Tanuchan

Love the imagery, and rhythm. Nice work, Katz As for your question about lines 5-8, they work fine for me. I think the semi-colon forces a bigger pause than a colon or a dash, and adds to both imagery and contrast (the white expanse being interrupted). Somehow the first version escaped me, but I know this last one really draws me into it, and I think you made a good work of improving it. You should write more poetry... *hugs* ~Tanny

I like the poem, specially the first stanza. It made me remember the days when the typewriter was the only way to type my school papers (yeah, it tells my age, I know ). The sounds are all there - metallic and loud. Nicely summarized in a few lines. The last stanza broke the flow at first, but as I read and re-read, it started to blend in the general feeling again. It makes me think of a final glance at that paper from the typewriter, and frustrated poet muttering to himself. A nice work, madhatter. I hope we can read more of your poems . *hugs* ~Tanny

... euchariotic life had started again, and was thriving as only insane life can. However, different from the previous cycle of life in this corner of the Universe, the creatures weren't huge. Or even big. Or at least small. No. They were tiny. Gulliver would have been a bigger giant in this more-than-lilliputian universe. And, struggling to go up a small mound, there was a tiny Knight who rode his valiant stallion muttering against the hardship of killing mythical dragons. On a closer look, his stallion was very similar to ....

Hmm... I give you two days. So, by Tuesday night Enjoy, have fun, recharge batteries, and come back with more wonderful stories! *hugs*

