While many elves of the Coastal Cliffs holt would stay put, enjoying their beautiful surroundings, an intrepid band of four - one hand of elves - decided to strike out toward the Hall of Portals to seek their fortunes.

"I am certain this is the right thing to do," said Urchin. "Are we ready?"
She looked around with her brilliant sea-colored eyes, and saw the looks of agreement on the others' faces. "Good, then let's go!"

Wire, Urchin, Podwave and Rise, along with their wolves, made off from the Coastal Cliffs holt and their comfortable homes, north east into the rocky shoreline that would eventually take them to the Hall of Portals. They knew it was the long way around, but they all knew it was easier on them to remain near the sea, than to trek across a thousand miles of plains.

They were able to enjoy their long journey, playing games and hunting, practicing their skills and exersizing specific abilities.

Wire got to map. That was his favorite activity anyway, aside from the endless gossip that he listened to.
Urchin of course could find shells along the way and form protective shields, hunting items, and occasionally sneak up on someone with her accupuncture arts.
Podwave kept up a steady stream of insults - hardly able to contain herself whenever an accident happened or they appeared to be lost.
Rise enjoyed his own ability to retrieve driftwood and carve along the way - with different kinds of wood in each area they passed.

Having brought travel clothing and gear, but could hardly have been prepared for the chilly winds and hailstorm that met them on the farthest east point of their journey. They knew they'd be headed north-west, still following the coast, but it was essential that they use their two Fireshapers, Urchin and Rise, to their best ability. Sadly Wire's ability to create and shape cold and ice was hardly as useful as they wanted it to be. It was nice when they were in the hottest part of the equitorial summer, but here...

Eventually, after a four month long journey, the group reached Dare's Valley. Met by the friendly elves there, they were shortly refitted with warmer clothing and packs - the Hall was in a swamp, and while they were used to wet, they certainly had never been clammy and cold!

Nothing could ever have warned the small group that their wolves would balk at the entrance to the Hall.
"What's wrong with you, Steel?" said Podwave of her normally brave wolfess. The white wolf placed her furry butt on the wet ground nearby the big black edifice and growled at it. She sent a simple word, »No.«

"They won't go," said Podwave. "I guess we're on our own."
So they said their good-byes, knowing that the wolves would return to Dare's Valley to wait their return.

Once inside the dark, marble Hall, the foursome were overwhelmed with awe. They knew which portals they had to reach, but it was very hard to ignore the others. Some glimmered with daylight, while others showed what had to be underwater scenery, or smoggy cityscapes.

Eventually though, they had to leave even this area. A portal through the Nexus leads them to the beautiful Lantessama Isle!

"Now this is a place I can get used to!" exclaimed Wire, happily. "Ooh, look at that, it's a butterfly dragon!"
And indeed it was, a graceful smallish dragon with lacy looking wings. How it flew was beyond their ken, but it did.

"We had butterflies like this every summer in the holt," said Podwave. "Only, not as ... big!"
The others, laughing, told stories of how their wolves often would chase the haphazard flopping of the little beasts.

"Would you like to try standing for the Holiday clutch?" asked Lucas, the tender of those eggs.
"Yes!" they answered, quickly!

Urchin

Wire

Podwave

Rise

Urchin, female, young adult

Sending - high; Magic Feeling - very high
Fireshape/Heating - very high; Boneshape/Shell Shape - above average

Healing Lore/Acupuncture - extremely high; Mechanical Lore/Tools - very high; Gambling - average; Trapping/Nooses-Ropes - low
hunting Scimitar - above average

Wolf friend - Redoaks, female greater wolf (small, cream, tan, brown fur, red eyes, shapeshifting/Adaptation)

Standing: Lantessama

Wire, male, teen

Sending - high; Magic Feeling - very high
Cold Creation - very high; Healing/Body Sense - above average

Elf Lore/Gossip - extremely high; Body Communication/Posture reading - very high; World Lore/Mapping - above average
Hunting Parry/Net - very low; Kris - below average

Wolf Friend - Greyeyes, female (average size, red and grey fur, pale blue eyes)

Standing: Lantessama

Podwave, female, young adult

Sending - very high; Magic Feeling - very high
Teleportation/Leap-to-Place - very high

Body Communication/Sign Language - extremely high; Verbal Communication/Taunts and Insults - very high; Animal Communication - average; Animal/Predator Communication - above average
Hunting Net - average

Wolf friend - Steel, female (huge, white and cream fur, black eyes

Standing: Lantessama

Rise, male, adult

Sending - below average; Magic Feeling - low
Fireshape/Flame Blast - extremely high; Fireshape/Light Shape - average; Levitation/Telekinesis - very high

Manipulation/Whittling - extremely high; Dodge/Weaponry - high; Long Jump - average; Mineral Lore/Gems - below average
Hunt/Mace - very high; Crossbow - above average

Wolf Friend - Shale, male (smallish, grey and cream fur, pale blue eyes)

Standing: Lantessama

Palace Doll maker, with improvements