Even in his bad mood Raina still knew how to get Luke to at least chuckle. He wasn't happy to admit defeat when it came to his ice fishing but for Raina at least he was willing to drop his pride. Recounting the horrible story of his attempt at ice fishing, he managed to finish it all up just minutes before the next arrival made her way into camp. Yet again it was being proved just how useless Luke was out in the wilderness. Sara and Raina could both hunt down game and when the two men arrived it was obvious their whale hunt had been just as successful. Thanks to the efforts of these four they would be eating well for the next few days but unfortunately Luke had contributed absolutely nothing.

Stories about each person's great hunt was shared over the campfire but at the earliest opportunity Luke snatched up his chance to escape. When Raina finally headed for bed he trailed right behind her. In most instances Luke would have been the one to fall asleep first but for some reason on this particular night he found himself continueing to lay awake long after Raina's breathing had evened out into slumber. Haunting questions continued to float through Luke's mind and he found that it was several hours before he was finally able to join Raina in rest.

***

The following morning found Luke doing his best to fight off the bad mood that was trying to lay claim to him. Why was he even here? Raina didn't need his help for hunting or for vision questing so what in the world was his purpose in this cold wasteland?

Luke accepted the tea from Raina and sniffed it carefully, trying to enjoy the scent of the tea before finally drinking down the special potion that would supposedly help them all along their own vision question journeys.

"Are we expecting everyone to go off on their own?" Luke asked even though he already knew the answer, "What if one of us doesn't experience anything?"

The smell of blood was in the air as Sam looked from the meat on his sled to Naveed and then to Sara, “Thought Cats hunted with their claws and teeth?” he let out a sly grin as he picked up some meat and walked it over to the fire to cook it. Nodding to Naveed and clearing his throat and began retelling the tale that was the trip, “It started on a dark night just like this one, the waves were crashing up and down on the small row boat as it rocked back in the deep and dark waters it was me Naveed and the oarsmen and a few harpoons.” Sam started to grin knowing full well that this had not happened on their trip, but he had fun telling stories and he continued till he was stopped.

“The sky grew brighter as the moon reflected the white image from beneath waves, there it was the white whale!!!” Sam gave a dramatic pause and looked around to see if anyone was buying it and then sighed, “Right long story short Me and Capin’ Ahab over here,” Sam nodded to Naveed then continued, “it was fun we sang manly songs and did manly things like hunting and killing a whale!” grinning and puffing out his chest Sam smiled and took a bite of the chewy whale and smiled, “Not as good as I thought it would taste…but eat what you kill and all that.” Said Sam as he took another piece and continued to eat the whale.

Yawning Sam got up and said his good nights but instead of sleeping in his tent he walked over to the pack of dogs and walked into the middle of them and laid on his back and drifted off with the dogs watching the shooting stars and the spec of dust flicker about in the sky. “If only I had a camera….” Sam said as he continued to watch the sky until he passed out.

________

Waking up to a pack of dogs and people already sitting around a fire Sam rose stretched and yawned, “Morning…” Sam scratched the back of his head and wondered where he put his shirt but then remember that he gave it to one of the dogs that was sleeping next to him. Looking over to the older girl that was on his sled he watched her sleeping in it and decided to let her continue to sleep.

“Drugs huh?” Sam asked as he heard what Raina said, “Far out, and if no one minds I’d figure I’d take a look around, after all this is my domain!” Sam said with a smug grin as he raised his hands as ice rose up around his feet only to drop again when his hand lowered, it wasn’t needed but it proved his point. Sam would have no troubles here in the wild of the north where the very landscape was a weapon.

"It's not drugs per-say." said Naveed noticing Luke's somewhat horrified reactions and Sam's curious one. "Natives all over the world used what is considered today as drugs. The reason they're drugs today is because mankind has misused them, manipulated them, changed them, and disrespected them. What Sedna gave us is a pure opiate form. It's also in a very very small amount that;s diluted by the tea. It won't last more than half an hour in your system. It's the boost you need to 'see' the spirit world. It gets your to the beginning of your journey. You do the rest." he thought of Luke's comment and added rather harshly, "in many tribes a vision quest is a coming of age for young men. If a 13 year old boy can make it back unharmed Luke, blind or vision you should be able to. We're nowhere near the water, we're a good distance from the forest and with your sonar you can spot the campsite long before we could. Even if it starts to blizzard you'd find it first." he looked at the others. "Raina and Sam are in their element, I've done this before, and kitty has a nose. We'll all be fine." and with that he took his mug and downed it.

ooc: Naveed's Vision Quest

"I see Sam and I here did all the real work."