Venefyxatu shook his head slowly. "I've had the book for about... eight, ten years." Tanny caressed the cover once more, still feeling the book tugging at her awareness. She wove a warding quite unconsciously, keeping the book encased in a cocoon of steadying earth threads. "Any inanimate, plain object retains the patterns that living beings left on them. Think of it like fingerprints. They pile on top of each other, each owner leaving his own fingerprints. Here," she pats the book, "there is a strong pattern in the surface that match yours. And it goes deeper. On and on, through the layers I can follow... it is still you. Subtly changed, but still... there's no possible mistake." Her grey eyes held Venefyxatu's, steady in her certainty. "Tanuchan... it can't be. Even if I can't tell how old I am - for I have no memories to tell me that - I do know that..." Unbidden scenes flashed in his mind, and he paused. He knew he couldn't be centuries old, but he knew also that somehow, his memories were. His reincarnations were... even if he didn't have how to grasp and identify each one. Venefyxatu stood up, pacing slowly and rubbing his staff while his mind chased fragments of memories. Tanny's soft voice reached him once more. "There is something else... the pattern itself merges into something from the book." The mage stopped. "Are you saying that... the book has some fingerprint of its own, and it's mixed with mine?" "Yes. Only magic objects behave that way, but you told me... " "... that I've never sensed magic in it. Yes." The nether mage looked at the book, pondering, and then picked it from Tanny's hands. She felt him using some kind of magic, probably to probe the book, and her warding resonated in a somewhat unpleasant way. She unraveled the warding, but didn't sense any change in what Venefyxatu was doing except for the lessening of the shadowy taste she felt coming from him. Curious, she made herself relax and open carefully to the energies she knew were there, forcing herself not to recoil from what she defined as "tainted earth" taste. "It's not magic... not quite. But you're right, there is something about it. Strangely, I have never felt it before now." Saying that, Venefyxatu returned the book to the table. "There's energy woven into the book. Something I don't recognize, Venefyxatu. There is however a faint touch of earth, and water. Then, something that feels like fire, and air." Tanny touched again the book, and immediately another flavor was recognizable. "And nether." Venefyxatu agreed slowly, her words matching his analysis. He considered again what he had garnered from his probing, separating the touches of the several kinds of magic. What puzzled him was how, and why, a book would have all of them and yet not give a hint of its purpose. Tanny went on, her voice just a murmur as she considered her own impressions on the book. "And through all this, there's your pattern. It changes subtly, but it's like a core around which all strands swirl, adding variations to the pattern." The silence from Venefyxatu deepened, and Tanny sensed that he was sorting all the information. She looked again at the book - a faded red cover, age-yellowed pages, and the strikingly black ink. She breathed in sharply, an earlier image coming to her mind. Bright black? It was faded this morning... wasn't it? Her eyes unfocused as she brought back to her mind her first reading of the book. She had opened the book and sensed the tiniest of tugs, one that had told her that there was some magic woven in it. Her eyes had wandered to the top of the page, and although the title was clearly visible in black ink, the text was somewhat hard to read. However, by the time she had reached the end of the tale, the effort of reading faded ink had disappeared. She had blinked, fighting to pull herself back from the story she saw in her mind, much like a person who wakes up still in the clutches of a vivid dream. Venefyxatu's hand traced the title of the story. Now that he knew what to look for, he could clearly feel the Verdant magic delicately laid on the book, a subtle and faint touch he was sure was done on purpose. "Is it possible that the book has some magic that even you, an archmage, wouldn't detect?" Tanny's voice broke his concentration, and she apologized as he frowned. "It certainly is. There are different powers that feed different magic. And although we are sensitive to some kinds of magic, there are always two that we can't use but for the simplest of spells. I wouldn't be able to detect more than an aura of either Ascendant or Verd..." He stopped, so abruptly that Tanny instinctively reached out with a stoothing tendril of water freshness. The greatest things are achieved when two opposites work together... The voice and the memory struck Venefyxatu at once, blotting out completely Tanny's touch. He held his breath, staring at the clear image of the woman who had been his mother smiling at him while teaching the basics of magic. "The greatest things are achieved when two opposites work together," he repeated aloud, slowly. Then looked at Tanny. "You work with power that comes from nature. Earth. Water. Verdant magic." "Magic?" She looks startled, then shook her head in a vehement negative. "No. We weave the threads to achieve some results. It's not magic. I have seen magic being worked, Venefyxatu, and I can tell you that I know the difference." "Regardless." He waved her negative away with a hand. "It is magic, even if you don't realize it is. Not powerful as an Archmage, but you have a touch of Verdancy in you. One of my opposites." My mother's gift, comes the unbidden thought. His eyes strayed to his staff, mentally tracing the Verdant runes he had carved... he?... long ago... but how long ago? Regaining control over his memories, Venefyxatu explained his sudden insight. "You said that my pattern is there... so, a nether pattern. And you are opposite to nether. This book has never been touched by Verdant magic since it came into my hands... but this morning you used earth threads to probe it." Tanny nodded slowly, and added, "Not just today. When you gave me the book, at the Valentine Ball... do you remember? I probed it lightly." Did our energies mix then, to wake something up? A touch of... nature... nudging whatever nether power is woven in that book? Murmuring something that echoed Tanny's thoughts, Venefyxatu invited her to walk with him. If his memory served him well, he had a way to find out what he needed to know. They left the cottage, the mage talking about the balance between the different kinds of magic while Tanny kept the book and listened attentively. There was a light breeze, and she noticed the sun getting definitely lower. With a start, she realized that they had been talking long, and it was already mid-afternoon. The lake glimmered golden, reflecting the light from the westering sun, and Tanny relaxed as she instinctively reached for its soothing touch. Venefyxatu smiled softly, noticing the small fluttering in the energy around his companion. "Did you know we're almost exactly over a node?" Tanny turned to him in surprise, and he continued, pointing to the lake with his staff. "I believe the core is under the lake. I can feel it vibrating with power, although it's one that I can't control easily - if at all. I believe you feel most at ease here when you have to manipulate energies?" Tanny blinked, and then smiled as memories came back to her. Her morning dives in the lake, and the touch of water that always refreshed her when she was tired. The special, delicate weavings that she always chose to make in her favorite spot right beside the lake. She saw again the glimmering of the jewel she had given Merelas, and felt the smoothness of the wooden wyvern scupture she had chosen for Stephen Hascodem. "It's because the node feeds the purest of energies to you, Wolf-lady. And you recognized it instinctively." He found a comfortable shaded spot under a tree, and motioned Tanny to sit by him. "I want to try something, but can't do it alone. If what I think is correct, there is something in this book that needs a Verdant guide to be touched, but Nether magic to be unlocked. You have the Verdancy touch needed. Specially here, on a node." Suddenly attuned to all the energies swirling around her, Tanny set a shrewd look on her companion. "But it doesn't make you too comfortable. Being here, I mean." He shrugged. "You need the node for what I'm asking, as you aren't an Archmage. I can deal with it, and in a way... it's also easier for me, because the nether forces here aren't so strong. And I don't need powerful magic right now. Tell me ... I know you can feel it when I work magic. Could you add your own weavings to that?" "Add? I don't know... what exactly do you mean?" "I was thinking about trying to follow the ... special properties of the book and see if I encountered anything that can be unlocked. But I'll need your magic to guide me." "Can you be more specific?" "Well ... it's hard to explain, but I'd like to try to mix our energies. Think of it as guiding my mind across the lifeforce patterns you described." "Hmm... " Tanny considered for a long moment. "Can you ... follow in a 'tunnel'?" Venefyxatu nodded. "Yes, I think I can do that." "I'll need a thread of Nether ... nothing too powerful or I can't control it. Then I can just encase it in earth, and take it with me when I go through the layers. I suppose you can still keep in touch with your thread, and it won't fight me as it would normally do." Venefyxatu arched an eyebrow, and Tanny shrugged lightly. "I call it so... any of the energies I can't channel behave quite rebelliously unless I can secure them inside earth or water. They fight my weaving around them." Nodding, the mage concentrated on forming a small thread of Nether energy and making sure she'd be able to sense it. Calmly he held on to it, waiting. Tanny promptly probed at the unfamiliar energy. After being sure that she could deal with it, she picked a clear strand of earth, channeling through Gryphon's Jewel. With a sure touch, she wove that strand around the slippery nether thread, securing it with some effort. She looked at Venefyxatu, signaling that she was ready. Venefyxatu turned his attention to the book. Feeling the unfamiliar Verdant weight around his own energies made him careful, and after some unsteady experimenting both him and Tanny started getting used to each other and began to explore the book. Venefyxatu nodded, satisfied, feeling Tanny's steadying touch guiding him. The book was indeed ancient, and it had some qualities that were almost like magic. Not here ... not here either ... yes, here! A knot! As she had done earlier, Tanny just followed the layers she could feel, drawing on earth and water to keep a steady weaving around the Nether thread. Oops... steady... strange how this feels knotted... I hadn't noticed it before... A vaguely glimpsed mess in a room with wooden walls. On the white desk lies a book, closed, the book, with a pile of draft sheets next to it. The sheets have been scribbled on, no spot has been left unused - lines and lines of text, words written in between the lines, diagonally across, squeezed into the smallest empty space. And there's a song playing - a strangely alluring song that somehow feels familiar. Venefyxatu blinked, gasped, and if it had not been for several lifetimes of practice would've lost his grip on the thread. As it was, he just held it still while he gave in to the memory that surfaced. Tanny blinked at a sudden warp in the threads she's been manipulating, and for a second or so she grasped frantically at something slipping from her touch. But the feeling went away as suddenly as it had come, and she decided to let go of the book. With a tugging that she hoped would warn Venefyxatu, she let the threads unravel. Looking up, the mage let his own thread dissipate. When he spoke, his voice was even softer than usually, as if he was mentally out of breath. "That was ... odd. Did you see those images and hear that song as well?" Tanny cocked her head, puzzled. "Images? Song? No, nothing at all. I just felt... knots. Where there was none earlier. Then, a sudden... twist, and something slipping from my control. So I thought prudent to let it go... " Suddenly Venefyxatu reached for the book and opened it, looking for the last written page. Turning the book to his companion, he pointed at the top of the page. Tanny gasped softly. Where before there was just a word written on the top of a blank page, now there was a title and a story written in bright, black, fresh ink.

