[Artemisia] [Fwd: [HUNT_GUILD] The Celestial Pack XVII]

[Yaasamiina]

THL Samira writes yet another beautiful story in honor of SCA hounds, 
horses and the humans who tend them on the other side of the Rainbow 
Bridge. It's long and may cause you to weep a bit, so make time and have 
a hanky ready.
Yaasamiina

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[HUNT_GUILD] The Celestial Pack XVII
Date: 	Tue, 06 Dec 2005 08:42:29 -0000
From: 	Edie <e.bain at att.net>
Reply-To: 	HUNT_GUILD at yahoogroups.com
To: 	HUNT_GUILD at yahoogroups.com



The Celestial Pack XVI

The peaceful serenity of a sunset evening at the Rainbow Bridge was 
broken by the indignant screams of a certain Duchess, echoing across 
the Celestial Fields and into the castle from the edge of the 
Shadowlands.

"My roses!!!" the voice decried, "My roses!! This is thrice this week 
that they have been dug up! If I catch the wretched beast that is  
digging up my roses, I'll..........."

Jafar, Osis and Johannes, ever alert to the cries of a Lady in 
distress, hurried to the foot of the special Bridge leading to that 
part of Heaven reserved for the hounds of the SCA and their masters. 
There, they espied Duchess Ann, stamping her foot in a perfect Royal 
snit as she viewed the devastation that had once been her rose garden.

"Ann, Ann....why do you persist in planting here?" asked Jafar. "Thou 
knowst that anything growing in the Shadowlands is at the mercy of 
all the creatures who dwell there. Why do you not plant  thy garden 
on the Celestial side of the Bridge, as Osis did originally suggest?"

"Because, thou great galoot, there is no challenge in growing 
anything here," retorted Duchess Astrith, wiping chocolate off her 
hands, as she approached the rest of her Celestial 
compatriots. "Everything that is planted here grows perfect in form, 
every time. There is no interest in that. The true gardener wishes to 
know that is by her own efforts that a plant has grown, thrived and 
flowered. Unfortunately," she added, shaking her head at Duchess 
Ann, "this means that our plants are food for every herbivore that 
wanders by. I DO sorrow for you, my sister, although roses were never 
my main interest."

"Still," cried Ann, "will thee tell me that these are not the tracks 
of a Greyhound?" She pointed dramatically at several neat tracks in 
the tilled earth that did, indeed, resemble the tracks of a cat-
footed Greyhound.

Johannes knelt down and examined the tracks carefully.

"Indeed," he said, "they would appear to be the footprints of a 
Greyhound. However," he continued, "I know for a fact that none of 
the Celestial Pack has ventured in this direction these last several 
days."

"I can vouch for that," volunteered Astrith. "I have been 
experimenting with a new recipe that gives my chocolate bunnies the 
speed and agility of true hares. The entirety of the Celestial Pack 
has been hanging about the kitchen door, waiting for the results."

"Well, then," demanded Ann, "who is it that has been tearing up my 
roses? Hound it would appear to be, and though I wish no hound any 
harm, I will own that this destroyer of innocent plants tempts me 
sorely."

Johannes straightened to his full height.

"I know not the answer to your question, Your Grace," he said, "but 
with my Lieges' leave, I will undertake to venture into the 
Shadowlands and trap the perpetrator."            

Osis whipped around, whilst Jafar sank his head into his hands.

"Johannes!" Osis thundered, "Do not even think of it! For have you 
not  almost perished several times, on your foolish adventures into 
the Shadowlands? Was it for naught that Arawen created Lucinda's 
Trail, that we might safely traverse the various Celestial realms? I 
cannot forbid thee," he dropped his eyes, "but I would entreat you 
not to endanger yourself so."

Johannes faced the former King soberly. "My Liege," he said, "I would 
not undertake such a trip lightly. However, the Greyhound that so 
destroys Duchess Ann's precious roses has never crossed the Bridge. 
It is trapped in the Shadowlands, unable to cross and join its 
friends. I cannot, in all conscience, walk away and leave a hound in 
such a state, no matter the danger to myself."

Duchess Ann set her hands on her hips.

"My Lords," she said, "I would ask that you allow Johannes to 
undertake this quest, if for no other reason that I wish to make a 
pair of fuzzy slippers out of this miscreant!"

