Redlance: A Treeshaper, nothing more and nothing less

*walks in looking around curiously, with some amazement*

Still looks the same, not much has changed, good.

So, I guess we'll just start from where i left off so long ago, which I am sorry for. I kind of got distracted by a lot of things, but like all obsessions, I've made my way back. This is the continuation of the Redlance Sagas which you can look back through the Forum here and find. I would suggest reading those before this one to familiarize one's self with this AU. And since its been awhile one might read the earlier stories to get a refresher in.

With that said, this AU is all about our treeshaper and a delve into his stories. He is the lead of it all with cutter and the others taking a smaller role, so if that isn't your cup of tea then its no problem. There are some really good stories here based more canonically then mine.

Now, let's get this train rolling once more, its time to let Redlance have some fun!

Thoooommmm!

The fierce rumble from the large storm’s roar crashed through the night air it felt like, and with it the maelstrom announced its arrival with a resounding blast, the unnecessary clamor of it echoed over the sounds of the driving rain and the booming skygrowls that rattled the forest all round the large lake. The storm raged against the trees and small wooded hills, lighting up the landscape with an arc of skyfire every moment or so, and in the harsh white explosion of the storm’s anger the forms of three tall figures, all over five feet high, moving slowly along the dark wooded trail stopped. They were humans, hunters, and this storm had given their prey a chance to slip free of their pursuit one more frustrating time.  One of the men turned to the tallest among them and yelled with fiery disdain, and through the deluge of rain and skygrowls, he was still barely loud enough to be heard. “We have lost the Little Spirit’s trail Terak and with it the Stone!  We should stop for the night!”

Hearing his name made the tall human turn to his right where his companion spat at him, and at first the dark of the night hid his face, but then another arc of skyfire lit up the landscape and the last of the three hunters, the one who could barely still follow the other two, felt his skin chill just a little more at the sight of the one the human they followed.  When he was young, Terak had stalked a large pure white wolf, what his people called a ‘Totem’, intent on killing the animal, taking its power, and claiming the spot among his tribe as their chief hunter.  He had dreamt of wearing the pelt of the sacred White Wolf on those nights when the special ritual was performed, when the shaman of his people would dance and call forth the ghosts of their dead to walk among them and honor the great hunters.  The skin of the wolf would have brought great prestige to Terak from all in his tribe, but then the animal decided it did not want to leave this world when he had finally cornered it, trying to end its life with his bow.  No, it had fought the young hunter with a raging fierceness, and in the end left its mark on Terak for his youthful foolishness as it escaped.  His face had been disfigured by the wolf’s claws, scarred. Three long lines descending from his forehead over an eye socket which had long been overgrown with marred flesh and down to his chin.  The scars had cursed him, ensured no woman would want Terak from that day on, not even his own mother. Now, with a hardened heart of stone, he would not be scarred again in this hunt.

“Where is Pelan?”  He demanded more than asked, waiting for the hunter who had challenged him to answer.  That would be Chulash, who spoke up with a snarl, the same one who dared to put forth his thoughts on this disaster they tried to call a hunt just a moment ago.

“He is behind us trying to keep up.  The Little Spirits and the wolf hurt him Terak, he can barely breathe.”

“Then he should have been more careful,” Terak yelled back with venomous malice as the rainwater rolled down his face, “now he just slows us down.”

“Pelan needs-“

“Shut your mouth Chulash! We are not stopping for Pelan or for this storm!  The red hair spirit is close now. The stone shard is close now!” Terak screamed as the muscles in his neck bulged.

The two hunters stood glaring at each other as the storm mirrored their own anger, eyes hard and defiant, locked in quiet contentious combat as skygrowls echoed.  The other human with them, a thin man named Pelan, watched in silent frustration from a distance at his tribesman. This was just what the little red haired spirit needed to get away, these two fools fighting over this hurt fool who was falling farther and farther behind them on the trail.  Pelan never wanted this fight or chase, it was just not worth it to him he thought while rubbing his damaged throat before looking down to his injured leg. The large brown wolf had broken the lower half easily, not to the point where it would hang loosely without the sticks on either side keeping it somewhat straight and inline, but enough that it barely bore his weight. Pelan stopped and leaned against a tree to try and breath, looked hard up the trail at the sound of the screaming pair which were now hidden without the aid of a torch, trying to pierce the dark and rain with his eyes to see something, secretly hoping he was lucky enough not to see the little red hair spirit and add to his pain. There was only the black of the night though joyfully, and Pelan coughed ready to stay here and not move till dawn when the sky came alive again.  The trail lit up once more with a harsh white light, and for the briefest of moments, Pelan could see what waited up head on the foot path for the three human hunters.  And in that small instance the hunter’s eyes locked with a pair of large glowing ones, both staring back at all of them from behind a menacing maw set in a snarl while wet brown hackles of fur shook from a rumbling growl, from the largest wolf he had ever seen in his life.  The hunter could only stare at the wolf as it glared back before the light died and the trail plunged back into darkness.  

