Date: October 6, 1999
Place: Central Courtyard - New Hold - Avalon
Cast: Sharpclaw, SilverFox, Soft-Feather
Scene: Three Sylvans attempt a tricky rescue after finding a child stuck down a well.

Central Courtyard - New Hold - Avalon:
      The central courtyard is the focus of Avalon's activity and the heart of its community. Once, this area served as the main reception area of the city, but now it is the primary residential and common gathering place for those who have made this place their home. Many of the structures build here are crafted in an apartment-like style rather than around a central atrium. They are two floors and have rooms on both, made of a sturdy hardened mud that is reinforced with beams of wood. Common to the 'lower-class,' these types of domus are most often seen in the poorer sections of Empyrean cities.
      Even though most of the winged race would call these 'slums,' the place seems to teem with a life of its own and pulse with the new-found freedom that seems to have gripped this entire nation. Hardworking people have set up tents and stands to sell and craft their wares, while a few apartment fronts have been converted into taverns to provide a place for travelers to rest and get repast. The streets here are twisted and wind in and among the structures, making it appear more like a maze than a residential section. Here, the air is heavy with the scent of food and the strong, pungent smell of gathered bodies.

On this warm spring morning, the villagers of Avalon busy themselves with normal, every-day hustle and bustle. This activity keeps everyone busy except the children who tend to play together for the most part in a nearby field or attend classes if they are mature enough. The birds swoop down on a nearby collection of stale bread parts which was tossed out by the cook of the Emerald Dragon Inn. And out steps the late-rising Sylvan visitor, SilverFox. He places his hands in the middle of his back and stretches, not seeming to be completely satisfied with the overstuffed mattresses they have to offer in the inn. After a few quiet cracks of adjustment, SilverFox steps toward the well to get himself a drink of water and clear his mouth of that nasty taste of fresh awakening, scratching his elbow as he walks.

Bryn waits on the front steps. Her sharp eyes instantly recognize SilverFox and the hawk chirples in greeting. Her right wing is a little crooked-looking. After Tremor rolled a boulder over her, the wing didn't set right. She absently flaps her wings slightly, stirring the dust on the steps.

The Inn door opens yet again and out steps Soft-Feather, clothed in his earthen cloak and robe combination. He seems to be refreshed, though the way he favors his back indicates the plush mattress, specially put for him to sleep on, didn't provide the most comfort. He is used to his shaped bed and furs. Bryn cries happily and jumps to his shoulder. Feather descends and comes up behind Fox, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Good morning, inkana! How does the Grandmother find us this morning?"

While others may be waking up, Sharpclaw's been awake for a while now. Whether he slept poorly or just decided to get a jump on doing a bit of work isn't known for sure, but he's on his way back from one of the nearby fields at the moment, wiping at his forehead, tunic held loosely in one hand, wearing just his trousers and moccasins. He's obviously been doing a bit of this and that in the fields.

SilverFox turns from his destined path to regard Soft-Feather's call. He rubs a hand over his head to smooth over some wild strands of hair. "Chookma, Soft-Feather..." he says, stifling a yawn. "And you too, Bryn," he offers with a smile of recognition. "Had a late evening last night. Was trying some of that... what's it called? Ale?"

Bryn chirrups again before taking flight. Soft-Feather rolls his eyes, "You know, mind-altering drink isn't exactly good for people such as us. Who knows... some cute lady might turn our eye and we'd have no control," he jibes with his dearest inkana, ribbing him a bit. "I have to tell you... I had some too." He grins, sunlight catching in his jungle eyes. With the coming of spring comes the change of eye-color for Feather. No longer dark green, they are more light, greenish-yellow. These eyes turn to regard something else -- Sharpclaw. What an odd sight. It has been many months since the youth walked around outside in nothing but trousers. That damnable cold kept everyone freezing. Obviously, Claw has had a head start. Smiling, Soft-Feather waves. The villagers seem to regard Sharpclaw with interest. Suddenly, Feather recalls that his student was raised by mongrel. Does all of this place seem appropriate for the young man?

Sharpclaw is still a bit too far from his two inkanas to overhear their conversation, but the obvious graisha glances their way and waves before pausing at some of the interested looks he gets from some of the other mongrels. He finds himself not too sure just what to make of their curiosity, or what it stems from. But as long as there's no trouble, he's fine. The ale he's avoided, disliking the smell perhaps as much as he's concerned it might loosen up his control. This place... appropriate for him? In a way, yes. But more... no. His home is with his own kind now, Sylvan. While he's not bothered to be around mongrels again, he hasn't got any plans to leave the Ettowealona and stay here.