Astrith slipped an arm around the shoulders of her Sister of the 
Rose, whilst Johannes gaped and searched for words.

"Now, Darling," she soothed, "you know you don't really mean that. 
Your roses will grow and bloom again. The castle is warm and snug, 
and one really has no need for fuzzy slippers there. I warrant that  
this hound's hide will be far more attractive on its original owner 
than it ever would gracing even such a dainty foot as yours."

As Ann mumbled and allowed herself to be led away by Astrith, 
Johannes hied himself to the Celestial Stables to saddle Beaux.


As Johannes led a prancing Beaux out of the Celestial  Stables, Venus 
and Cisco trumpeted and stamped in their stalls.

"Patience, my beauties," Johannes soothed. "Your times will come. For 
this trip, I need my steady old friend here. Although," and here he 
looked sternly at Beaux, "I do remember a time that you proved less 
than steady, my friend. I trust that there will be no such flights of 
whimsy on this trip."

Beauz tossed his head in agreement. Johannes mounted and rode off 
across the Bridge into the Shadowlands.


Several days later (as time seemed at the Celestial Castle), Jafar 
and Osis were growing exceedingly worried.

"Dammit!!" Osis expostulated, "Johannes should have been back days 
ago. I can't help but think that he has met with some grievous 
mishap. Even such a cat as he must run out of lives eventually!"

Jafar was saved from having to frame a reply by Ann's entrance into 
the Great Hall.

"My Lords," she said, "we have received an invitation from Arawen, 
King of the Gray Lands, to attend a feast in his hall tomorrow. He 
terms it a `Holiday Feast', not wanting offend us by demanding 
attendance at a Solstice Feast, nor by any other religious 
observance. I suspect," she continued, "that he also wishes to 
distract our minds from Johannes' absence. What shall be our answer?"

"Jafar rubbed his hand tiredly over his face.

"In truth, I feel little inclination towards revelry," he 
said. "However, I wouldst not offend so great a King as Arawen by 
refusing His first invitation. Pray tell Him that we shall be four in 
attendance."


The following evening, Anne, Astrith, Osis and Jafar were dining in 
splendour at Arawen's Great Hall in the Greylands. They had followed 
Lucinda's Trail to a small turning, marked only by a small lantern. 
This tiny path had led across a small footbridge to Arawen's mighty 
castle.

They had only advanced to the soup course—and a fine soup it was, 
rich with ox-tails and succulent vegetables—before the Celestial Horn 
Sounded the Retraite....not once, not twice, but nigh unto a score of 
times, until one note could hardly to be told from another. The final 
notes faded away into a strange, rather bewildered "blat?"

"What ho!!??" cried Osis, who had started up from his seat at the 
first notes. Jafar had also risen from his seat. 

There came from the other side of the small Bridge a Great baying, as 
many of the hounds of the Celestial Pack congregated.

Stumah was first among them, followed by Swift and Sunni; Colt, the 
oddest Greyhound of them all, accompanied by his old friend from the 
Mundane Bridge, Misha Moose; Carl-Ten was there, and  Bo and Sissy B. 
Tasha was there, and Lucy from Calontir. Seldom had there been such a 
congregation of hounds to greet a new passage!

"Truly," Jafar said in amazement, "this must be a momentous passing ! 
There are hounds from many Kingdoms , all come together at once ."

He turned in apology to Arawen. "My deepest apologies, Your 
Majesty, "he said, "but duty obviously calls us. Never have we heard 
such a call as this. We cannot deny the call. We MUST see whom it is 
that passes this day."

Arawen silently bowed his head in acknowledgement, and gestured his 
guests to the path leading back to the Celestial Lands.


As the small group stepped off Arawen's Bridge,  they could see a 
cloud of dust approaching from the farthest end of Lucinda's Trail. 
As the cloud approached more closely, they could discern several 
Greyhounds, as well as some dogs of other breeding, all hurrying 
along the trail. At the very end of the procession, chivvying the 
others along, was a small red and white dog, that looked for all the 
world like a cross between a fox and a German Shepherd.  

As the group of dogs met the group of Royals, the small little Corgi 
sped around the Greyhounds, forcing them to a halt. She then stopped 
and sat—most smartly—in front of Jafar, her tongue hanging out from 
her efforts.