Was that the same one Pelan thought to himself, the same wolf that had been harassing them day and night as they chased the two little spirits?  He wasn’t sure if the animal was the same, but it did make him think he was not going any farther up the path this night.

And Pelan wasn’t alone in this thought it seemed as he heard Chulash speak. “We are not alone here Terak.”

The hunter with the marred face glared at his tribesman for a moment before looking up the trail with his one good eye.  When the skyfire gave them the light necessary to see once again all eyes looked to see nothing but an empty path and the falling rain.  Terak sneered before grunting loudly, “bah, what did you see?”

It took Chulash a bit to decide to answer that question. He was sure of the response he would get and he was in no mood to fight with Terak further, “the brown wolf that keeps following us.”

“How could you tell it was the same wolf?” Terak hissed at his smaller companion.

“It was the same wolf that did this to me, I am SURE!” Chulash snapped holding up his arm, away from his soaked leathers.  One could easily see the bloody, and now very wet, rags wrapped around his forearm from his wrist to his elbow.

Terak just shook his head saying he did not care at all about Chulash’s injury, and the small movement only angered the smaller hunter more.  The little red hair spirit was not going to slip away tonight, not again the taller hunter vowed to only himself as his anger fueled his voice, as Terak growled and pointed up the trail.  “The wolf does not matter!  The Little Spirit is that way and that way is where we go.”

“I am not getting bit again Terak!  I am stopping for the night!” Chulash shouted pulling his arm down and glowering at Terak.  It was meant to be a defiant show, a move of dominance, and yet it had no effect what-so-ever on the large leader.

“You will follow me Chulash, you will, or I will leave your dead body as food for the animals of these woods to eat,” Terak spat stepping forward just enough to crowd the smaller hunter and show he was the leader, undisputed and unchallenged.  It only took a moment for the smaller Chulash to back down, to submit by looking down and away.  Terak had control of this ever shrinking band of hunters and he looked up the trail with his one good eye and snarled.  “Run little red-haired spirit, try to hide.  I will find you! I will take back the stone, and then I will take your life!”

Behind on the trail, leaning against the tree still gasping for every breath, Pelan silently cursed Terak. His damaged throat barely let him breathe so he couldn’t speak, and if he could it would not matter in the least. They were going to chase this Little Spirit till the end, of them or it. And he knew his only chance for survival was to stay with this cursed group of hunters, couldn’t let them out of his sight.  Pelan knew he wouldn’t live long on his own, out here in the open wilderness injured as he was, unable to fight back against whatever came for him, be it a little spirit or the brown wolf or anything else.  He was wishing he had never tried to track down the small read haired spirit.  He wished now he had just followed the warning of the old holy man and left the spirit alone because following him these last days and nights hadn’t brought him the endless honor he had foreseen, just tremendous pain.

If Pelan had to choose again he would leave this red-haired little spirit alone...so very alone.


The hunters were still following him, and the sight of the three truly astonished Redlance, being two of the humans wanted to turn and head back to their village and forget about trying to follow him. The Scarred One though, he wouldn’t let that happen and the two who wanted to go home, they feared their leader and what he would do to them if they fled, especially after what happened to the one hunter earlier. So, he could see them just down the trail still following him, still stalking him, following the stone shard he was given. The landscape lit up from a long streak of sky fire, and there on the trail was the big brown wolf, suddenly growling menacingly at the group of hunters. The treeshaper knew that stance, knew it meant the wolf was giving the humans a warning to stop pursuing. The brown was telling all those close that this was his path, his woods, and to chance moving farther in was a fool’s task.