Tanny shimmers back into her human form, and hugs Mallory warmly. "Congratulations, Mallory! I'm happy for you, and I admire you for coming and doing it in a place so different for you!" After hugging each of the judges, Tanny leaves the stage and looks for Stephen, who's smiling and waiting for her some steps away. "I told you..." He grins, hugging her. "Such versatile wolf..." Tanny half-glares at him, even knowing her look is lost on the blind ranger. "Don't you start. I still think it was a dirty trick of yours, betting and making me be part of this..." Stephen's chuckle turns into open laughter, as they leave the Carnival grounds toward Tanny's favorite spot around the lake. "You tricked yourself, Wolf-Lady. I wasn't the one who was so sure that Ahab-something-or-other wasn't up to any trick with that tiara... Or who insisted on trying it until getting soaking evidence of its malfunction..." "Alright, alright... remind me next time that it's a bad idea to bet with you." Tanny giggles softly, completing, "Though I think I got my little revenge with you in the Bachelor Auction... " As Stephen sighs, she turns to him and presses something into his hand. "What..." he immediately recognizes a pouch with geld, and automatically starts pushing it back to Tanny. "No. I want you to have half the prize. I wouldn't have had any chance at all if you hadn't made me mad to the point of not considering giving up." "But..." "And besides, you might need it for your date, dear Ranger. A girl would deserve something nicer from you than you puffing out smoke..." With a crystalline laughter, Tanny changed into her wolf form and dived head-on into the lake, enjoying water that was warm from the sun. ~~~ OOC: Huge, huge thanks to Venefyxatu for his help - although he insists that the ideas (and the wolf) were all mine, the truth is that without his permission to use Stephen Hascodem in my posts I wouldn't have been able to write anything even half-interesting. And besides, his "translation work" was really fun to read... So, I'd really like to split the prize with him, if that's possible . Thanks to all for the fun! Edit: can't spell...

Congratulations to all!

How about... "Sleep can save rare rhino"

Thanks to Venefyxatu for his collaboration! ~~~~~~~~ Thomas looked at the mirror, sighing. His tall, thin figure didn't look too well in swimming trunks, and his weren't really good enough for a pageant - as he rarely used them. He turned around once more, trying to get a peek into how he looked from behind. Shaking his head, he grimaced. Tom, who had been skipping along the corridor, saw the open dor and bounced up to Thomas. "Hey, why the long face? Aren't you bards supposed to be always happy 'n cheerful and singing 'n stuff? What's up?" Thomas jumped, startled, and bumped his head on the mirror. Rubbing his head, he mumbled an answer. "I'm a Minstrel. Minstrels don't go around in swim wear, you know. This is ridiculous!" "Awwwwwwwwwwwww, but don't you think it'd be ridiculous to not be wearing swimwear in a ... swimwear round?" "Huh..." Thomas blinked, but couldn't say a word before Tom continued. "So make an exception of course! You bard-types are creative, aren't you? Instead of following traditions you break 'em, or do something FUN with 'em, don't you? C'mon, have some fun and do something special! Maybe you can even write a song about it, or a poem or one of those singing-type poems, you know ..." The little guy kept bouncing around as he was talking excitedly, really wanting to see Thomas' performance now. "Listen, you don't seem to understand... it's not appropriate! We use the kind of clothes you saw in the formal wear round. We don't walk around strutting in swim wear... no decent Minstrel would be seen by his public nearly naked. It's just not appropr..." "Appropriate? Who cares?? Think of the fun you'll have! Besides, you won't be the only one performing in swimwear, in fact, they're *expecting* it from you and all the others as well so it's abso-ma-lutely appropriate! And maybe that cute girl in the front row likes guys in swimwear eh?" With a chuckle, a grin and a wink, Tom hopped another circle around Thomas' feet. The Minstrel gulped, and while trying to avoid the bouncing little guy he ended up walking towards the stage. Seeing the public, Thomas stopped dead. Tom, still talking excitedly about creativity and poems and songs and fun, bumped into his shin and bounced back a few steps. However, oblivious to it, the little guy just stopped a second to breathe and kept talking, circling Thomas' feet. Thomas suddenly turned back, panicking and fully intendind to go back to his dressing area. Tom chose that moment to bump against his legs again, and Thomas stumbled. Flailing his arms, the minstrel threw himself backwards to avoid squishing his little friend. Someone yelped as Thomas, trying to get back his balance, half-ran and half-skidded backwards. Still flailing, he grabbed the microphone stand in an attempt to steady himself, and ended up entangling his feet on the wire. A second later, a loud squeak from the microphone deafened half the audience and the judges found their laps full of almost-naked minstrel, microphone, microphone stand, and wire. "Erm... " Thomas looked with his best puppy-eyed expression into Mynx's eyes, and stammered, "...eeeehm... well... this is my swimming gear... I mean.... pair of swimming trunks... huh... excuse me..." Tom, peeking through the curtains with wide eyes, slapped his forehead with a groan and went to prepare himself. Somehow Thomas succeeded in disentangling himself from the microphone and judges and judges' table, and found in some hidden place in himself the bravery to stand up, bow to everybody, and walk back towards the stage strutting in his blue-and-silver pair of swimming trunks.

Tanny sighs softly, wondering again why she's still doing that. Certainly she had already paid the bet... Growling deep in her throat, she looks once again at Stephen. ::You know as well as myself that wolves don't have swim wear! And don't you come again with that tasteless joke about Summer haircut.:: :: Then why don't you go and tell them that you don't need it? :: Stephen's soft mind-voice cuts Tanny's retort, and she blinks. ::Hm... you want to help me this time?:: Some minutes later Tanny's grinning, and it's in a relaxed way that she enters the stage. Stephen takes his position at the left side of the stage, while Tanny paces softly to and fro. "As you can see, our Wolf-Lady also doesn't need a swim wear - not in her current form. Her fur is more than enough for modesty, and it dries quickly once out of water." Tanny then stops and, nodding at Stephen, leaves the stage towards the beach. The ranger turns to the judges, bowing. "However, there's also a trick she would use when not willing to get wet. To show it to you, she'd need to actually swim... so if you could oblige and follow us to the beach..." Once the judges talk among themselves and agree to that, they move to the spot where Tanny's waiting. While Stephen explains what she's doing, she picks a thread of water-energy and taps into it while threading into the water. Soon she coaxes more threads to join the first, weaving them in a cocoon around her body. She swims a short distance, ducking underwater once, then comes back to the beach. Stifling the instinctive need to shake free of water that's not there, she comes near the judges. "As you can see, her body is dry. She has woven a small shielding of water around her, keeping water off. It's not something she does often, as it demands energy and takes out all the fun of a dive... but it's useful some times. It can be considered a kind of swim wear..." ::Ohhh... Stephen, hold on! And ask them to wait some minutes more!!:: Tanny's voice come with a giggle, and Stephen relays her words without hiding his curiosity. Tanny bounds into the water once again, swimming and diving, then comes back once again. ::Another swim wear for them to examine, Stephen... :: She chuckles, grinning toothily. ::And I'm free of this!! hah!!:: The judges also smile and giggle, seeing now the effect of a slight change in Tanny's weaving: there are two patches only of dry fur, mimicking exactly the shape of a bikini. Laughing, Tanny shimmers into her human shape and hugs Peredhil, Mynx, and Gryphon, thanking them, and grabs Stephen's arm. "Now, let's have some talk about you and the Bachelor Auction..." grinning, she yanks him away, barely giving him time to bow to the judges. ~~~~~ OOC: I'd like to thank Venefyxatu for 'lending' me his character, Stephen Hascodem, even when he didn't have the chance to write with me. It was fun, and challenging, writing a wolf... but I guess I feel pretty much like Tanny-wolf at the end of this round