SilverFox runs his tongue over his teeth thoughtfully at the mention of the ale. "Stuff sure does leave a bad taste in your mouth." He glances over, following Soft-Feather's gaze and smiles to Sharpclaw, tossing a hand up in greeting. "That's why I was going to get a drink of water... try to rid myself of it. I certainly don't intend on making it a habit."

Soft-Feather arches an eyebrow. "I should hope not." What goes unspoken is that Feather did NOT take in any ale. He is doing everything he can to keep his wits about him... in case ShadowWatcher's vision comes true. But for company and good spirit's sake, he pretends that he did. Also, anyone listening that may have mal-intent will think of him as less of a threat. The shifting teacher lifts the sides of his cloak and drapes them behind his shoulders. A bit warm for this heavy outfit. However, the cold still bites at night. "Water sounds good... but from where?"

Bryn flies off into the distance.

"What's going on?" Sharpclaw asks once he's within speaking range without having to raise his voice. He swings his arm and flips the tunic over one shoulder, rubbing a dirtied hand behind an ear as he pauses for a few breaths, nodding over his shoulder towards some of the other mongrels. "There's some water over that way if you need any."

SilverFox nods to Sharpclaw, facing the well. "Chookma, inkana. I was going to take some from their well." He points to it. "Anyway, I'm sure there's enough for all of us if you're thirsty as well." He begins to walk back towards the well.

Morning sunlight washes the trio in its radiance. Amidst the somewhat barren ground here, the soil seems golden with the sun's glow. "There was something odd last night... someone was in the hall, looking into the rooms. When I went out there, he promptly vanished. Did he bother your sleep?" Soft-Feather thinks a bit, "He may have been staff?"

Sharpclaw's brows scrunch together, and upon further review smudges on his face can be made out. Looks like he's been getting as dirty as any of the mongrels here he's been helping out. None of that standing by and pointing out things for others to do. Gotta lead by example, right? "I... didn’t notice anybody. I slept pretty well." He nods as an afterthought to SilverFox as he also starts towards the well.

SilverFox shakes his head, "When I went to bed, I was lucky to find bed... let alone hear someone in the hall. Could have been a thief, not like we have anything worth stealing," he points out as he approaches the well. It is then that he narrows his eyes and looks about. "Did you hear something?"

Soft-Feather 's head was cocked before Fox even mentioned anything. He obviously heard something. He's not sure what. "Yes... but what is it?" He looks around, trying to find the source. All he sees are people going to and from, fetching this and that, walking aimlessly. Nothing.

Sharpclaw's pretty sure he hears something too... but he can't quite pick out where. He picks a bit of dirt from an ear and his eyes dart around, his hearing slightly better than your average bear... er, Sylvan, but obviously not as strong as when he's all wolf (rowr). "I... heard something..." he murmurs, squinting at nothing in particular, listening for it again. "Almost like... someone crying? I'd have to hear it again."

With a shrug, SilverFox passes off the sound for his imagination as he grasps the frayed old rope which holds the bucket. Checking the bucket for content, he is satisfied it is empty before beginning to lower it down as he glances into the well. He turns away from it to say to you, "Probably just the wind carrying the voices of the children off in the field. Now to get some..." Suddenly, with a widening of his eyes you notice SilverFox had just realized something. In haste, he turns back to the well depths, "By the will of Nokomis... a child!" Without a second thought, he sets his hands on the well bricks with intent to climb down it. As you both glance down the well, you also make out the figure, looking up with big blue eyes, all wet and shaking. Not more than four or five years old, you'd wager. "I'll use the rope, you lower me down, all right?"

Soft-Feather flashes to the mouth of the well at this, staring into its depths. There is a small child... female, blue eyes. She is very scared, that's obvious. At SilverFox's hasty start of a rescue, Soft-Feather takes hold of the rope spindle handle, ready to help. Something crosses his mind. "Wait...ShadowWatcher's vision! Fox, this could be the task that kills you." Hopefully, Fox will see his reason. "We need another plan." He nods at the two, before calling down the well, "It's all right, child. We'll help you." His voice had become pleasant, sweet, and very soothing.