Then the sky fire faded, and the land went black again.  Redlance didn’t waste the opportunity to move, and even though every step and breath sent a sharp pain through his side, he quickly and silently crossed the trail in a small run getting into the bushes before the next flash of sky fire showed the path again.  He moved with sure steps as his rain-soaked leathers snagged on brambles and limbs, and with every other step he reached down to make sure the stone was still there tucked into the folds of his pants.  Toward the setting day star, the treeshaper and young archer had led the humans before moving into back the woods with a quick turn the day before, all with a purpose to loose the hunters, which had worked, somewhat. Dart was heading back to Father Tree now, it was just half a night’s trek away from we he stood. The young archer’s injured arm wouldn’t help in a fight and more importantly he needed to make sure Newstar and the other elves made it back home to Father Tree safely. The treeshaper had hoped to have all four of the human hunters chase after him and the stone shard, but just his luck one went after Dart to finish him.
 
Well, what to do now?

So, he came up with a new plan, draw the hunters up by the large lake and let old friends take care of them, with a little help from the treeshaper. Only, he was a little lost here in the deep dark the storm created. Redlance stopped for a moment trying to get his bearings to make sure he was heading in the right direction when the brush moved by his side, the wall of wet leaves parting to allow the large maw and face of the brown wolf to appear.  A streak of sky fire crossed the night sky again and Redlance found the wolf was now almost nose to nose with him.

“Good eve brother,”

The wolf sniffed him once, twice, growling low as it did. Redlance remained perfectly still as it checked him, movement of any kind would have been seen as an attack or an attempt to flee.  Remaining still and letting the wolf scent him was the only choice he had, his own wolf blood surging through his veins told him this.  Keeping his eyes low but not at staring at the ground showed the brown wolf he was not a threat, but also, he was not leaving.  Then the treeshaper slowly held up his hand, a move that could either end with a good outcome or one not so good, like being bitten, and Redlance surely wanted to keep all his fingers. He held his breath as the big brown sniffed the appendage deeply, and it was only when the wolf’s low growl began to fade, and it pressed its nose into his flesh that he exhaled. Two quick sniffs it took before Redlance smiled as the wolf stepped into his hand, acceptance had been granted by the big brown predator.

“Thank you, brother, but I think after all these days and nights of following me you would have accepted my scent with a single sniff.”  Redlance whispered as the wolf pressed its head into his hand again.  He scratched the large ears roughly, looking back to see if the humans had chosen to leave him be, only he was so far into the brush and bushes he couldn’t see the trail in this deep dark.  Just like he knew letting the big brown sniff his hand, so the wolf would accept him, Redlance realized he would need to climb out of the bushes if he wanted to know where the humans were.

A moment passed as the treeshaper thought about what that would require, the dangers, and then he looked toward where he thought the setting day star would be.  A sky growl shook the air it felt like as the Wolfrider thought looking back once more, then forward past the big brown and deeper into the woods. “Come brother, we need to find the ones who can rid us of the ones who won’t leave us be.”

The wolf gave a shake of its head, sending water in a small spray, and Redlance took it for a ‘Yes’ to his plan.  So, the treeshaper set out moving deeper into the woods of his forest, farther away from the trail and the humans he hoped. The brown watched him leave, stood still for a moment eyeing the direction of the trail back to the humans, then with a small turn the wolf moved silently after the treeshaper.


The night air was cool after the passing of the storm, and on the air the wolf chief could sense the approach of the Death Season, the coming of the white cold. For too many seasons before this one Cutter would feel its approach, and it was still far away, enough time for his newly gathered tribe of Wolfriders to reach their ancient home of Father Tree and prepare. His daughter rode her own wolf friend just behind and she knew what her father was doing, what she had tried to do in the past with her tribe from Howling Rock and found very little success.  Ember sniffed the air trying to discern the change of the seasons as her father does and she turned to him.

“It’s faint, but the Death Season is coming.”

Cutter grinned and looked to his cub as did Leetah who sat behind him holding her soulmate with a tight embrace.  “Just long enough for our tanner and your mother to prepare our thicker leathers and furs.”

Ember smiled feeling a surge of pride for being correct.  She knew well she had a chance to learn from her father now in the ways of being a true chief, which was not to say she hadn’t learned from being one these last seasons at Howling Rock. She had led her band through challenges and predicaments, through scrapes and fights, surviving but not always with the true feeling of triumph.  Not like her father, the one who defeated the Djun and took back the Palace, and the one who went on the first quest to find other elves.  How could she ever be a chief like her father she had felt for so long after leaving for Howling Rock?  And yet, she had learned something from her father all those seasons she had watched him.  Every day and every night Ember rose and led her Wolfriders with courage and conviction.  Every success she howled with them and every defeat she felt with them.  Every fight and every missed meal she experienced with them, leading them just like her father would have done.