Post written with Venefyxatu's collaboration - thanks! ~~~~~~ Tanny enters the stage again, her grumbles pretty audible. Stephens takes the microphone, and looks at Tanny. ::What I can do... well, I'll tackle this question from the point of view of my present form, as I got stuck in this thanks to my friend Stephen.:: Stephen nods, and smiles to the audience. "As you see, I'm here again to translate the words from our Wolf-Lady. So forgive me for using first person, as it would be closer to the actual words. So... What I can do ... of course, I'll be doing everything in wolf form, thanks to my good friend Stephen." ::Stephen, don't you start... :: "Stephen, that is myself, shouldn't start..." ::Start what, Wolf-Lady? You seem a bit.. lost...:: Tanny keeps looking at Stephen with a wide grin - a wide, toothy, wolfish grin that isn't quite friendly, but Stephen glosses over it. "... having to guide me, in spite of the need for translation. But anyway..." ::You'll have your retribution, for sure.:: With a mental sigh, she keeps on. ::I could say that I can help watching the perimeter of the Keep, and being part of any defense group when it's needed. However, that's something so natural for me, that I'd do it anywhere, without thinking about it.:: "You, meaning me, Stephen, will have an adequate compensation for the trouble." Stephen nods, as if thanking Tanny. "I could say that I can help watching the perimeter of the Keep, and being part of any defense group when it's needed. However, that's something so natural for me, that I wouldn't even think about it... hahahahaha!!" Stephen gasps and apologizes to the public, pushing back braided hair that had just gotten into his ear, tickling him. ::How did you do that?:: ::I could say that I have quite a mood to serve as a cuddling comforter when it's needed - you know, wolf fur is really soft and soothing. However, I know that not many are so willing to be that close to a wolf. We are pretty independent, and certainly no dogs in spite of our playful ways.:: Still eyeing Tanny suspiciously, Stephen goes on with the translation. "I could say that I have quite a mood to serve as a cuddling comforter when it's needed - you know, wolf fur is really soft and soothing. However, I know that not many are so willing to be that close to an agitated wolf. We are pretty independent, and certainly no dogs in spite of our behavior... ouch!!" Tanny sits down in a relaxed way, looking at Stephen while he pushes back a braid that had suddenly slapped him across the face. ::Tanny, what was in that very nice-looking strand you gave me earlier? The one that I braided into my hair?:: The wolf winks at him, keeping on with her mindspeech. ::Well, then... I can only be what I've always been. A roamer, and an explorer. Someone who can explore the little known parts of the Keep's premises, and that can help mapping it without disturbing anyone or anything living there. Like a wolf - silent, careful, and daring when it's needed.:: Stifling an urge to just hold his braid, Stephen finishes. "Well, then... I can only be what I've always been. A roamer, and an explorer. Someone who can sneak through the little known parts of the Keep's premises, and that can help mapping it, preferably without disturbing anyone or anything living there. Like a wolf - silent, careful, and daring if I really have to.... nnnghrnn... " The judges look in wonder at the Ranger, by now struggling with his braided hair who had coiled around his neck and was evidently fighting him. Tanny bows and leaves the stage with a satisfied note echoing in her mindspeaking. ::Trees and roots' fibers, Stephen... woven and rewoven with earth energy. That's what you braided in your hair. Nice, isn't it?:: ~~~~~ Edit: typos

Thomas shivered as Stumpy passed by and bestowed him a most wicked glance. Gulping, he stepped back and fell over a stool by the curtain, which in turn fell over him. "No... not again..." Thomas' annoyed, muffled voice came from between the folds of the curtain and he finally crawled out from under it. Schooling his expression to hide his embarassment, he coughed and then strode purposefully to the microphone. "What I'd do for the Pen? I'm a Minstrel. I'll sing its glory and its qualities, its purpose and its quirks, to all and every person I meet in my traveling. I'm skilled with music and song, and I can spread the verses you create here so that the world will know and recognize your talent." He paused, and caught an almost imperceptible arching of eyebrows from some of the members of the audience. That, and a pang from his conscience, made him blush a rather deep crimson as he corrected himself in a lower voice. "Erm... well... I mean, I'll certainly try. I'll confess that sometimes the words of a song or those of a poem just inspire me too much and I can't help myself but creating a.... new version... " Bravely, Thomas smiled and looked straight into the eyes of the audience. "But if I might not help it, I can still talk about the Pen and spread the news about its existence. And I can create the music for your verses and your stories, so that you can teach them to those who want to memorize them and tell them in other places." Definitely beaming, Thomas bowed and left the stage - this time looking around himself and carefully avoiding anything that might go out of its way to trip him.

Alright, got an idea... Count me in for part II with an Agony Column. (Random example here)

Suggested headline: "Then there was rain" For the second part, I'd have to think later on... I never know how much time RL will give me, and my Muse is rather temperamental . But I could possibly contribute with something. Do we really need to tell you what we can do right now?