“Right.” Sara lifted an eye brow a little annoyed with Neveed first for the real work, than for the kitty comment that came a moment later. Sure she did like fish, but out of principle, she decided to stubbornly stick to her Hares… ok maybe a little bite of whale. Just a little bite.

“Thought Cats hunted with their claws and teeth?”

For some reason Sara took cat comments better from Sam. Maybe it was Neveed’s booming voice. “We do, but mine wouldn’t leave any of the good portions intact, where I hit.” That was probably the closest Sara had ever admitted out lowed that her closely leashed control sometimes failed. “Maybe you’ll see later.”

The fire was welcoming to Sara. Even after the hunt. The small talk that followed was comforting. Even with the big references to classic literature. Sara sat cross legged with a Hare to herself, supplemented with a bite or two of whale meet she tried to be sneaky about grabbing, in her attempts to keep up with her accelerated metabolism.

Sara retired to her own tent where the stories were finished. She fell asleep with the fleshy part of her nose kept warm in the crook of her arm as she listened to the sounds of the night.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

The morning came quick and Sara’s body was up and moving before her train of thoughts were really catching up to her. She’d made her way to the dogs, Yawning, as the dog teams watched her carefully. She’d retrieved one of the thermoses of water, and started feeding their thirsts. One of the first dogs to drink had Sam’s shirt on and for a moment, Sara wondered if she was actually still dreaming.

Shrugging it off, Sara finished divvying out water rations, and joined the gathering around Raina. “Show off.” Sara called as she got closer to Raina. The smell of what Raina had tickled Sara’s nose and her nostrils flared, and wiggled as she mentally remembered the sent. “I don’t know how well that stuff will work with my body. Drugs don’t normally have any effect.” Well.. .. .. There was that one time.. .. .. For about 4 seconds.. .. ..

Raina creased her brows at Naveed's comments but didn't feel like getting into any sibling arguments. "You'll be alright Luke." she said taking his hand and not letting go. She looked up at Sara "I don't know to be honest. But I don't think it'll hurt you to try." she admitted.

She looked around the group. Naveed was the first to drink his tea down while she was meekly sipping at it. He made a few comments, then suddenly started to snore! She couldn't help but give hysterical laughter. "Leave it to Naveed!" she howled. "Some quest. He's even drooling!" she pointed. "Well I can't let my brother have all the fun." she held her drink up and gave Luke's hand a squeeze. "See you on the other side Lover!" And with that she downed it all.

continued in Raina's Vision Quest

Luke held up his mug of tea, examining it somewhat doubtfully as he watched his friends down their respective shots one by one. The idea of using a drug to enter into some sort of 'spirit vision' seemed silly on the surface but he also understood that this was what Raina and Naveed truly believed and he didn't want to offend them. Plus, Raina had assured him that the drug was very weak and very watered down due to the tea that it had been mixed in.

"Bottoms up." Luke finally murmured after several moments. Lifting the mug to his lips he drank down the warm liquid and then leaned back against a rock as he waited for the effects of the drug to take a hold.

(OOC: Continued In Luke's Vision Quest)

(OOC: Sam's Vision Quest )

Naveed was the first one to wake up- and he did so with a start. He practically lept into the fire. He calmed himself a bit thinking the person next to him was a bear but after waking himself up a bit more realized it was just Raina. He grumbled under his breath and reached into one of the tents to find a blanket. He tossed it over her. It looked like one other was passed out by the fire... he wasn't sure which guy it was since they were all bundled up but it was obvious that at least two from the group were gone. Even for the big selfish guy that he was Naveed honestly hoped they were alright.

Needing something to do to keep himself busy until the others woke up he started gathering wood and putting more on the fire. He found the stash of whale meat and fed the dog and drank a bottle of water for himself and wandered off from the group to take a pee.

When he returned they were still all out of it so he sat next to Raina and watched her eyes move under her eyelids. Her vision quest must have been a heck of a lot more interesting than his. But somehow he thought if they exchanged she'd like seeing their father just as much.

Raina slowly started to come out of her fog as if someone had hit her blunt on the head. She groaned willing her eyelids to open suddenly feeling the sting of the cold "Gah..." she mumbled "Are we still here in the snow?" she complained wishing more than anything she was waking up in her warm bed back in New York. She turned her head slighty to the right and saw Naveed. Then the memories of her vision quest came tumbling back to her and though she'd been trying to stand up that wasn't happening. She at least adjusted herself and got comfier sitting.

