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Hunter or the Hunted: Part 2 Chapter 4


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#1 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 25 August 2003 - 01:38 AM

Chapter 4




The stairway opened into a large, high-ceilinged grotto carved into the rock that lay hidden under the desert sand. Despite being underground it was lit as brightly as if it was exposed to the sun, though it thankfully remained much cooler. The light fostered the growth of the veritable jungle of flowering plants, shrubs and the soft carpet of grass that covered the floor. In the very center of the room there was a large, clear pool of water. Thickly cushioned chairs and fainting couches were spread liberally throughout the area and upholstered in blues and greens and other colors that picked up the hues of the flowering plants.

Elliard started stripping out of his clothes the moment he was in the grotto, and as soon as he was free of them he dove into the pool. He came up spluttering a moment later. "I forgot how cold it was," he said, wiping water out of his eyes and undoing the tie that bound his hair back.

"How...?" Yoshimo began, looking around in amazement, "How you..."

"'How did you,'" Elliard corrected patiently.

"How did you do..." Yoshimo waved his hands around to indicate the grotto in all its glory.

Elliard chuckled as he swam over to the edge of the pool and held on to the side. "Well, I am a wizard, after all."

"Yes, but plants not..."

"'Do not.'"

"Plants do not er..."

"Grow?" Elliard supplied making a growing motion with his hands.

"Yes, plants do not grow..."

"Under ground?"

Yoshimo nodded, frustrated by his inability to communicate such a simple idea without difficulty because of his limited vocabulary. "Yes, but plants do not grow under ground," he repeated, saying it all out loud more for his own benefit than Elliard's since he knew now that the elf understood what he meant.

"Usually, they don't, no," Elliard agreed, "however, I was able to use my spellcasting ability to create conditions in which they could live and thrive. At the apex of the ceiling I cast a Daylight spell, augmented by Permanency so that it would be, well, permanent, and that took care of most of the problems. The light feeds the plants, and they are watered by this underground spring," he patted the surface of the water almost as one might pat a favored pet. "As you can see, things have turned out very nicely."

"Is very nice," Yoshimo agreed.

"'It is very nice.' Now then, I'm sure you've been dying to get clean ever since I found you, so please feel free to join me in the water. It is a tad bit chilly, but not unpleasant after the ride here."

It did sound like a good idea, so Yoshimo stripped and jumped in, trying to match Elliard's elegant dive. His hands stuck the water, and it was so cold that he lost his poise and finished with a belly flop. He surfaced, gasping from the chilly water and his stinging chest.

Elliard laughed so hard he almost disappeared under the water. "You should have seen yourself," he said when he had regained his ability to float. "The look on your face was priceless."

Yoshimo swam to the edge of the pool and, shivering, tried to climb out. "A little cold," he muttered, mimicking Elliard's voice almost perfectly. He shot the elf a dirty look and said, "Not a little cold. A lot cold. Cold cold."

"Oh, come now, it's not that bad, just a bit of a surprise," Elliard soothed, backstroking away from him. "You'll get used to it after a moment. It's quite refreshing."

Yoshimo gave up on trying to climb out and settled for at least keeping part of himself out of the cold water by hanging onto the edge of the pool for dear life. "Refreshing," he grumbled. After a while he did get used to the cold, and ventured from the edge, finding that moving around helped keep his toes from getting numb.

Whatever irritation he still felt fled when the three women joined them from upstairs a little bit later, bearing soft, dry towels and soap, and offered to scrub backs. Yoshimo gamely scrambled up onto the edge of the pool and submitted himself to Ivory's tender ministrations -much to her amusement- while Fira tended to Elliard. Ebony, apparently not deigning to engage herself in such lowbrow activities, rested on one of the fainting couches with her book and read. His back -and the rest of him- scrubbed, Yoshimo stepped out of the pool and into the towel that Ivory had waiting for him, and lounged around while he dried. He decided that following Elliard around sounded quite appealing if it meant being waited on hand and foot by a bevy of beautiful women. After Elliard was clean and out of the water, Fira disappeared down a corridor for a while and returned with two robes, and then her nose wrinkling a bit, took away their clothes, probably to get rid of them for good. Now clean, dry, warm and clothed Yoshimo relaxed on one of the couches and tried to engage Ebony in conversation.