“Going-to-see-father-tree-grower-now-dada?-Going-to-see-father-tree-grower?”

All the eyes in the traveling tribe turned to see the small bundle of energy that was Strongbow and Moonshade’s third cub. Chitter was so full of energy that she would leave one breathless running after her if you tried to keep up. She was now standing on her father’s bond wolf jumping up from his lap so she could stare into his eyes to make her plea. One night while her belly held the tribe’s new arrival Moonshade had laid with her family in their den, and while in all their close embrace and devotion the tanner had confessed it was the love of so many, of her huntress and her healer and the warmth of her chief and treeshaper that had led the way for Recognition to come to her and Strongbow once again. It was their open heart for them that had allowed hers and her lifemate’s to open theirs and that’s when the fabled ‘eye meets eye’ took hold and gave them Chitter.  The little cub had grown up around them all, this loving family, and if you asked the spirited cub, she had more than one father and mother. She had so many she would howl and smile.

“Chitter, sit down.” Moonshade tried to order but giggled instead as Nightfall reached over rubbing her tanner’s shoulder and back warmly. They were all excited to be home finally, just a few more moments and they would see Father Tree, and a family would finally reunite.

Yes little one, we are home and we will see our treeshaper again, but you have to be quiet or you’ll spoil the surprise. Strongbow sent to his precious daughter knowing full well the end of this long trek was so near.

For most cubs being told ‘calm down’ only makes their resolve to do whatever it was they were doing that much stronger to do, but for Chitter, it became a matter of life and death.  And yet, she understood what was about to happen, “Surprise-Treegrower-Father-yes-yes-yes-be-quiet-now!”

Cutter slowed his wolf friend and chuckled as the little cub abruptly agreed with her father and dropped to sitting back in his lap with a plop.  As he drew even with his archer the little cub was smiling from pointed ear to pointed ear and giggling.

He chuckled as well and leaned over, “What do you think Treegrower-Father will do when we surprise him cub?”

The little cub was so excited she quickly turned her attention to him standing up in a bolt, so much so she ended up leaning out toward him and would have fallen off the wolf if not for her father catching her and holding her in place as they rode. “Jump-and-howl-and-jump-and-howl-again!”

“Oh yes, and he’ll do something else too.” Cutter offered.

“What else?” Chitter asked in an uncharacteristically normal talking speed

“He’ll hug you so tight,” Leetah smiled while leaning toward the cub, “and spin in circles making you laugh and cry at the same time.”

Oh, now that would be a sight to see, and to be a part of it? Well that just made Chitter more excited and she laughed while looking at her Healer-Mother. Then a voice called out and helped her to stay quiet.  “Don’t laugh to loud Chitter, remember, we want to surprise grandfather.”

Now someone the little cub seemed to mind just as much as her Treegrower-Father had spoken and Chitter quickly gasped while leaning back into her father’s chest then turned and looked around his shoulder eagerly back to the other Wolfriders, “I’ll-keep-quiet-keep-quiet”

Pool was the cub of Redlance and Nightfall’s cub Tyleet, a bright-eyed hunter who was as calm as his grand sire.  His father, Scouter, smiled as his cub who rode with his mother leaned over and nodded with a large smile.  “I can’t wait to see grandfather, to watch him chase his own tail!”

“Yes our little one, you can’t miss your chance to see your Grandsire so happy he’ll chase his own tail.” Nightfall laughed now rubbing her tanner’s leg.  Moonshade only nodded leaning over against the shoulder of her huntress when little Chitter turned to look at them.

“Ok-no-more-talk-we-can-wait-to-surprise,” Chitter decided turning and sitting back down in her father’s lap, much to the relief of Strongbow and his wolf friend.  

As the Wolfriders around the little cub laughed at her antics, her father silently grinning and kissing the top of her head, behind in the procession of elves the members of Howling Rock watched and smiled, still amazed at the sight of how these three mated pairs acted. Teir and Mender rode along on the wolves Teir had ‘asked’ politely to carry them while Pike and Krim rode as one. Clearbrook had slipped back to ride with them as well, Suntop sitting behind her looking around curiously.

“I still say, If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me.” Mender whispered.

“Believed what?” Pike asked looking over.