"How're the others?" she asked through closed eyes.

Luke could hear voices coming from a far distance away. His falcon guide had dissapeared some time ago and the blind man had found himself vainly wandering, trying to find his way back home. Finally his eyes opened in awareness and he gave a quiet grunt at the crick that had begun to develop in his neck.

"Somebody remind me to never drink that stuff again." Luke muttered as he sat up and lifted one hand to begin massaging at the back of his neck, "Everyone else OK?"

(Sara had gone to her own vision quest, and is now returning.)

The buildings of New York had disappeared from Sara’s view, and she came to exactly where she had sat down in the snow on the other side of the tents. She couldn’t really believe that the stuff had worked on her, and slowly she started to work out her own opinions out how she had been manipulated into the dream. But still manipulated nonetheless. Sara wasn’t exactly sure what to think of it yet.

Sara stood, stretched and watched the skyline for a moment as she heard the others waking on the other side of the tents. Sara came strolling around the tents, her tail flicking with every other step. “I’m here and fine.” She said to answer Luke’s question. Her amber eyes darted from Neveed, to Raina, then to Luke. They were missing someone and her nostrils flared to take in the current smells compared to the smells that had been there for a while and aged for the last 45 minutes to an hour. “Has Sam returned?” She asked wondering if her nose was off. “If I have to track him down, I won’t let him live it down.”

(Continued from: Sam's Vision Quest )

Grinning and feeling the connection with his spirit guide, through back his head and howled at the moon that came into view that lit up the darkness around him. As he came back to reality slightly lost due to his journey. “Where the hell am I?” Sam asked as he looked around after he howled loudly at the moon with his awesome spirit guide.

Sighing and sitting down Sam debated what he should do seeing he had no idea which direction was the right way back to camp. Doing the only thing he could do in any situation was make the best of it and at the moment his imagination was slightly overactive since meeting his spirit guide.

Lifting his hands up Sam called upon the ice and water around him as he was getting to into his crazy idea, “Heed my call ice and snow for I am your master! Bend to my will for your god commands it!” with quick movements of his hands ice started to flow about as more and more of the snow and ice around the surrounding area dug down deep creating a large trench. With another quick movement the ice flowed upward as it started to form to a castle wall. Letting out a laugh Sam smiled and said, “I am King!”

After twenty minutes or so a large castle with a drawbridge and moat was formed laughing happily sounding as a child does on Christmas Sam walked to the center of the castle and formed a small throne. Ice statutes were set up in front of him all bowing as a few ice minions assumed the role as guards. Standing on his throne Sam called out, “Bow before your king!”

Never before has he ever had the time to fool around as he was doing now and never before was he content with goofing off. For a brief time Sam was reliving his child hood. Waiting for someone to find him and point him in the right direction of the camp.

Raina was relieved to see Luke, Naveed, Sara, and... where was Sam? She looked around the camp unsure. A bad feeling found it's way into her stomach. "I think we'll need to search party." she groaned "Sam isn't back yet, and Sedna said the stuff would all wear off at the same time. I'm worried...." she admitted picking up Star. "But we all need food. We need to sit here get warm and eat and drink." she said taking charge. "Maybe if we're lucky Sam will come back in that time period... if not we need to go out after him."

Luke was still feeling groggy but as he sat up a little more fully it finally hit him that one of their group was nowhere to be found. As the point was driven home by everyone else's concerned comments, Luke felt his mind suddenly become clear as crystal as concern took over. Closing his eyes, Luke's eyebrow knit together in concentration as he funneled his sonar into a long range beam that he slowly swept in a 360 degree arc.

"He's not within 100 yards." Luke said grimly as he finally dropped his sonar back to its normal power level, "Sara, think you can track him after we get some food in our bellies?"

Sara glanced at look with a sigh. “Yeah. I can track him so long as there isn’t a lot of snow fall in the next few hours. Actually since he’s been gone for less than an hour, it shouldn’t even take that long for me to find him.”

Sara crossed her arms as she listened to Raina. Her tail twitched. This was probably the first time Sara wasn’t going to follow Raina’s directions, or even disagree with her. The feline’s head shook, and her right ear twitched. Slight joking around Sara had done a moment ago was turning serious. If Sam really was lost, Sara didn’t want to wait. “If something’s wrong with him right now, I want to know.” Sara said lightly as her amber eyes flicked up to meet Raina’s. “I could go out and bring him back, while you guys get things done here. I’m not going to get lost.” Sara said tapping her nose. “And if I get hurt, I heal. No worries there.”