"You like read?" he asked.

Ebony looked over the top of her book with an amused expression. "Yes," she replied. "I like to read."

"Read what?"

"Elven epic poetry, mostly."

"Elven what?"

"Epic poetry," she repeated, not forwarding any further explanation than that.

"Is good?"

"'Is it good,'" Elliard corrected from across the room. "Remember your pronouns!"

"Is it good?" Yoshimo asked again.

"Yes, it's quite good. Would you like me to read some out loud?"

Yoshimo nodded, less interested in the poetry than Ebony herself. "Please."

Ebony proceeded to read a stanza out of her book, and though her voice and the words were enchanting and exceptionally beautiful, Yoshimo was irritated that he couldn't understand a word of what was being said. She set the book down on her lap when she was done and waited expectantly for a response.

"Is... it is, very pretty," Yoshimo said, not quite sure what she wanted from him. "What is ab... what is it about?" He smiled inwardly at having remembered his pronouns like Elliard had directed him.

"Trees," Ebony said with wistful sigh. "Great, beautiful trees that stretch to the very clouds themselves, as if they held up the roof of the world."

From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.

"No, not at all, you buffoon," Ebony replied a little snappishly. "Haiku are by their very nature about small things, little details, a simple scene of natural beauty, a picture captured in a few brushstrokes. An epic poem is about far greater things, great heroes and great loves, things that are larger than life. They are the grandest form of poetry, and elven epics are the grandest of them all." Toward the end of her little speech, Ebony's voice drifted into the soft, adoring tones of someone that was talking about something very dear, like a child or a lover. Yoshimo found that almost as beautiful as when she had read aloud from her book, though only a little more understandable.

"Why?" he asked, hoping not to earn another irritated reply.

He was sorely disappointed. "I won't go into poetic details, since you're obviously incapable of understanding them, but to put it in simple terms, elven epics are the best because their authors have led such long lives."

"Pardon, what?"

Ebony gave an exasperated sigh. "Because elves live a long time their poems are pretty," she growled.

"Elves live long time?" At that Ivory and Elliard, who had been listening in on the conversation, giggled. Yoshimo look over at them and covertly shot Elliard a withering glare.

"My goodness," Ivory spoke up, "has Elli been neglecting your education? To answer your question, yes, elves do live a very long time by human standards. Why, Elli could live to be well over seven hundred years old. He's quite the young man at one hundred thirty-three, and he will barely be middle aged when you and I are old a toothless."

It took Yoshimo a moment to wrap his brain around the idea that one hundred thirty three was young, and by that time Fira had returned again with a strange stringed instrument.

She sat down on a pile of cushions near Elliard and asked, "Would you like me to play?" She managed to make it sound extremely suggestive, and her look made Yoshimo blush from across the room.

"Oh wonderful," Ebony said, either her irritation from earlier still not resolved or a new bout of it coming on. "I'll never get through this page."

Ivory said something to her in a language Yoshimo didn't understand, and Ebony responded likewise.

"Now then," Ivory said cheerfully, in clearly enunciated common, "if you will play, Fira darling, I will sing. Perhaps if Ebony would be so kind as to leave her beloved poems for a moment she could dance."

"Fat chance," Ebony grumped.

"Do you know the song, Ivory, darling?" Fira asked, changing the subject smoothly.

"Which one do you mean?"

"You know the one," Fira replied, sending a significant look in Yoshimo's direction. The only problem was that Yoshimo didn't understand what the significance was.

"Oh! That one," Ivory exclaimed, looking scandalized. "Fira, are you sure?"

"Positive, darling."

"Well, play thy lute, fair Fira, and I will sing along."

Elliard looked worried. "Now girls, you're not planning anything... naughty... are you?"