The young healer nodded to the group in front and smiled, “them, Moonshade and Strongbow and Cutter and Leetah, the way they’re acting…together.”

Krim turned to him and shook her head. “It’s not so bad Mender. I kind of like seeing it.”

“It is nice to see, but after all the tales and stories about the four and their past, to see them laughing together like this. I just wouldn’t have believed it.” Mender added.

“Stories and tales and nothing but. Moonshade and Strongbow are guarded but they weren’t closed off and Cutter and Leetah were the same. It just took the right hearts to lead both to come together, a huntress and a treeshaper’s heart.” Clearbrook smiled letting her words sink in just a bit

“So three mated pairs living like one doesn’t surprise you Clearbrook?” Tier asked.

The matriarch of the tribe just shook her head no as Suntop spoke up. “I like it, mother and father and Strongbow and Moonshade are all happy and that makes me happy.”

“Spoken like the wisest among us Suntop.” Pike laughed with a nod.

“Most nights he is with this group.” Krim chuckled giving her lifemate a hard hug.

They all laughed drawing a look from the front riders as Nightfall turned to Moonshade, “If we shocked them now then they’ll be in for a real surprise when they finally see Father Tree.”

“Oh the talking won’t stop for nights and nights.” The tanner chuckled reaching down and rubbing Nightfall’s leg.

“Is it pretty mother, Father Tree?” A sweet voice asked, and the front riders all looked at Tyleet as she rode up by her mother.

“It’s bigger and stouter than I ever remembered him being. Your father grew him taller than any other tree in the forest and in a moment you’ll see just how big.” Treestump called out with a large smile from where he rode beside his cub Dewshine.

“He’s that tall?” Pool gasped as his grandmother and the tanner only nodded with a proud smile.

Leetah smiled even more hugging her lifemate and speaking warmly to the cub. “Our treeshaper grew him so tall and there are so many flowers growing all through him. You could climb for days little one and never see all the branches he has.”

Pool gasped again as did Sust, the cub of Pike and Krim, who rode with Treestump. Dewshine just smiled and looked at Cutter with a wide smile, “I can’t wait to see him, what do you think Dart and Newstar are doing right now?”

“Probably finding new spots to be together and be alone, but we’re almost there so only sending from here on.” Cutter joked, and everyone laughed understanding his meaning. This new combined tribe was ready to see Father Tree and be free of the trails, toward a happy reunion with the three souls that would finally make them whole, complete.


Dart…where are you? Are you safe my love?

Newstar’s thought was full of fear, close to panic, but there was nothing the young weaver could do to help her precious lovemate. Dart was somewhere else in the expansive Holt, maybe a long way from here or maybe not. She and the other two elves they rescued three days earlier were just a short walk from Father Tree, almost at the point this nightmare started. Now, hidden in the bush and ferns of the forest, the weaver and her new friends were about to make a final stand.

And that was a crazed idea to have Newstar thought as she was no warrior, no archer like Dart or sword maiden like Clearbrook. They had been chased by three humans like rabbits over these last days and nights and had even hurt one one enough to send him back to his village but these last two, well they were not stopping. So the decision was made to make one last fight, close to Father Tree, and if there was enough luck these last two five-fingers could be sent back as well.    

Then a branch snapped telling the weaver the humans were here, close now.

Behitha, are you ready?

The elf Newstar sent too stood on one of the lower branches of a large oak with an arrow nocked and her bow string pulled tight. The fletching on the last arrow she had touched her cheek as she watched two shadows below walk right under her.

Yes, the humans are below me, be ready when your hear me yell.

One of the two shadows stopped below her and the scent of sweat and dirt touched Behitha’s nose. Just like Redlance told her, the humans had refused to leave them be. Now she had to protect Ayashe, had to help Newstar protect this Father Tree. She was a fierce fighter, strong, and had proved it too many times on the plains of the Abode, but now with an inexperienced weaver, could she fight two humans determined to end her and the others with a bow and just one arrow?

Please Behitha, we have to run…please! Ayashe’s fearful send touched her mind.

No, we can’t run anymore Ayashe, it’s too late. I promised Redlance I wouldn’t let the humans take Newstar or you.  Behitha responded answering her own question with a decisive decision.

The human below looked around, searched the shadows and dark around them as best as his eyes would allow. He’s trying to find us the lifebearer thought, trying to see if we’re near, left a track maybe. I can’t let them take one of us again. I won’t take let them take us again.