As soon as Mallory left the stage, Thomas came in in run - after getting himself disentangled from the curtains once more. "I'm sorry for my lateness, but I had some trouble choosing just one among all the marvelous ballads that I have in my memory. But finally I'm here, to sing for you the Ballad of the Mariner, an old legend of lands far, far away." He bowed graciously, and then raised his silver flute above his head. Then looked at it with a puzzled frown. Wait... flute? What is my flute doing here, and where is my lute? To disguise his confusion, Thomas bowed once again and summarized the story told by the ballad. But, with half his mind trying to sort out how he had come on stage to sing a ballad using a flute, he managed to tell the story of a solitary butterfly who flew away to find happiness above the clouds. While the judges blinked and whispered among themselves, wondering how a butterfly could be a mariner, Thomas finally sighed and, bowing once more, took the flute to his lips. The melody was beautifully haunting, and filled the eyes of the audience with tears for the sheer strength of the longing it conveyed. After the short introduction, Thomas breathed and started singing. The first verses presented the rabbits and wolves in the forest, waiting for the Mage who would finally free the magic imprisoned in the ancient node. "Wasn't it about a mariner?" whispered Stephen, not far from the stage. "I thought it was about a butterfly... " Tanny shook her head. Flute music silenced the audience once more, but the hauting melody was gone, replaced by a contagious dancing rhythm. When Thomas sang the next couplet, they talked about the seagulls cavorting in the air, fighting butterflies for the right to fly above the clouds. After some minutes of juggling flute and words, Thomas' eyes got caught by a smile from a charming girl right in the middle of the audience. Thus distracted, he ended his presentation with a sigh and some absent-minded, murmured words. Charming smile, promising eyes lady of many faces pity this poor Minstrel... Still entranced by the smile, he bowed and left. ~~~~ Edit: typos

There's a soft "thud" coming from behind the curtains, and after some growling noises Stephen stumbles onto the stage. Quickly regaining his balance, he frowns slightly at the grinning wolf that enters soon after him. ::Wolf-Lady, for all the respect I have for you...:: ::Your own fault, dear friend. Everything I could do in the pageant is restricted to wolf form, and so I can just butt and claw at you instead of taking your arm to drag you in.:: There's an unmistakable innocent grin conveyed by Tanny's mental voice, and Stephen ends up grinning also. ::Alright... no tricks this time, I promise.:: Cleaning his throat, Stephen bows to the judges. "As Apaltra, Tanny also believes that Talent comes as a gift. The most known of her talents, then, is the shapechanging from wolf to tanuki or human, and I have seen her changing easily from one to the other in some different occasions. Unfortunately, she is bound by a ... promise... to keep to her wolf-shape in this contest, so that rules out any demonstration of that particular talent." Tanny growls soflty. ::Luckily for you, I keep my promises, Ranger. But you will soooo regret some of your tricks... :: ::Tricks? I'm just a poor translator... not even being paid for this job!:: ::Something you should be used to, after working for Wyvern last Carnival...:: Stephen hides a shudder, and surprises Tanny with an extra comment before the agreed presentation. "She has also demonstrated a talent to survive a mission on behalf of the Almost Draconic Brand™ Products, which I share with her... but that is a whole other story that's recorded somewhere else. But, during that mission, she has fully demonstrated her amazing skills at channeling elemental energy, even teaching me a thing or two; and that is what she'll be doing right now - a demonstration of her energy-manipulation skills." ::Thanks, Stephen. That was really kind of you.:: She bows to him, then sits down comfortably. Stephen leaves for a while, coming back with some potted plants and one empty flower pot that he gives to the judges. Sensing Tanny already grounded and centered, tapping into earth's energy, he steps back and continues in a soft voice. "It's not easy to work on potted plants, as their contact with the true power of earth is limited by their conditions. However, the soil you see in these pots was prepared specifically for this, by having their link to earth reinforced by a previous weaving using both earth and water energies. By using that stabilized touch, Tanny's able to nudge gentle growth..." Tanny reinforces her nudge with a touch of watery thread, coaxing the seeds in the pot in front of Mynx to wake from their sleep. Slowly, tiny green stalks appear on the surface of the soil, and a couple of leaves open on each one. "As both Tanny and I know, and also many of you, nature's forces shouldn't be used to force unnatural situations. Although she could make another effort and actually make those seedlings grow and mature, we both felt that it would be wrong doing so. Those plants will now grow on their own pace, and with the energy threaded on that soil they won't suffer from being potted instead of growing in the ground." Peredhil stoops a bit to examine the seedlings and sense their health, and is surprised when a crawling plant on the pot in front of him winds itself around his little finger. Smiling, Stephen explains. "Through the right weaving, it's also possible to direct the growth of some plants, like crawling ones and vines. She has used that more than once to create entanglements and almost-nets to distract and escape unfriendly creatures." Smoothing the thread she's manipulating, Tanny makes the plant unwind and rest in its due place. Finally, the potted flowers slowly bloom, and a glimmering net of silver can be seen over them for some seconds before it disappears. With a soft sight, Tanny bows to the judges and leaves. Stephen smiles. "The flowers that bloomed will remain so until they're transplanted back into the ground, where the last weaving will dissipate naturally whle in contact with their energy source. Meanwhile, she asks you to treat them well, and either keep them or give them to those who appreciate their beauty. Thank you."

Sorry to intrude... I just thought these links might be handy for those not familiar with the Item Auction... I can delete this post after you update yours, Katz! First Item Auction (Summer Carnival '04) Second Item Auction (Winter Carnival '04) The voting threads for the items are at the Assembly, and the auctions at the Conservatory (iirc). For those who can access the Guilds area, there's a sticky with the winning descriptions, current owner, and links to all stories submitted for a given item. Item Log

