26 Taking Leave

Dancing spinning out-of-control drums ever louder faster wolves half-wolves unimaginable varied hybrid man elf ogre gnoll beast gyrating insane passion dance move twirl intoxicating rhythm revel revel REVEL! --

-- name. Calling his name, insistent, stubborn. Revel calling too, but the hold weakening and now in desperation he tries to retrieve it, cling to it, be one with the dance and the beast nature and --

"Marcus!"

He groans as the revel dream slips away and his mind moves another critical notch back toward Reality. Damn, my head hurts! He groans again.

"Ooooooooooh, I know, Marc, believe me, I do! I'd let you sleep, My Dear, but we have a problem. Would you like to hear about it?"

Who...? Revel revel REVEL! screams his mind. And with one final, supreme effort, he tunes out the annoying voice and gives himself over to the dream and...

...something strikes his body, head to toe, very wet and very cold. "AAUGGHH!" Rational Thought checks out and Blind Instinct takes over. He springs up, lightning fast and attacks.

And promptly finds himself nailed to the wall, face hard against the stone, his feet not touching the floor, with one of the intruder's hands locked on the back of his neck and the other one holding both of his wrists behind his back.

Normally, he would struggle, break the hold, counterattack -- but the sudden events of the past few seconds have completely banished the revel dream and thrown him back to Reality. He now realizes that the cold wetness is the ice water, which his assailant threw on him. And the assailant is none other than Natalia, his older pack sister.

"OK," he says, left cheek still firmly planted against the cave wall, distorting his speech. "Let me guess ... the 'problem' is we have a ship to board and I'm not up...?"

The double visegrip on his neck and wrists immediately relaxes and his feet find the floor. "Yes, Marc, yes! That's exactly right!" He turns around and beholds Natalia's beaming face. "You're such a quick study, Little Brother, I'm so proud of you!" And she laughs.

Marcus laughs too, but then grimaces as the headache returns.

Natalia chuckles and ruffles his now wet hair. "Yes, I know about that, too, but don't worry! Your head will return to you unharmed in a little while. Now dry off and get dressed!"

--------------------------------------

"Goodbye, Little Brother," says Jemi as she hugs him and kisses his cheek. "Hurry back now, you hear?"

The Elf chuckles. "Why, Jemi? So you have someone to pick on?"

She giggles. "That's right!" Then her face becomes serious. "Take care of yourself, ok?"

"I shall."

Shamaness is next. Marcus bows. Shanti places a hand on either side of his head and kisses the top. "Gaea keep you, Pup and guide you back to us safely." He touches her hands and nods.

Marcus steps up to Rikard and bows. "My Keeper". Rikard's right arm keeps a firm hold on his crutch, while he claps his left hand on the Elf's right shoulder. "Luna watch over you and keep you safe, Pup. Come back in one piece, alright?" Rikard smirks and the Elf smiles. "I'll do my best, Keeper."

Finally, Marcus stands before Nagha and bows again. "My Leader." Nagha smiles and claps a hand on each shoulder, then pulls Marcus into a bear hug. When he releases it, he looks in the Pup's eyes and says, "Your path now takes you away from us, but only for a while. And although the distance and your youth will prevent direct communication, you must understand that we are always right here--" he touches a finger to the Elf's forehead, between the eyes. "Never doubt that for one moment. Do you understand, Marcus?"

The Elf regards his leader gravely. "Yes, Leader. I do."

Nagha smiles. "Take care, Pup".

Marcus nods. "I promise."

Natalia says her own goodbyes, less formally than Marcus did, for she would be back in several weeks anyway. Then she and the Elf hit the road to the city, turning around often to wave and call their farewells to their packmates, who wave and call back to them, until finally they can no longer see each other.

From a spot far enough away from the Moon Runners so that his presence does not interfere with their farewell sentiments, Ranolf of the Uktena watches Marcus take his leave. The Uktena's eyes follow the Elf as he and his big sister strike out toward the city, until they disappear from sight. When he can no longer see them, he sighs thoughtfully. A hand comes to rest gently on his shoulder.

"Your worry has not abated, My Leader?" enquires Uziah the Shaman.

Ranolf says nothing at first. He steeples his fingers before him, touches the tips to his mouth, deep in thought. Finally he sighs and brings his hands down. "No, Shaman," he replies. "If anything, it increases with each step that Pup takes away from us. And I still have no idea why."

Uziah nods. "Nor I, Leader. This is your intuition, not mine. I have tried nonetheless to divine it." He shakes his head. "I am sorry."

Ranolf nods. "I know. Thank you, Uziah." He purses his lips together and adds, with a tone of finality, "Well, there is nothing for it. Gaea wills it."

"Aye, Ranolf. May we be ready to see her purpose when the time is right."

"Aye. May we."