"Not at all, Elli," Fira said, plucking a lovely chord on her instrument.

"What ever would make you say that?" Ivory added.

"I can't imagine," Elliard replied drolly.

Fira and Ivory smiled. Fira quickly tuned her lute and began to play an interesting, fast paced melody, and soon Ivory joined her voice with it, though again, much to Yoshimo's eternal frustration, he couldn't understand. Once again whatever was being said, or in this case sung, was in a different language than the one Elliard had taught him. He did pick out Elliard's name coming up in the song, which he thought was unusual.

He really began to wonder what Ivory was singing about when Elliard jumped out of his chair, red-faced and furious and said, "That is quite enough!" and stormed off in huff.

Ivory and Fira exchanged glances, and Ivory ran off after him.

"Well," said Fira, obviously discomfited, "I think I'll go upstairs now and see that the horses make it back to Daellin." Then she hurried off.

"What happen?" Yoshimo asked, perplexed.

Ebony snapped her book shut with a sigh and stood up. "I knew that as soon as Elliard got back I wouldn't finish a single book until he left again." With that she stucked her book under one arm and left by the same hallway that Ivory and Elliard had gone down.

Yoshimo let out a loud, frustrated sigh and leaned back on his couch. Crazy! Everyone in Faerun was crazy, he decided. What had gotten Elliard so angry? Why would two women, who were apparently his wives or concubines, risk getting him angry in the first place?

He was a little worried. So far he had found very little about Elliard that wasn't deserving of at least a little respect. The elf was a skilled wizard, a priest of a relatively powerful Goddess, the brother of a reasonably prosperous merchant, not to mention a wealthy man in his own right, if his home was anything to judge by, and in general, a pleasant person to be around. But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.

#2 Guest_Oryx_*

Posted 25 August 2003 - 04:53 AM

Chapter 4








The stairway opened into a large, high-ceilinged grotto carved into the rock that lay hidden under the desert sand. Despite being underground it was lit as brightly as if it was exposed to the sun, though it thankfully remained much cooler. The light fostered the growth of the veritable jungle of flowering plants, shrubs and the soft carpet of grass that covered the floor. In the very center of the room there was a large, clear pool of water. Thickly cushioned chairs and fainting couches were spread liberally throughout the area and upholstered in blues and greens and other colors that picked up the hues of the flowering plants.


Onyx: Time to don my Speedo of Speed

Jade: And my Bikini of Deflection

Imoen: One-Piece of Shadows for me

Sarevok: Spiky Full-Plate....with floaties!

Elliard chuckled as he swam over to the edge of the pool and held on to the side. "Well, I am a wizard, after all."


LOL

It did sound like a good idea, so Yoshimo stripped and jumped in, trying to match Elliard's elegant dive. His hands stuck the water, and it was so cold that he lost his poise and finished with a belly flop. He surfaced, gasping from the chilly water and his stinging chest.


lol

Yoshimo swam to the edge of the pool and, shivering, tried to climb out. "A little cold," he muttered, mimicking Elliard's voice almost perfectly. He shot the elf a dirty look and said, "Not a little cold. A lot cold. Cold cold."


LOL

"Elven epic poetry, mostly."


kewlness


From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


poor guy!

Fira and Ivory smiled. Fira quickly tuned her lute and began to play an interesting, fast paced melody, and soon Ivory joined her voice with it, though again, much to Yoshimo's eternal frustration, he couldn't understand. Once again whatever was being said, or in this case sung, was in a different language than the one Elliard had taught him. He did pick out Elliard's name coming up in the song, which he thought was unusual.


He really began to wonder what Ivory was singing about when Elliard jumped out of his chair, red-faced and furious and said, "That is quite enough!" and stormed off in huff.


LOL...well, it was SOMETHING about Elliard, hmmmmm

Yoshimo let out a loud, frustrated sigh and leaned back on his couch. Crazy! Everyone in Faerun was crazy, he decided. What had gotten Elliard so angry? Why would two women, who were apparently his wives or concubines, risk getting him angry in the first place?