Thomas looked at the mirror, and nodded. There were some faded ink smudges on the cuff of his left sleeve, but he didn't think that would be visible to the judges. He was far more worried with the three-inch-long tear that had somehow appeared on his right sleeve. "I really don't remember how this could be..." He muttered to himself, while fidgeting with some ribbons that several pretty girls from last village had given him. "This is my best shirt... I wonder if..." He stopped mid-sentence, grinning. Quickly, the took off the shirt and used his knife to cut small holes along the tear - without actually making the tear much longer than six inches in the process. He chose a dark-blue ribbon and deftely threaded it through the holes, and finished by tying it in an intricated knot he had learned years ago. His right sleeve now displayed a quite beautiful lacework made of dark-blue ribbon contrasting with the white of the fabric, from elbow to cuff. Quite satisfied, he paused for a moment to consider doing the same in the other sleeve. "Hm... no... something tells me it's better not..." He blushed, in one of the rare times that he consciously admitted to himself that he could end up making a fool of himself. Over the shirt he put his dark-blue Minstrel vest, lacing it closed deftly. He wished he had his cousin's light-blue eyes, which had always seemed perfect for a minstrel. "But no, the fool decided to be a carpenter... what a waste of perfect minstrel-blue eyes..." At last he put on his soft velvet boots, the ones he used only for special occasions. Looking again at the mirror, he smiled a bit diffidently. "Not too bad... the eyes still have the wrong color, but... not too bad... What should I do with my hair? And my lute?" Once a girl had suggested him to decorate the lute with colored ribbons, and proceeded to do it herself. As a result, Thomas almost ended up having to play the ribbons instead of the strings and promised he'd never let a girl lay hands on his precious lute again. However, later on he had done it himself with good results and so, for the pageant, he used some red-shaded strings woven around and hanging from the pegbox. The strings would fall gently over his left arm without hampering movement, and he was pretty happy with the overal effect when he finished. Thomas entered the stage as soon as Sweetcherrie left, for once taking care to not get entangled on the fallen curtain. He bowed to the judges, then proceeded to walk carefully across the stage, presenting his formal clothing. Some small beads of sweat formed on his forehead, as he concentrated on not slipping and keeping his smile in place. At last, he sat down on the stoolhe had asked to be put center-stage, and fingered his lute so that people could see how his clothing really fit a Minstrel in action. The music and the familiar feeling of strings under his fingers calmed Thomas, and all his tension - and concentration - flowed away. After a few minutes, he smiled and stood up, bowing. The stool crashed on the floor, and rolled away - almost hitting Tom Atoe, who was waiting for his turn. Thomas, who was leaving, heard the muffled yell and turned to see Tom hopping around in a circle a few times. Distracted by the sight, Thomas forgot completely the leftover curtain. Thomas then learned that thrashing while entangled on a curtain just led to worse entanglement, and sighed deeply while someone helped to unwrap all the fabric from his legs. But soon he got lost on examining his lute for any harm done from his fall, and as he was freed he walked away as if nothing had happened.

At the back of the room, Katelyn - or was it Karen? - let her eyes wander over the assembled people, long lashes concealing the interest in her deep-blue eyes. Not far from her, Karen - or Katelyn? - cocked her head slightly, apparently bored but intent on every whisper she could hear. Both sisters would later compare their impressions, and how that would help their House. Katelyn turned and seemed to flow among the other people, her silvery hair adorned with blue-gray jewels confirming her identity. Smiling to some, and giving a hint of a smirk to others, she stopped just in sight of Malvolio's niche. The sleeveless midnight-blue dress marked her slim sillouette, and finally locating Duke she glided on to talk to him. There's interesting talk going on around... I wonder how the news are affecting those who aren't here. I must find more. After a while, catching Karen's eye, Katelyn nods and leaves - changing in the process to her demoness form, knowing that it would attract the attention of some she wanted to. What are the news, then?

lol That's great, Wyvern!

This poem was written some days ago, for a challenge in another board. I'm not sure if it belongs here or in the library... Feel free to move it, if needed. ~~~~~~~~~~ WHAT IS TO COME I. What is Silent, dark, night comes Muting sounds, stilling passions, Drowning war, cries - death. Sleepless she lies there straining to hear his breathing, Fighter coming home. Dreams hold restless mind, dark ghosts fleshed by prophecy, shadows haunting me. II. What was A. Fate Spring. Flowers spread around, covering the dark mound, colored, happy ring. But a wind came bringing a voice, leaving no choice, calling a name... Chosen. Lady of Stars, can't you see? Pity this girl who might just be... Frozen. B. Fading Autumn. Girl who might've been, bound by her word isn't anymore. The flowers are gone, baring the shadow mound... the wind blowing fallen petals away. Solemn. So are the days under that light that fades away. III. What might be Dawn. The breeze from the sea, the color from the trees, the sound from the fields... Cold. Gray. Land shrouded by mist and silence, waiting in shadows, still. Sharp. Branches that point to ways that are gone, memories of life, deeds... death. Light... salt from the sea, green from the leaves, cries from the birds. Life? Atop the shadow mound my spirit waits, shadows leaving to reveal what comes. The end of the dream. The end of the nightmare. The end... Or the beginning. ~~~~~~~~~ The challenge was in three parts; the first one asked for three haikus. Part two should have two short poems, one of them being rhymed. Last was a long poem in free form. I fused all three parts in a final, long poem.

