. And the only plan for neuterin' the packs involves some of this newfangled magic stuff which I understand only marginally better."

"Of course ya can't." Carson replies to Sparhawk, "'twasn't easy even for me ta do. I had to give a part of myself ta create my daughter and bring a small portion of the people back from inside your child. I don't have it in me ta do the same for the dozen other species out there." He says to Sorien, "Only some, and it's not easy."

Sorien softly churrs, "We have to try then."

Sorien softly churrs, "Is there something you can share with use to allow us to resist being absorbed?"

The little coyote bounces, "Can I teach them like Sparhawk taught us?"

Sparhawk blinks. "Teach them what? Man, this whole verbal-conversation thing is a drag." Also, the adorable bouncing distracts Spar!

Coyote says, "Some of ya are already resistant to falling inside." Eyeing REDACTED, and Sorien, "Any of ya that have been in before, will be able to resist it easier, but ya still put your lives at risk."

Sorien softly churrs, "It isn't right to leave people trapped. And the Packs are a threat to anyone free."

The coyote continues to bounce, excited, "We can teach the packs to dream like me, to see the people inside!"

Sorien blinks. "Make another Dream?"

The coyote nods, happily, "We can give some of us, we have more to give than grandfather. If he teaches me how?"

Sorien softly churrs, "...Wow. Um... Wow."

Apostasy quirks an eyeridge. "That is one enthusiastic little coyote."

Sparhawk grins. "A dream for each pack, teaching them the purpose of life and giving a refuge for those who fell afoul of their fangs and claws! Adorable little bouncy things running around inside wolf-minds and whatever-else-minds...maybe!"

Carson scratches his chin again, eyeing the new being, for it is something truly new. "Ya already have my magic in ya, I don't know what there'd be ta teach." He shuffles almost uncomfortably at the request.

Sorien softly churrs, "Everyone needs to learn."

Sparhawk gives Apostasy an arch look. "This is the first project that is hers instead of mine, and you know how I get with projects. Wasn't just a pile of moral lectures goin' on inside my head this whole time!"

Apostasy giggles at Spar. "Another Sparhawk running around, in tiny coyote form? I don't think the world is ready for that."

Carson is quiet for a few minutes, pensive and agitated. He absentmindedly swats again in the air at nothing, and then says. "Leave my grandchild with me for a few days, and return here when they are ready and I will teach them what they need to know. Ya may stay with your child if ya like Sparhawk, but the rest of ya must leave me to deal with a few matters I have at hand."

Cilan smirks slightly, but remains quite silent, more interested in watching.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay... I've one last matter to ask you about. Midnight Shadow."

Hearing the name spoken, both Carson and REDACTED both stiffen quite obviously perturbed to even hear it. REDACTED frowns at seeing Coyote react the same way to the name.

"Ya have ta call his name don't ya?" Carson glares at the skunk.

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm not one for word games. We need to know more of it, more how to fight, and to beat it."

Sparhawk glances at the swatted nothing and peers for a moment optimistically, then says, "No way I am leaving the child of mind with the keys to the family car--" Spar pauses a moment and loses focus, then continues, "While you have just said I've got a MAGIC science mind baby. I promise to be no more distracting than you want me to be." Then shi gives way to Sorien's question.

Sorien stands her ground, the only hint that she might be nervous is her crossed arms.

"This is not a game, the shadow is -never- a game. It almost took your people's lives once long ago and it will again if it is not stopped." Coyote's presence can be felt as Carson fades into the background, Coyote's tail twitching behind and his ears flattened.

"Raven tells me that his presence can already be felt in the people's northern territories, and Hare tells me of the south. His awakening was like a mark across the land, and -you- were at the centerpoint." He points at REDACTED with a crooked claw.

REDACTED looks mortified once again, her ears are flattened and she holds herself, her guilt never truly gone.

Sorien's ears twitch towards her mate, but she remains focussed on Coyote. "Regardless of the beginning, what's needed is an ending. It has to be stopped.”

"You don't understand. The people gave their best to stop it once, and I nearly died to put it sleep the first time. If I hadn't cheated my own death, I wouldn't be here now to try to stop it again. It has existed longer than I have, longer than the people have. Midnight Shadow is pure evil, its goal to destroy all life and grow to absorb everything that exists. It will find hosts and spread like a virus, and I can already see it has touched more than a few of you." Coyote's clearly agitated, and perhaps even scared.

Apostasy blinks. "Aside from REDACTED, whom amongst us has it touched?"

Sorien softly churrs, "Then we need to know truly how it was beaten before. We know the tale; you ate it and this made it so that it could only be bound. Teacher-of-man, Teach."

Cilan lustily hisses, "Yeah.. who's been touched? And aside from that, is it possible to free those it’s touched from its possession?"

Sparhawk scoots on over to hug REDACTED and possibly Apo if she's in range. Shi doesn't have anything witty to say, just listening to the important questions.

Coyote frowns, "Your tales obscure the truth, I took his power into myself to use it against him, it nearly destroyed me. The only thing that can hurt him is his own power. That's what makes him so frightening." Coyote's abandoned any sort of attempt at obfuscation, preferring to help as best as he can. "The first hero, fought it on its own throne of power, and used that land's magic to bind and weaken it enough for me to take it into myself."