With a smile, Jafar bent down and cupped the little Corgi's chin in 
his hand.

"Snickers," he said. "Snickers, you have done a wondrous job, 
bringing all our wandering hounds to us. Yet," he added with a 
frown, "you are not a Greyhound......"     

Sunni and Swift moved forward with raised lips at this slight of 
their old friend.

"My Lord," implored Ann, "Snickers was a true SCA dog. She attended 
many an event with the Greyhounds, and served the Crown of the 
Midrealm well. Surely Thou wouldst not penalize her for a lack of 
legs?"

"Truly," Osis said, "we do have Graham, and Coco, and others that are 
not of the Greyhound breed, residing within the realm of the 
Celestial Pack. And," he continued, "we do indeed have more and more 
horses coming to occupy the Celestial Stables. What say you 
Snickers?" he asked, "Wilt thou come and help us herd our steeds home 
of an eve?"

Snickers gave a bounce and a bark and jumped into Osis' arms long 
enough to lick his chin, before retreating behind the rest of the 
hounds.

"Who else do we have here?" Jafar asked.

Stumah forced his way to the forefront and "woofed"  imperiously , 
shouldering another large, blue brindle hound into the fore front. 
Jafar fell to his knees with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Ambush," he cried, :"What a loss to the Midrealm this is.! I can 
feel Corin's pain from here, and the pain of countless others as 
well. Truly, a loss such as yours shall be long felt."

Ambush nuzzled Jafar's hand and whimpered, holding his diseased leg 
in the air. 

One by one, other hounds came to bow before the two kings and the two 
Duchesses. Williams's Heidi came alone; Carl-Ten proudly presented 
his consort, Twilight, assisted by Rebecca's Magic; Bo brought Fie;  
Tasha defiantly brought her Whippet sister, Jakie, to the fore; and a 
small terrier stood her ground and defied anyone to say her nay. 
Then, at he last came Bizness and Crash. Bizness was supporting a 
young lad, who bowed awkwardly before  the assembled Royals.

"Begging your pardon, Lords," the boy said, "but this here is 
Bizness. He was my friend on earth. I died before he did, but he 
found me anyway.  He says he wants to be here with his friends now, 
but that he'll visit me now and then...at least until my Mom comes to 
join me," he said wistfully. "My name is Alex," he added. "I hope 
you'll take good care of Biz. He was a good friend." 

The faces of every one of the Royals was wet as Jafar knelt before 
the young boy.

"I promise you, young, Alex," he said, "that we will take very good 
care of Biz  and all the rest. And you may come visit him whenever 
you want. Just follow Lucinda's Trail here, and you'll find us. 
Astrith makes wonderful chocolates. I imagine you'd like them very 
much."    

Straightening up, Jafar looked at his friends.

"We've reaped a fine harvest this night," he said. "And I think we 
had best get our new friends back to the Celestial Fields. Come, let 
us hasten."


The return trip to the Castle was slow, since the newest hounds were 
not yet recovered to their full strength. As the group approached the 
Bridge that was only for the SCA hounds, Osis espied the distant 
figure of Johannes, mounted on Beaux, approaching the Bridge from the 
other side. Johannes had one Greyhound one a leash, whilst three more 
trailed behind.

"It looks as though Johannes has had good hunting as well," remarked 
Osis.

Shortly, they all met at the base of the Celestial Bridge, where the 
rest of the Celestial Pack had gathered.

"Your Grace," said Johannes, bowing low. "I bring you the despoiler 
of your roses...one Lucky by name—a famed digger of roses on earth. 
He belonged to Mistress Elizabeth, as did his sister Charm, and 
Charm's relation Barrie, who belonged to Lady Caitriona. Also here is 
Winsome Lass, another Ansteorran hound. I trust," he added, "that you 
will not insist on having them all made into fuzzy slippers."

Ann wiped more than one tear from her eyes.

"Good Master Johannes," she said, "There have been far too many 
hounds arrive this night for me to worry more upon the fate of a few 
poor flowers. The sight of my beloved Ambush has driven all thoughts 
of flowers from my head.. I bid thee make our new friends welcome to 
our home."

Johannes drew himself to his full height and drew a deep breath.

"O' hounds of the Celestial Pack," he intoned. "I bring you many 
hounds to join you today. I bid you welcome your new Packmates!