He was a little worried. So far he had found very little about Elliard that wasn't deserving of at least a little respect. The elf was a skilled wizard, a priest of a relatively powerful Goddess, the brother of a reasonably prosperous merchant, not to mention a wealthy man in his own right, if his home was anything to judge by, and in general, a pleasant person to be around. But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.


LOL

great chapter :oops:

#3 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 25 August 2003 - 05:19 AM


The stairway opened into a large, high-ceilinged grotto carved into the rock that lay hidden under the desert sand. Despite being underground it was lit as brightly as if it was exposed to the sun, though it thankfully remained much cooler. The light fostered the growth of the veritable jungle of flowering plants, shrubs and the soft carpet of grass that covered the floor. In the very center of the room there was a large, clear pool of water. Thickly cushioned chairs and fainting couches were spread liberally throughout the area and upholstered in blues and greens and other colors that picked up the hues of the flowering plants.


Onyx: Time to don my Speedo of Speed


Ack! The tightness!

Jade: And my Bikini of Deflection


Good choice.

Imoen: One-Piece of Shadows for me


Another good choice.

Sarevok: Spiky Full-Plate....with floaties!


LOL... so Sarevok. Except where would he find floaties big enough, or sturdy enough to survive his Spiky Full-Plate?

Sarevok *out on the water* Gasp! My armor spikes have ruprtured my floaties! Abandon ship! Aban... *gurgle gurgle glug glug glug...*


Elliard chuckled as he swam over to the edge of the pool and held on to the side. "Well, I am a wizard, after all."


LOL


Well, he *is* you know. A druid could have done better, but then again would a druid try to grow tropical flowers under ground in Calimshan? Methinks not.


It did sound like a good idea, so Yoshimo stripped and jumped in, trying to match Elliard's elegant dive. His hands stuck the water, and it was so cold that he lost his poise and finished with a belly flop. He surfaced, gasping from the chilly water and his stinging chest.


lol


Yoshimo: Laugh it up, scribe. I know people who know people who know people who know how to find out where you live.

Brynn: I bet that sounded much scarier in your head.


Yoshimo swam to the edge of the pool and, shivering, tried to climb out. "A little cold," he muttered, mimicking Elliard's voice almost perfectly. He shot the elf a dirty look and said, "Not a little cold. A lot cold. Cold cold."


LOL


Sassy, isn't he?


"Elven epic poetry, mostly."


kewlness


Ebony: Your quaint mispelling of a passe colloquialism *hardly* does these masterpieces of Elven literature justice.


From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


poor guy!


Yoshimo: It was a reasonable assumption!


He really began to wonder what Ivory was singing about when Elliard jumped out of his chair, red-faced and furious and said, "That is quite enough!" and stormed off in huff.


LOL...well, it was SOMETHING about Elliard, hmmmmm


Elliard: Let's just say they brought up the past and made suppositions about the present that I didn't appreciate.


He was a little worried. So far he had found very little about Elliard that wasn't deserving of at least a little respect. The elf was a skilled wizard, a priest of a relatively powerful Goddess, the brother of a reasonably prosperous merchant, not to mention a wealthy man in his own right, if his home was anything to judge by, and in general, a pleasant person to be around. But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.


LOL


Hehe!! The depths of this mystery shall be plumbed in the next exciting chapter.

great chapter :oops:


Thanks for reading ^^
-Blue

#4 Guest_Chantrys_*

Posted 26 August 2003 - 02:43 PM

The stairway opened into a large, high-ceilinged grotto carved into the rock that lay hidden under the desert sand. Despite being underground it was lit as brightly as if it was exposed to the sun, though it thankfully remained much cooler. The light fostered the growth of the veritable jungle of flowering plants, shrubs and the soft carpet of grass that covered the floor. In the very center of the room there was a large, clear pool of water. Thickly cushioned chairs and fainting couches were spread liberally throughout the area and upholstered in blues and greens and other colors that picked up the hues of the flowering plants.


Really nice scene-painting going on here!