Sorien softly churrs, "Where is its throne? We've looked, but not found it."

Coyote places his paw over his face, "Is this the best humanity has to offer? Truly? Do you not know anything child?"

Sparhawk frowns. "So love doesn't actually injure this thing of darkness? I will need to fashion new weapons then."

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm not well-versed in monster-fighting. I'm sorry, I was just a security guard before everything went to hell."

Coyote sighs, and says, "You all have been touched by the shadow. Those of you who were in the dream with it have all been touched, as have my entire pack. Even Sparhawk. That's how it works. Once it has touched you, it feeds from your emotions and it uses them to power its spread."

Coyote says softly to Sorien, "It creates its own places. They change, it will build a throne. You will know it when you find it."

Apostasy seductively says, "Like what you found in Daly, I'll bet."

Sorien nods, taking that in but obviously not happy. "I'd like to ask a private question."

REDACTED nods solemnly and asks, "Look into me, was I able to undo the damage it had me do?" to Coyote.

Coyote moves forward to REDACTED and Sorien's side, first touching REDACTED, and after a moment his head cocks in surprise, "Yes..." he says, and then takes Sorien's hand and leads her away from the group.

Sorien follows, not without a glance back.

At Coyote's reaction REDACTED' eyes, tear filled, she says, "Matan, you forgive me."

Sparhawk grins wider. "Fairhaven, city of incessant questions. Nobody let him leave without answerin' if I am on the right track, okay? I want to either stick with that or search for a new project." REDACTED gets a hug in lieu of Sorien being there.

Apostasy joins Sparhawk in hugging REDACTED. "He forgave you long ago, REDACTED."

**Coyote leans in and whispers to Sorien when they are out of earshot.
**Coyote shakes his head, and then responds to Sorien's question.
**Coyote grins, and whispers one last time before returning to the group, pulling Sorien with him.

Cilan stands exactly where she had stood before, her arms folded around her chest as she adds, "Yeah.. it’s hard not to forgive someone like you, you're too.. kind, and caring.." a smirk pulling at her lips as she stands there.

Sparhawk waves Cilan over. "Come on, there's enough time for you to get in on this hug before Sorien comes back." Spar hasn't even run out of arms yet!

Sorien gets a grin, and kisses Coyote on the cheek before returning with him to the group. Still grinning, she kisses REDACTED as well, and hugs tight.

REDACTED gasps for breath under the massive support from friends, the giant dragon and large gryphon dwarfing her.

Cilan grins and nods, moving over to the group and enveloping REDACTED in a warm hug.

Sparhawk laughs and bats at one of REDACTED's tails. "Consider how amazing my power to carry you around is, while you are smooshed by love!"

Coyote chuckles and grins at the response surrounding REDACTED. He moves over to his grandchild and scratches its head.

Loki ambles over to the group of hugging people. He blinks, frowning as he scratches his head. "So.. I zone out.. wander off... and everybody is in a kind of group hug... Last I remember Sparhawk was pleading for the life of a coyote and that pool of red... I must have missed one hell of a speech.." he sighs, slumping over.

REDACTED says, "I'll be fine, really. You all can stop crushing me now." although she's not really struggling, and a low rumbling purr can be heard and felt.

Apostasy giggles and kisses the top of REDACTED' head. "You know you love it."

The little coyote is wagging its tail, and says, "I'm going to go now." Proudly emphasizing the singular pronoun.

Sorien grins. "We'll talk later, love. Spar, are you staying here for two days? I can come get you if you are." She looks at Loki.

Sparhawk rumbles contentedly. "You can get a hug if you want Loki, it's kinda overflowing over here. Er--actually I seem to be summoned now, someone else will have to take over centralized hug distribution while I follow a pair of coyote-shaped people wherever they need me to go."

Apostasy grins as she flares her wings and wraps them around the group hug. "Got it covered. Literally."

Coyote begins to walk off in the direction that other Aassahke had followed to the Wellspring before, waving both his grandchild and her caretaker to follow.

Sorien softly churrs, "I'll be back in two days for you, Spar."

Sparhawk gives a thumbsup to Apo as shi disentangles to trot over to the pair. "So about that weaponised hope thing..." is heard as shi follows along.

Loki laughs, taking a few steps towards the group. "Well, regardless of what I missed.. I think I will take your offer Sparhawk.." he mumbles, staring at Apostasy... He seems to concentrate for a moment. "Still nothing..." he mumbles before flapping his wings and piling on top of the group, the feather light gryphon not adding much weight, but managing to contribute a layer of fur and feathers on top.

Sorien watches the trio walk off, not with some worry. "Right... Let’s head home."

REDACTED nods, "I hope shi's okay." referring to Sparhawk.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar'll be fine." She grins. "I'm more worried for Coyote!""

Cilan follows the group as she is prone to do, her arms once again folded across her chest as she muses, "I’m certain those two will make sure Spar will remain fine.."

Click here to continue to Chapter 8.