And he called them forth, by name:

"Aces High, of Midrealm"
"Aiden, of Calontir"
"A-Me-Go, of Midrealm"
"Ariel, of Meridies"
"Belle, of Ansteorra"
"Belle, of Midrealm"
"Bernie, of Meridies"
"Blackout, of Atlantia"
"Bo, of Midrealm"
"Brodie, of Atlantia"
"Browning, of Meridies"
"By Choice, of Meridies"
"Carl-Ten, of Meridies"
"Chris, of Meridies"
"Christa of Meridies"
"Colt, of Meridies"
"Cutie, of An Tir"
"Damon Fox, of Meridies"
"Digger, of Trimaris"
"Dixie, of Meridies"
"Duncan, of Midrealm"
"Ears of Dark Horde"
"Emily, of Atlantia"
"Erromani, of AEthelmearc"
"Et Cetera, of Meridies"
"Frankie, of Midrealm"
"General, of Midrealm" 
"Gryphon, of Midrealm"
"Harmony, of Meridies"
"John Moore, of Meridies"
"Keavy, of An Tir"
"Lookin, of Trimaris"
"Lucinda the Blue, of Trimaris"
"Lucy, of Calontir"
"Madeline, of Artemesia"
"Magic, of Meridies"
"Missy, of Meridies" 
"Muskrat, of Meridies"
"Myra, of Ansteorra"
"Pat-C, of Midrealm"
"Pattycake, of Atlantia"
"Pest, of Artemesia"
"Ripley, of An Tir"
"Ross, of Meridies"
"Scooter, of Meridies"
"Seeger Rock, of Meridies"
"Sha-Kar, of Ansteorra"
"Sheba, of AEthelmearc"
"Sissy-B, of Midrealm"
"Splash, of Meridies"
"Storm, of Meridies"
"Streaker, of Ansteorra"
"Stumah, of AEthelmearc"
"Sugar Sweety, of Meridies"
"Sunni, of An Tir"
"Swift, of Midrealm"
"Tasha, of Midrealm"
"Tucker, of Meridies" 
"Velvet, of Midrealm"
"Zima, of Ansteorra".

As each hound's named was called, he or she came forward to touch 
noses with the new arrivals.. One by one, they were made well and 
strong again, and rose to cross the Bridge to the Celestial Fields: 
CR's Heidi Heidi Ho of Midrealm; Lucky of Ansteorra; Bizness of 
Meridies; Winsome Lass of Ansteorra; Twilight of Meridies;, 
Charmchaser of Ansteorra; TK's Barrie, of Ansteorra; Fie, of 
Midrealm; Crash, of Meridies; Jakie of Midrealm;

As they came to the last two waiting dogs, however, most of them 
turned away. The only ones who would touch noses with the last two 
were Swifty, Sunni and Lucy.

Jafar looked at the members of the Celestial Pack waiting on the far 
side with sorrowful eyes.

"My friends, he said,  "I realize that these are not coursing hounds, 
but they have served the dream—in one way or another—as well as any. 
I pray thee, do not bar their way."

The coursing hounds  turned their heads...all but Swifty, Sunni and 
Lucy, their old friends. However. At their urging, Snickers and Corky 
staggered across the Bridge, becoming stronger and surer with each 
step.

Astrith, who had crossed before them, fed each one a small bite of 
chocolate. 

"do not fear, little ones," she admonished. "We have many rats 
infesting the castle who have need of as Terrier to keep them at bay, 
and the horses of the Celestial stable oftimes need to be rounded up 
and brought in of an evening. You will find that you have jobs to do 
here."

Snickers and Corky licked her chocolate covered hands and scampered 
off in search of the warmest and softest beds in the castle. 
Meanwhile, the  newest Greyhounds of the Celestial Pack, having 
crossed and been cured of their various ills, stretched and roached 
in the courtyard of the castle. All of a sudden, Ambush espied one of 
Astrith's famous chocolate bunnies running furtively across the field 
and gave chase. The rest of the Celestial Pack followed with joyous 
roos.

And HOWL!!!! O Hounds!! Howl mightily to the heavens, for many 
Greyhounds, a Corgi and a Terrier have crossed this day.

THL Samira Umm' al Harith, CE

December 6, AS XXXX



                                                                      
                    






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