"How did you do..." Yoshimo waved his hands around to indicate the grotto in all its glory.

Elliard chuckled as he swam over to the edge of the pool and held on to the side. "Well, I am a wizard, after all."

"Yes, but plants not..."


Don't ask, just accept! The man's a wizard! :wink:

Yoshimo nodded, frustrated by his inability to communicate such a simple idea without difficulty because of his limited vocabulary.


I bet he'd love a dictionary. Or a Babel Fish. :roll:

Yoshimo swam to the edge of the pool and, shivering, tried to climb out. "A little cold," he muttered, mimicking Elliard's voice almost perfectly. He shot the elf a dirty look and said, "Not a little cold. A lot cold. Cold cold."


:wink:
Just keep moving, Yoshi.

Whatever irritation he still felt fled when the three women joined them from upstairs a little bit later, bearing soft, dry towels and soap, and offered to scrub backs.


Yes, pretty women solve everything. :)

Ebony proceeded to read a stanza out of her book, and though her voice and the words were enchanting and exceptionally beautiful, Yoshimo was irritated that he couldn't understand a word of what was being said. She set the book down on her lap when she was done and waited expectantly for a response.


:wink: Poor Yoshimo. That would be very frustrating.

From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


Uh-oh. I sense a verbal slap in his near future.

"Elves live long time?" At that Ivory and Elliard, who had been listening in on the conversation, giggled. Yoshimo look over at them and covertly shot Elliard a withering glare.


:wink:

"Oh wonderful," Ebony said, either her irritation from earlier still not resolved or a new bout of it coming on. "I'll never get through this page."


Bitch, bitch, bitch. :wink:

Elliard looked worried. "Now girls, you're not planning anything... naughty... are you?"

"Not at all, Elli," Fira said, plucking a lovely chord on her instrument.

"What ever would make you say that?" Ivory added.

"I can't imagine," Elliard replied drolly.


It seems to be their job to be naughty, after all. :)

He really began to wonder what Ivory was singing about when Elliard jumped out of his chair, red-faced and furious and said, "That is quite enough!" and stormed off in huff.


Awww...now I want to know what they sang!

Yoshimo let out a loud, frustrated sigh and leaned back on his couch. Crazy! Everyone in Faerun was crazy, he decided.


Of course! That's what makes it fun!

But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.


:wink:

I really liked the this chapter, Blue. (And the last one, though I didn't get a chance to put my comments in there.) I'm enjoying Yoshi's ongoing struggle with language, though I hope at some point he gets to do some intensive studying. :oops: Perhaps with Ebony, if she can resist the temptation to slap him.

#5 Weyoun

Posted 26 August 2003 - 11:20 PM

Elliard chuckled as he swam over to the edge of the pool and held on to the side. "Well, I am a wizard, after all."


"Yes, but plants not..."


"'Do not.'"


"Plants do not er..."


"Grow?" Elliard supplied making a growing motion with his hands.


"Yes, plants do not grow..."


"Under ground?"


Unless magic or good botany is at the works. :wink:

Ebony proceeded to read a stanza out of her book, and though her voice and the words were enchanting and exceptionally beautiful, Yoshimo was irritated that he couldn't understand a word of what was being said. She set the book down on her lap when she was done and waited expectantly for a response.


"Is... it is, very pretty," Yoshimo said, not quite sure what she wanted from him. "What is ab... what is it about?" He smiled inwardly at having remembered his pronouns like Elliard had directed him.


"Trees," Ebony said with wistful sigh. "Great, beautiful trees that stretch to the very clouds themselves, as if they held up the roof of the world."


From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


Yep. Still, haiku's can be overly short. ;)

"My goodness," Ivory spoke up, "has Elli been neglecting your education? To answer your question, yes, elves do live a very long time by human standards. Why, Elli could live to be well over seven hundred years old. He's quite the young man at one hundred thirty-three, and he will barely be middle aged when you and I are old a toothless."


Gotta love the elves. ;)


"Well, play thy lute, fair Fira, and I will sing along."