Please Behitha, be careful! Newstar begged.

Then the human looked up, right into Behitha’s eyes.

I have to protect us she thought one last time before loosing her arrow.


The rain had mercifully stopped as Dart trotted along through the woods, off of the trail in the bushes to keep his trail hidden. His mind was so scattered he barely kept a coherent thought so every step was just instinct taking over. The rain, the pounding thunder and lightning and driving rain would be reaching Redlance at any moment.

If he was still alive that is.

He’s alive! He has to be alive! The young archer snapped back at the thought in his head.

Dart’s soul was a tempest as well, even worse than his mind. His heart knew he shouldn’t have left the treeshaper’s side, abandoning him to the three worst humans the young archer had ever known. He had left Redlance the fight monsters all by himself, exhausted and tired and-

And what good would you have been to him with an arm that’s useless till healed? No bow or arrow to shoot and only one arm to swing a sword, what good would you have been?

The thought was a sobering slap as Dart reached down and rubbed his left arm which hung from his tunic which was now a sling. It wasn’t broken, or he told himself this because he could move it and slowly make a fist, but it hurt so bad to do so he couldn’t hold his sword anything with it. Yet, there was a greater reason to leave the treeshaper’s side.

I had to leave him...I have to get back to Newstar. She needs help, even if I can only swing my sword with one good hand.

“Where are you running too Little Spirit, eh? I will find you and I will take back the stone after I kill you!”

The voice cut through all the rambling thoughts, all the pain in his soul, and brought Dart back to the here and now. One last human, one last five-finger to deal with, and he was just out on the trail a short distance away. “You won’t leave me be human, then I’ll make you leave me be!” The young archer growled low in exhaustion tipped with rage and slathered in frustration.

He gripped his sword in his right hand, looked to the trail, ready to meet this threat with one hard fought fight. Then something up by the approaching five-finger moved, a branch popped grabbing Dart’s attention with a whip snap. The human out on the trail had stopped as well, the sound of his feet squishing the wet ground no longer signaling his approach. Both, elf and human, quieted as another loud pop came from a branch breaking.

What is that? Dart asked himself as the human called out.

“Who is there? Do not try and scare me Little Spirit!”

Its not me. Dart thought edging close to the trail, even sticking his head out of the bushes just far enough to take a peek.

And then whatever it was in the woods made its move...

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, a sad day indeed...




Redlance sat by the entrance of his den at Father Tree with his hands across his stomach listening to the sounds of the daylight dwellers in his beloved trees, something he did every day when the day star was at its highest. He could hear the hoppers chirp and the hard top’s squeal. Everything was just as it should be he thought.  He should have been looking out on his beautiful Holt, silently watching any and everything with his keen eyes noting the beauty of his woods.  Yet he wasn’t gazing on his forest at the moment, the treeshaper was too deep in thought at what had transpired the night before to think of his Holt.  Redlance knew he should be over in the furs with his family burrowed deep in there with his huntress and chief and his healer and tanner and archer trying to sleep, or even sharing with each other until the coming night when they would have to part for only the High Ones knew how long. The treeshaper was sure Treestump and Clearbrook were in the happy bliss of giving all they were to each other in their den, and he knew Dart and Newstar would have been if not doing something just as important.  After the joy of the send had fully swept over the small band of Wolfriders both his tanner and archer asked their cub Dart to take the newest one of their family, little Chitter, for the day so they could enjoy themselves, and then with a small smile and whisper Moonshade had asked if the sharing would be strong this day.

Cutter, his handsome chief, had only smiled and whispered back warmly with affection the sharing would be stronger than any other one, and it would be so sweet. The tanner had blushed and nodded while Strongbow simply smiled and sent than the parting would be bearable.  Oh, how close they had grown together this family of the treeshaper’s, how they had all given their hearts to one another and yet never across that loving connection had a soul bonded with another through Recognition or whispered a cherished soul name. There were so many nights they all had spent together, under the furs touching and embracing and loving with abandon to each other, but never once had ‘eye met eye’, except for the archer and tanner of course. It never flustered or agitated the treeshaper’s family. They knew the magic of Recognition might come to them, all or just a pair, when they were not expecting it as it always did. The whisper of cherished soul names echoing in minds and hearts. Leetah had said it best one night when she told her tanner the day would come when that would happen because there was no hiding from it, and when it came, they would all soar to the two moons as one, and there was no need to worry for she would welcome any bond.  The smile from the archer and tanner upon hearing that was so very warm, and very thankful the treeshaper remembered with a smile.
 
