In a dark wood, just after a dark time

[wolflord_andain]

The forest is briefly lit by an explosion of brilliant white, that terrible glow limning the edges of three darker figures linked hand to hand to hand.

It vanishes almost as quickly as it appeared, though the three figures remain.

In the wake of such an aberrant arrival, the Wolflord spends the first minute or so scanning the surrounding area, first for damage, and then for the imminent arrival of any of the more troublesome of Pendaran's creatures.

Only when all the details have been ascertained will he speak.

Comments

[river_meimei]

River is psychic, and is Galadan's friend, but she doesn't react. It's no surprise to her. She knows they'll get back, whether it's immediately or just soon.

But it hasn't occurred to her to reassure Simon.

She's tired.

She's tired, and she's grieving, and silence has fallen.

(It's not that she's ignoring her surroundings. River's not really capable of that, and here she's not on home ground, and the battle wasn't so long ago. But it's Galadan's home ground, and he is on guard, and she'd be following his lead anyway. Unless something else happens, she's standing down.)

She washes her face, in silence, and drinks from cupped hands, and splashes more water on her face. She wipes it off with the damp stained handkerchief. When she's more or less clean, she drinks some more, and moves on to washing her forearms.

If her eyes are damp from more than water now... well.

It's hard to tell at a glance, but she wouldn't really care anyway.

[simon_doctor]

They'll get home. Somehow.


Oh, god. He'll have to tell Kaylee.


So many friends they'll never see again, if Milliways is gone. So many --


No, stop it.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan does not sigh.

But in lieu of twiddling this thumbs while his companions have a moment --

He rests one hand over his heart, with the appearance of someone half-distracted --

And then an enormous black wolf, red-eyed and terrible, makes his way toward Simon and River, settling down at the gunslinger's side.

The rustling of the trees grows louder, at first in response to a strong gust of wind, but even when the air falls still again, that heavy rustling remains.

The wolf ignores it. Deiena are ridiculous creatures, all told.

And soon, Milliways or no, they will all three of them be gone.

[river_meimei]

River doesn't look up. But her eyes close (damply) for a moment, and her mouth twists in what might be a watery, brief ghost of a smile.

She doesn't say anything, either, but she leans a little sideways against a shaggy warm shoulder.

Since he's there.

(Strangely enough, this does not noticeably quiet the busy rustling of the trees.)

[wolflord_andain]

Time passes.

The wolf does not move.

The trees do not cease their rustling.

From the appearance of things, nothing is changing. Nothing save --

Somewhere in the sheaf of worlds that spreads from the heart of Fionavar, something shifts.

Galadan lifts his head, one ear cocked in the useless remnants of body-memory.

Then, gently moving away from River's side, he shifts, body blurring into shadow and re-emerging as a man, whole and entire.

"Now that," he says, very quietly, winter-grey gaze fixed on a nameless middle distance, "is interesting, indeed."

And incredibly unexpected.

Hmm.

[simon_doctor]

Simon's head comes up as Galadan changes form again.

"What is it?" Low.

[river_meimei]

River's head turns, following Galadan's motion.



And then her face lights up with hope, and she scrambles awkwardly to her feet beside him.

[wolflord_andain]

"Our method of egress," Galadan says dryly, still gazing into the distance, "would appear to be at hand."

One corner of his mouth quirks up even as he reaches out toward River's wrist.

"However unexpected that may have been, mere moments ago."

[simon_doctor]

He looks from River to Galadan, inexplicable hope flaring up in him.

"You can get us out?" You can get us home?

[river_meimei]

River would give Simon a completely unwarranted duh face, but she's too busy beaming at him.

Her excitement is tempered a little -- just because Milliways is back doesn't say anything about what shape it's in -- but not a lot. Milliways is back, it's there, and that's more than she thought to hope for.

(Sometimes a thing gets broke, it can be fixed.)

"Got the door," she says, and she's still beaming. "It reopens."

She reaches for her brother, the old urging come on, come on look on her face.

[simon_doctor]

His face is starting to brighten into a disbelieving smile.

(Sometimes the rescue comes in the nick of time. Sometimes it happens a little while later.

Sometimes things really do work out.)

(time to go)

Simon's fingers close on River's.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan's voice is transparently amused as he says, "I am hardly a door, River Tam."

And then they are gone.

Though the rustling of Pendaran's leaves remains.

It will take some small time for that to fade.

Ah, well.