Post written in collaboration with Venefyxatu. Chronologically, this should come before the events in the Summer Carnival Beauty Pageant. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~continuing from above~ After leaving Achib's tent, Tanny shimmered back into her wolf shape and wove her way out of the Carnival grounds and back to the Pen. On her way, she saw a very familiar figure just a few steps ahead of her. Grinning, she sent a sharp thought towards him, and saw him stop and turn. Unerringly, he walked to her and reached down to pat her head and scratch behind her ears. "So, hello Wolf-Lady!" ::Hello, Stephen. Good to see you! But must you always greet me as you were greeting a dog?:: ::By all means, Wolf-lady... unless you tell me that you don't like to be scratched like a dog...:: She snorted, and Stephen Hascodem chuckled as they both turned towards the portal out of the beach and back to the Keep. "You seem quite happy and a bit anxious, Tanny... what is it?" ::I'm not sure if you know, but there's a tent where an Arab guy is selling magic items. I got something that I want to test... would you like to come?:: Further mindspeaking told Stephen the full story, and he grimaced. ::Portals? Heh... you know I got some allergy to... portals.:: Tanny shook herself violently, sending a disgusted thought, ::Wyvern isn't involved this time.:: Stephen laughed quietly. "Yet, Tanny. Yet. How long do you think until he visits Achib's tent to try one of his schemes on him?" Laughter came through the mindspeaking link, and they kept talking while walking out of the Keep and into the forest. At the lake, Tanny shimmered back into human form and showed the tiara to her friend, describing it while he let his fingers catch the details. "Yes, beautiful. It should be perfect for your black hair." "Which's always braided and pinned out of my way when I'm adventuring." Still examining the tiara, Stephen shook his head lightly. "Anyway, Tanny... I think this is beautiful for your hair. I doubt it works at all." "Why?" "C'mon, Arab merchants? With all those tales of wonderful adventures in the magic realms in the Far East?" He raised an eyebrow, succeeding in conveying a very skeptical look. "What surprises me is that you'd fall for one of those stories." Tanny bristled a bit, quite defensive. "It was a bargain, Stephen. If you knew how much he asked at first, and the final price..." "As if merchants didn't do that all the time." He grinned in his charming way, and heard Tanny's sigh. "Don't be upset, Wolf-Lady. As I said, you got a beautiful tiara and it will set nicely in your hair." "It has magic in it, Stephen. I can feel it." "Oh?" Some minutes later, Tanny and Stephen agreed on a bet. "Alright. I think this works. You think it doesn't. Whoever loses will enter in the Beauty Pageant at the Carnival." Stephen grinned. "You as a wolf, dear lady. Also, you said you can feel magic, so I think it works. What I bet is that it doesn't work as Achib said it does. So, is this a deal?" "Deal!" Grinning also, Tanny put on the tiara on and looked at an unsuspecting tree. "So, I'm going to test this... " "And how am I supposed to know if it worked, dear friend?" "Huhhhh... you know, Stephen, sometimes your blindness is a real inconvenience." She looked around while Stephen found a comfortable spot and sat down. "Thankfully, it's just sometimes." Grinning, he turned toward Tanny. "Ask the tree to nicely open a portal next to me. Then I'll know it worked without having to trouble myself with walking to wherever you want to go." Nodding, Tanny walked towards the tree and muttered, "The second oak tree to my left". There was a tingling sensation when she touched the tree, but that was lost in a fraction of a second as she frantically reached for the water around her to avoid drowning. Stephen got to his feet at once when he heard the gurgling and the splashing from the lake, and ran to its margin with his quarterstaff ready to strike an enemy. Tanny ressurfaced, spluttering and gasping, holding tight to the threads she had automatically woven and that had given her extra buoyancy. Panting, she swam to Stephen, who helped her out of the water. "Tanny! Are you alright? What happened?" "I.. don't kn..." Stepping out of the water and flopping down, she found herself magically dry. Surprised, she just stared at her clothes, at the lake, at the trees... and touched the tiara, which felt slightly warm. "You're pretty dry after that dive... I thought only wolves could do the trick?" Stephen commented nonchalantly, but still alert to his surroundings and standing up protectively besides Tanny. "I... just appeared in the lake, I suppose..." "Thankfully you have quick reactions. Did you feel anything? I mean, anything not... huh... right?" "Sure I did... I felt that the water's cold here at this time of the day." Calming down, she grimaced and stood up. "Thanks for being so alert, Stephen. I just thought about the tree you were under, and then it seems I materialized in the lake... I wonder if it was an accident?" "Tanny, maybe we should be more careful..." "Certainly. Stay here... can you link to earth and follow me?" As Stephen agreed, Tanny resolutely picked another tree, glared at it, and stepped into it. A little curious bunny nearby saw the tree waver and thin as the woman disappeared into it, and a startled school of fish swam quickly around a woman who suddenly appeared in their middle. Stephen turned to the lake, alarmed at not hearing Tanny nearby. He called to her, both loudly and using his mindlink to her. After some minutes, a seething voice reached his mind. ::I'm coming, I'm coming! The river isn't that near! And I don't want to hear a word about any bet!:: A chuckle came through the mind-link, and Tanny could get the drifting thought. ::But you sure are a beauty, Wolf-Lady... dry or soaked, you'd have no competition in any pageant...:: Soon the wolf padded into the clearing around the lake, and shimmered into an angry swearing Tanny. Stephen made sure that she wasn't harmed, and said, "I could feel nothing... you were here, and suddenly you disappeared from earth. Then I sensed you... quite far from here. From your cursing, I suppose that you've been up to another dive?" She hissed, stifling an urge to change into wolf form and shake herself dry - specially considering that she was completely dry. "Yes. In the river that feeds the lake. About three-fourths of a mile in that direction." She points, and sits down with a sigh. "Maybe we should investigate better... have you tried the opposite... entering the river..." "... to try to get back to the tree? Yes. I just got all wet again." "You don't seem wet..." "No." She sighed again. "I dried up the moment I stepped out of water." She took the tiara in her hands, examining it again. Then, throwing a steadying line towards earth, she probed it thoroughly. "Definitely a watery touch. Besides all the magic vibration giving me a headache." Further experimenting resulted in nothing new: Tanny reappeared twice more in the river, and Stephen once in the lake and another in a muddy puddle midway between the lake and the river. "So, does it lead you to water, wherever it is that you want to go?" "It seems so... regardless of anything else. I've just tried to make it drop me in the river, and it just dumped me in the lake again. Oh welll... I'm tired, and hungry. Let's go eat something..." During the mile-long walk to her cottage Tanny managed to banish the glum mood that had started to settle on her after concluding that she had been deceived by Achib, and she was actually laughing when she directed Stephen to a large barrel at the side of the house. "You know where I collect rain water. You can clean there... you should have bathed in the lake, you know. " "Once is enough, thank you. Just let me wash my face and hands." Stephen picked the pitcher by the barrel as Tanny opened the door, and suddenly instead of filling it with water he almost landed it on Tanny's lap as she materialized in the barrel. "Achib, I'm going to kill you! Slowly, and in boiling water! Better yet, I'm going to personally lead Wyvern to your tent!!" Stephen didn't react for some seconds, and then started giggling helplessly. He didn't need eyes to feel Tanny's glare, and soon he was roaring with laughter, his mind picturing Tanny standind in the barrel of water with sharp accuracy. Rolling her eyes, Tanny climbed out of the barrel, getting dry in the process. "Well, at least this damned thing dries m..." With a loud 'swoosh', both Tanny and Stephen found themselves soaked with water - and Tanny could follow the threads easily to the source. The tiara. Late in the afternoon, again by the lake, Tanny handed Stephen his cloak. "It seems dry." "Yeah, it is. Thank you." "Funny thing, this." Tanny tapped a finger on the tiara. "Wear it, and touch wood. And you'll be instantly transported into the nearest body of water." "Anything that contains water enough to be considered a body of water, you mean." Stephen grimaced, remembering the muddy puddle near the river and the basin of soapy water in Tanny's kitchen. "Yes... and any kind of wood you touch," Tanny nods. After the incident with the door, she had touched the table, and Stephen had been holding his quarterstaff once; in both cases, they had ended soaked. "It will dry you as soon as you step out of water, though." "Sure. Until it gets soaked up, and then it dumps all the water it dried from you onto you again." "Onto you and anyone nearby." Stephen grinned, by then in a better mood after half a day of experimentation. Tanny giggled, looking at the setting sun and stretching. "Yes. You know, Stephen... I'm certainly angry at Achib and I really should do something about him... but... this tiara can be useful." "Useful? It's dangerous, Tanny. Can you imagine getting dumped into... the sea?" "Better that than a huge pot of bubbling soup in someone's kitchen... " Stephen chuckled. "Well... some people deserve that..." "Exactly." She grins, wrapping the tiara carefully and putting it in a silky pouch. "I think I'll keep it. " Stephen's grin matched Tanny's, and soon they were heading back to the Keep to find the portal to the Campsite and enjoy the bonfire. At the back of her mind, though, Tanny sighed - entering a Beauty Pageant as a wolf hadn't been first among her options for fun at the current Carnival. ~~~~~~ Edit: Included the bet that lead to the Beauty Pageant Edit 2: typos Edit 3: adding links

