Waking up

[Ursula]

[ModNote: Ursula was last seen in Unexpected Arrival.]

*In a deep cave by a secluded part of the Dunnfalls something large stirs and grumbles. The bear has slept for a long, long time, several winters have now passed since she went into hibernation. And while it is not unknown for her kind to slumber for centuries, it seems that fate has other plans

The bear that is Ursula rolls over with a grunt as she slowly loses track of her dreams and returns to wakefulness, yawning deeply. The fox which has made the cave its den for the past year and a half yelps in fright as the previously inanimate form lumbers to its feet and stretches, shaking moss and dust from its fur. Turning tail, it flees as the much larger creature yawns once more and raises a forepaw to scratch behind one ear, still in a drowsy haze.

At the immediate moment, all Ursula is aware of is that she's ravenous, and after another stretch she slowly shambles out of the cave towards the river, growling to herself at the stiffness of her limbs. However, upon exiting the cave, she falls back onto her rump with a snort of shock. Trees that were saplings now stretch towards the sky, and the entrance to her cave is half-hidden behind shrubs that were not even shoots when she entered it.

Looking as surprised as ever a bear can, Ursula looks around herself, grumpling a series of short, gruff noises that could only be intelligible to another bear. The sentiment behind them however, is transparently clear*

<"I've slept far too long.">

[Ursula]

*Once she has finally gotten over her surprise, Ursula heads down to the river and plunges in. The chill of the water swiftly disperses the remaining shreds of drowsiness and a freshly-caught salmon settles her hunger. After another thorough immersion, she lumbers back to the bank and shakes herself off, sending water up in sprays from her thick fur.

Rearing up onto her hind paws, Ursula seems to shrug her shoulders as if shaking off an imaginary coat... and shrinks down into her human form. This shape also seems to have suffered during her long hibernation, bones clicking into place as she stretches and flexes her hands and rolls her neck. Heading back to the cave, she retrieves her staff and belt and checks the contents of her herb pouches. Unfortunately it seems that some of these have been plundered by mice or squirrels and are now empty; the contents of others are now too aged and dry to be effective. With a rueful sigh, Ursula turns and heads off into the forest to replenish her supplies, muttering to herself.*

"I should have known better than to find somewhere comfortable in winter..."

[Tom Troughton]

*Just then Ursual thought she heard something...it sounded like a voice but it was very faint as if it was comeing from far away in the distance...then the sound came again it was a voice and it was a familer one.*

"Ursula......Help......Me.....His Trap.....life energy...draining."

*It was fait and weaker then she remembered but it was undoutably the voice of....Tom Troughton.*

[Young Grimwold]

[ModNote: I did tell Ursula that I'd let her know when Tom resumed posting so that she could do the same, but three years went by without the story continuing. I'm sorry.

Here, then, is some closure to get the character out of limbo: a post to suggest that Ursula is/will be drawn back into hibernation.

Ursula: my intention here is not to puppet your character. I've done my best below to imply circumstances rather than control actions. But if you have read this and you'd like what I've written to be changed or removed, I'd be happy to.]

*The voice seems to echo, to slur, to slow, and in doing so it is as if it slows everything. The other sounds of Dunn become fainter; the smorgasbord of smells becomes a bland palette; it almost seems that time itself is being stretched so thinly that its passing cannot be felt. The voice cannot form any new words, but somehow its message changes. It is no longer strained and desperate; it is resigned, apologetic, and is conveying not need of Ursula, but wishes. Wishes for her safety and longevity.

And then the voice is gone and the forest is rushing back to Ursula's senses. Somehow it feels like it is winter once more. And something has been left behind in Ursula's head: an overwhelming desire to return to the security of the cave and to sleep again.

In one of Dunn's towering tacit trees, an owl hoots. Unlike so many of the forest's animal noises, it is non-threatening and lilting: a lullaby for a somnolent she-bear. It sounds almost like a gentle blow on a recorder.*