<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/9/9a/Zhergan.jpg)</div><strong>Character name</strong>: Ts'udzagha Zhergan<br/><strong>Who:</strong>Open<br/><strong>Where:</strong>Alpha House<br/><strong>When: </strong>Night<br/><hr/>Zhergan had spent a lot of time in solitude lately, even more than usual. Not even the children seemed to be able to tear his mind of the trials ahead. Again and again he had refused their pleas for stories and play. He just didn't want to put such burdens on the shoulder of pups, for his eyes and demeanor betrayed the worried state of the spirit world. He became easily tired, short of breath. It was as if his mind was fighting an invisible battle with the incorporeal. Perhaps he was just older than he thought.<br/><br/>He entered the Alpha's house as the moon was in its zenith, silently sweeping inside and wandering the shadows along the walls, away from the warmth of the hearth. He didn't want to bother the youthful plays and gentle caresses with his presence. Whenever he entered such festivities people got the idea in their heads that they needed to pay him respect. It was far mote important he thought to pay respect to the one you had laid down with and your friends. They could pay him the proper respect the next morning when they came to the Shaman's house to ease their headaches and upset stomachs.<br/><br/>His eyes followed the vibrant trails of the spirits up above him, wisps of smoke that rose among the beams and vaults of the ceiling. They wrapped around the pillars surrounding the open space in the middle of the hall and weaved between them, as if searching for something. The intricate head piece he wore, woven with the long strands of hair of long dead shamans with knots of bones and wings of an owl reaching up, stroked against the beams, causing a soft rasping sound that called more of the invisible spirits to congregate around him. They too were celebrating, for the land of the mortals and spirits were closer in many more ways than one. Finally the searching wisps settled above a blond girl standing to the side away from the others. It was the girl he had seen before, the leather worker. Silent as a fox sneaking up on an unsuspecting hare he towered up behind her.<br/><br/>"You were looking for me, Astrid?"