Sharpclaw heard a bit about the vision, and he's still not certain what to make of it. As he also scrambles to the well's edge and peers down, he stares at Soft-Feather, then SilverFox. "But... vision or not, we've got to get her out of there. How, though? And maybe the vision was wrong!" That's not out of the realm of possibility, right? Not all visions come to pass, right? But the teenager doesn't have any ideas for fixing this matter.

So close to starting his own family, visions of HeartsEase, Wolfsong and Silentshadow run through SilverFox' mind. "We can't let her die down there!" he declares. With a second glance toward the frayed rope, SilverFox nods to Soft-Feather, "Good chance that rope will break under the weight of a grown man. But we could lower it down and tie it about the girl somehow."

Soft-Feather thinks to himself for a second... how in Aether are they going to accomplish this? For one, that well isn't all that big around. A full grown man might not fit, regardless of the rope. How then will they tie it around the girl? A look is shared with Fox. A memory replays in his mind. A memory of Soft-Feather becoming something not quite full bear and not quite full Sylvan. A mix of the two used to quickly take down a hut. "Fox... I think I can get down there..." he trails off, looking into the hole.

At the frantic movements of the three Sylvans by the well, a few villagers start to make their way to see what is so exciting down there. As some of the closer ones pick up the conversation, they begin to whisper to each other. Within a matter of minutes, a large group of people are starting to form about the well, "A child is down there!" they exclaim to one another. Mothers turn to look at the field in search of their own child, taking silent inventory, praying it isn't their own.

"Can you maybe shift into a bird and fly down there and get the rope around her somehow? Or would that be too hard?" Sharpclaw asks, looking to Soft-Feather on this one. He's probably a little too big for this, as well. It's a helpless feeling, knowing someone's in a difficult spot but being unable to do much more than just look on. Too bad he's not skilled enough to be able to shift into some kind of animal that can get down there easily and still grab a rope. But as some of the villagers begin to mingle closer, he tries to at least help out that way. "Don't get too close... we need room here!"

SilverFox's eyes sparkle with a thought, "As a bird, we could lower you down. You could shift once down there, tie the girl, then shift back and come up?" Seems almost too easy to be overlooked.

Soft-Feather nods, "If I get stuck when I shift into Sylvan form, I can still tie her. The saving grace is that I can change only part of myself, if need be." The long arms of a bear might come in handy down there. "I won't have room to fly... but I'll figure another way up. Ready?

Sharpclaw simply nods to the idea, thinking it's as good as any thus far. Should, hopefully, work. Maybe that vision won't even be a factor here. He keeps a few tabs on the villagers, not wanting to just boss them back, but they do need room to work with, here.

A man nears the well and peers down, "Oh my god... it's Jenny!"

He faces a woman in the crowd who goes instantly pale and starts to scream the child's name, "Jenny! Jenny!" she sobs as she rushes the well. Several men take hold of the frantic mother and begin to pull her back. "It's all right, Jenny... Mommy's here," she calls.

Soft-Feather huffs slightly and climbs to the side of the well. "Here we go." He nods quickly and closes his eyes. His skin crawls...and desolidifies. Becoming golden gel-like liquid, his mass sparkles in the sunlight as it moves and flows. Compacting himself down, he becomes smaller and finally solidifies again. He is in eagle form. He looks up at Fox, as if to say, 'give me the rope.'

Several of the villagers murmur at the sight of Soft-Feather's shift and all of them seem to take a step back as one. Magic is not a common thing here, it seems. A handful of the people applaud to what seems to be a saving grace.

SilverFox unties the bucket and hands the end of the rope to Soft-Feather to take in his beak, and at the same time, he works some free slack to help lower down quickly. "All right, be careful, inkana."

The eagle takes the rope in his beak. Here we go. Using wings to slow his descent, the eagle lets himself slide down the well and lands at the body. Jenny, the young girl, gasps in surprise as Soft-Feather quickly becomes his old self again... a tightly-squeezed old self. "Come quickly child..."

She does and he ties the rope around her, "Fox! Pull her up!"

Sharpclaw spins around to stare briefly at the frantic parents. "Don't worry..!" he tries to reassure. "We'll get her out and everything will be fine!" At least Soft-Feather's shift provided the trio with a bit more space to work with, and he returns his attention to the well opening, leaning against it to peer down after Soft-Feather gets down, waiting to do his part, if there's a part to be done. "Go..." he says, encouraging SilverFox.