Elliard looked worried. "Now girls, you're not planning anything... naughty... are you?"


Oh, dear...

"What happen?" Yoshimo asked, perplexed.


Ebony snapped her book shut with a sigh and stood up. "I knew that as soon as Elliard got back I wouldn't finish a single book until he left again." With that she stucked her book under one arm and left by the same hallway that Ivory and Elliard had gone down.


LOL! It must have been pretty scandalising. :)

Yoshimo let out a loud, frustrated sigh and leaned back on his couch. Crazy! Everyone in Faerun was crazy, he decided. What had gotten Elliard so angry? Why would two women, who were apparently his wives or concubines, risk getting him angry in the first place?


He was a little worried. So far he had found very little about Elliard that wasn't deserving of at least a little respect. The elf was a skilled wizard, a priest of a relatively powerful Goddess, the brother of a reasonably prosperous merchant, not to mention a wealthy man in his own right, if his home was anything to judge by, and in general, a pleasant person to be around. But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.


Great stuff,
---Weyoun
TnT Enhanced Edition: http://www.fanfictio...rds-and-Tempers

---
Sith Warrior - Master, I can sense your anger.

Darth Baras - A blind, comotose lobotomy-patient could sense my anger!

---

"The New Age? It's just the old age stuck in a microwave oven for fifteen seconds" - James Randi

#6 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 31 August 2003 - 01:41 AM

Thickly cushioned chairs and fainting couches were spread liberally throughout the area and upholstered in blues and greens and other colors that picked up the hues of the flowering plants.


Really nice scene-painting going on here!


Thank you ^^ And sorry it took me so long to get back to you... I was moving into college.


"How did you do..." Yoshimo waved his hands around to indicate the grotto in all its glory.


"Yes, but plants not..."


Don't ask, just accept! The man's a wizard! :lol:


Hehe, he's perplexed.


Yoshimo nodded, frustrated by his inability to communicate such a simple idea without difficulty because of his limited vocabulary.


I bet he'd love a dictionary. Or a Babel Fish. :)


Yoshimo: YES! Get me a dictionary, please!



Whatever irritation he still felt fled when the three women joined them from upstairs a little bit later, bearing soft, dry towels and soap, and offered to scrub backs.


Yes, pretty women solve everything. :D


Indeed they do.


From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


Uh-oh. I sense a verbal slap in his near future.


Ebony is very, very particular about her poetry and books.


He really began to wonder what Ivory was singing about when Elliard jumped out of his chair, red-faced and furious and said, "That is quite enough!" and stormed off in huff.


Awww...now I want to know what they sang!


You will, you will ^^

I really liked the this chapter, Blue. (And the last one, though I didn't get a chance to put my comments in there.) I'm enjoying Yoshi's ongoing struggle with language, though I hope at some point he gets to do some intensive studying. :oops: Perhaps with Ebony, if she can resist the temptation to slap him.


Thank you. And I wouldn't put it past Ebony to slap first and teach later.

#7 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 31 August 2003 - 01:49 AM


"Under ground?"


Unless magic or good botany is at the works. :oops:


a little bit of both. Fira gardens like a madwoman.


From that, Yoshimo garnered the information that the word 'epic' meant 'about nature.' "Like long haiku," he said.


Yep. Still, haiku's can be overly short. :lol:


That's the beauty of the form.


Elliard looked worried. "Now girls, you're not planning anything... naughty... are you?"


Oh, dear...


The answer to the question is of course, yes.


Ebony snapped her book shut with a sigh and stood up. "I knew that as soon as Elliard got back I wouldn't finish a single book until he left again." With that she stucked her book under one arm and left by the same hallway that Ivory and Elliard had gone down.


LOL! It must have been pretty scandalising. :)


Elliard: I was very personal, yes.



But the things that had been going on since the two of them arrived at Elliard's home had given Yoshimo cause to wonder about exactly how competent a man Elliard was. He hoped, competent enough.


Great stuff,
---Weyoun


Thank you!

-Blue




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