There's some rustling, and Stephen appears once more on the stage, this time carrying several potted plants. Without a word, he sets them around the stage in apparently random places, goes back for more, and finally bows to the public and leaves. The stage nows appears to have grown a small collection of flowers and shrubbery. While the judges wonder, a small white rabbit is pushed through the curtains. It looks around, apparently puzzled, and hops to hide behind the nearest big-leafed plant. Tanny enters the stage from the other side, stopping for a moment to bow to the public and judges. Then she walks elegantly across the stage, tail kept at a natural angle and head high. Her black, lustrous fur seems to absorb the light and become blacker yet, but at the same time giving back the feeling of incredible softness. At her neck, a silver chain made of large links reflects the light, contrasting nicely with her black fur. At the eye of each link there's a dark opal, adding just the right shade of blue reflections to the overall effect. Calmly, the wolf turns and lowers her head in the direction of the hiding rabbit. A gentle but audible growl comes from her throat, and the rabbit hops to a farther bush. Tanny's eyes gleam with the concentration of a hunting wolf. As she stalks the rabbit, her fur shows the fluid, gracious movements as well as a flowing dress would. In her purposeful movements there's all the beauty of a wild wolf, but this time without the fear it would normally cause. After stalking the uncaring rabbit across the stage twice, giving chance to everybody see her from all angles, Tanny stops at the front, and bows once more. Stephen reappears. "Ladies and gentlemen, Tanny has asked me to explain this little act... as you know, wolves aren't known for wearing formal clothing other than their own fur. So she thought it would be appropriate to present you with an opportunity to see how her soft fur appears at its best. Thank you. " Stephen bows and leaves, opening the curtain and whistling. The rabbit follows him, hopping out as well, and a black paw can be seen nudging two tasty carrots towards the bunny. ::Good, Stephen... it seems you're learning how to translate appropriately... :: Tanny grins, observing the bunny eating and then, surprisingly, nosing her paw for more.

Childhood ------------ Raspberries, sweet treat. Tempting good days, so old, dead, done! Early yearning: growing great turnips, steaming green nuts, spicing goose. Envied dinners... special lentils soup, potatoes salted, dates stolen - never roughly. Yet, tuna and duck kebabs seemed dear... ~~~~~~~ Edit: title and formatting

Yawning softly, Tanny curled up under a bush. The salty breeze made her twitch her nose, and slowly she drifted into another world... Other wolves. So fun to be in a pack, running and hunting with them! In her wolf form, Tanny grinned. The night was warm, but the breeze coming from the beach refreshed them. One of the young wolves leaped on a rock, and stretching her neck let out a long, clear howl. Other wolves turned to her, and soon other voices joined the song. That stirred Tanny, who also looked in the same direction as the chorus leader. As she stared at the focus of the wolves' worship, reality seemed to waver and fold. All of a sudden, after a blink, Tanny found herself in a deserted, dusty, rather grey plain. There was a hint of a laughter in the back of her mind, and Tanny frowned. Looking around, she could see the irregular plain, with some elevations here and there, and rocks scattered all over. Then she looked at the blackest of nights, and gasped. This must be a dream. I can't be here. She trotted to the nearest group of rocks, feeling lighter than normal. Looking back, she saw her clear pawprints, eerie in the deserted plain. This is a small step for a shapechanger... Tanny blinked, her eyes picking some movement. As she looked into the distance she thought she could make some shape. Hazy, dream-like, a rabbit appeared. Sitting on its haunches, it reached into its fur and took out a big bowl and a small package. Opening it, the rabbit put the contents carefully into the bowl, and started hitting it rhythmically with a mallet. Tanny found herself in front of the rabbit. What are you doing here? How did you come here? To her surprise, it answered with a shrugh. "I've always been here. And I'm making mochi, of course." It resumed the task, and Tanny wondered why no sound came to her ears. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the rabbit vanished and was replaced by something bigger. Tanny yelped at seeing a giant Wyvern, and immediately she popped up some good hundred feet away from him. Giant Wyvern seemed not to have noticed it, looking as if waiting for someone, preparing for a fight. This is wrong. It shouldn't be Wyvern. Under the bush on the beach, a soft glow enveloped Tanny's sleeping shape. A sudden gust of wind moved the leaves away. Right above her head, hidden by vines and growth, a small statue also glowed. On its base there were some lines written in an ancient tongue. They who come and dream for me, lost will be until released they are. Tap this head and say where they're stranded, or trapped they'll be for as long as I wish. ~~~~~~~ Edit: typos Edit 2: change in poem - needed a quick way out