Down below, beneath the rising girl, is Soft-Feather, who has taken shapeless form and is beginning to shift again. I have to try this. I've been studying for months now... watching, learning. This may be the only way up if that rope breaks. His mass compacts at a grand level and flashes. Oooh... pretty. He moves upward, trying to escape as well.

SilverFox nods to Sharpclaw and begins to hoist up the girl pulling on the rope. The pace is slow and steady and everything seems to be going well. That is, until one of the twisted strands of rope break in rebellion, leaving only two others to hold the girl. She drops a few inches and cries. SilverFox's heart starts pounding so loudly that even Sharpclaw next to him might be able to hear it. Sweat forms on his forehead, as he prays aloud, "Oh Grandmother, don't let this poor child die."

The crowd begins to look very nervous, as if it could get worse. They realize now the rope is failing and the mother cries out... "My baby... don't let her die!"

The strands of the rope fray even more, and the second of three strands snaps. The girl squeaks in fear as she drops six inches with a bounce. SilverFox pulls some more, speeding up his pace as the final strand starts to fray quickly. Her head emerges from the darkness as she reaches the well opening, and the third and final strand snaps.

The girl begins to plummet back into the dark well.

Sharpclaw's turn to spring into action, and the wolf-graisha's reflexes kick into gear just in time for him to lunge forward and stretch out a hand to grab the girl by a flailing wrist, his other hand holding onto a wooden pole sticking up from the well that supports the rod holding the rope and bucket, to prevent a fall of his own. "Got you!" he grunts, feet digging against the well itself to get his balance back before he is able to let go to get his other hand free to snag Jenny's other arm, hoisting her up. His heart thumps against his chest cavity. "That... was too close..." he huffs.

The bucket falls from underneath the girl as Jenny's eyes get large, realizing just how close it was. It plummets down into the dark well.

"Watch out, Soft-Feather!" SilverFox warns.

There is nothing in the well...

Except a broken bucket.

SilverFox blinks as he stares down into the empty well. He looks to Sharpclaw in confusion.

A large ferret scampers down the girl's leg and shimmers, then flashes and sizes up, forming into....Soft-Feather! A rather naked and hairy Soft-Feather. "Wow..." his head is reeling.

The crowd of villagers are still in awe of the shifter, they stand around silent for a moment, then cheer loudly. There will be a celebration this evening for certain.

The frantic mother rushes to her child and grasps Jenny up in her arms, "Oh, thank you..." she praises the three. "Thank you so much!" She moves off with Jenny, kissing and hugging the girl.

Sharpclaw nearly drops Jenny in surprise at the sight of the ferret. "Yaah!" he recoils, and the girl's taken from his hands anyway by the frazzled mother, the graisha's hands dropping back to his sides once free again. "You're... welcome." he manages, rather blinking at Soft-Feather's surprising change.

Soft-Feather holds his head, eyes blinking rapidly. This crowd... everyone staring. Him naked in NON-SYLVAN lands! "Robe... cloak... please." He has a headache. This obviously took a LOT out of him.

Sharpclaw can't help but think, randomly, I wonder what they'd think if they knew I could shift, too. It's definitely an oddly-timed thought given the current situation, but there you go. "Umm." He flings his tunic at Soft-Feather.

SilverFox shakes his head and smiles at Soft-Feather. He begins to laugh and takes the few steps to close the gap between them. His laughter grows hearty as he extends a manly hug to Soft-Feather! "Good show!" He lets one arm free to toss about Sharpclaw, "Damn good show!" He glances wayward to the young girl and is pleased she is only lightly bruised with a few minor scratches. A simple healing gesture he will provide later will take care of that, no problem.

Soft-Feather grins and returns the hug, squeezing his friend in more of a comforting 'Thank Nokomis I am alive still' hug and a thank you. He dons his clothing as the crowds cheers and walks away.

Sharpclaw's drawn into the arm around him, finding himself rather pleased with how this turned out, if a bit overwhelmed still. Never been actually cheered by a group of people, you see. "Yes... thank Nokomis," he finally manages again after a few moments of blinking. Hey... not bad.

SilverFox rolls his eyes, "Now I'm still thirsty. Guess I should try another well." He moves on down the village.

Soft-Feather jabs at Fox's ribs, still a bit weak. His voice is hoarse. "It tasted funny anyway, inkana."

FIN  

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