So why he was he not in the furs with his family Redlance wasn’t sure. He stared at the mass of brown and black furs so intently it hurt his eyes. What was wrong he kept asking himself? The real problem, and it always had been, was that he never answered his own questions. The treeshaper teased himself like that sometimes, and it was nerve racking. A body turned over in the furs and a brown leg slowly protruded out while a white arm, slender yet muscular wrapped around the top of the bump with the leg. He knew Nightfall’s arm instantly and Leetah’s leg was more than recognizable. A happy sigh issued from someone under the furs and suddenly Cutter’s head emerged. A small smile across his face, eyes closed, and snoring contently.  Oh, how happy he looked, so complete, which was due to the head which rested on his chest at the moment, hugging him tightly. Moonshade looked striking, a breathtaking beauty even when asleep.

Why wasn’t he the one with the smile he asked himself? There was more than enough of a reason for everyone to be sharing and drinking dream berry wine. Ember had sent to Suntop just the night before announcing that the Howling Rock Holt was coming home to Father Tree Holt. She wanted to come home after so many turns of the season and her tribe as well. The Wolfriders would be a full and happy tribe again, so it was more than obvious where he should be, right? The message from Ember to Suntop sent all those gathered around into frenzy. They were done at Howling Rock, only one last thing to do and she needed her father’s help for that. So the treeshaper would have his cub, Tyleet, back, and her lifemate Scouter and their lovemate Dewshine. Clearbrook and Treestump were so happy, so overjoyed that their cubs were coming home to stay just like Tyleet, both howled like young cubs again and then disappeared into their den to revel in that joy. Ember was coming back for Leetah and Cutter too, safely back to Father Tree after such a long time of being away, which is probably why they both drank too much of the dream berry wine he had made and why the sharing was so strong among this family of theirs. And then there was little Pool, his grandson. The boy was now a young elf with dreams of being, what? Redlance wasn’t sure but he knew he would learn and whatever Pool wanted to be, hunter or gatherer, he would help him adjust to the Holt, to love the forest like he did.  The treeshaper still couldn’t believe he would be seeing his grandson every night now. Oh, how he had missed him and his mother so much.  And when the day star sets at the end of the day everyone would be heading out, leaving for Howling Rock, everyone except him of course. He was staying behind with Newstar and Dart. The young maiden was no warrior, and her weaving skills were not needed at Howling Rock which made it easier to say she could stay behind when Cutter announced Dart would stay back with Redlance to guard Father Tree.

Maybe that was the problem, being alone again after being in such warmth, or maybe that wasn’t it? Redlance was staying behind while his precious family was going for what could be two or more full turns of the season. So long without them, how was he supposed to be alone that long? But that couldn’t be it, could it? He had been alone before, guarding, when there was no Nightfall yet and when she went away to fight for the Palace. He had stayed with the cubs in the Go-Backs lodge while she went to war to win them their ancestral home. He had watched Cutter leave on the first quest to find other elves, watched him leave to fight for the Palace and the Djun. He had stayed behind so many times with the cubs to protect the young ones it was the only thing the others thought he did sometimes, and in truth that didn’t bother him. The cubs needed a protector and it suited him. It was his ‘way’. He was a treeshaper not a warrior, a hunter and not a fighter, though to see him as weak would be a mistake.

No, it would be hard to be alone at first, but he would learn to accept it, maybe.

The wolf chief abruptly rolled over, dragging Moonshade as he did, who never woke from the move, and hugged both Leetah and Nightfall tightly through the furs, but then his hand started to grope around the empty space where his treeshaper should be. It patted and patted in a circle searching for that special someone who should have been right there. Redlance half smiled and sent to his sleepy cherished chief and family.

I’m over here.

His chief’s eyes opened slightly searching across the den until he caught sight of his treeshaper sitting by himself. “And why are you awake?” Cutter asked with a whisper sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Next to him Moonshade woke as well and looked up with sleepy eyes, the lids barely open. “Is something wrong?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Redlance answered with a whisper also.

“Who’s awake?” A sleepy Nightfall asked from below the furs.

“Our beloved treeshaper can’t sleep.” Cutter smiled using the pet name they had made for him.

Why is he awake? Strongbow sent as his head popped out of the fur pile from behind the others.

“Tell him to come to the furs so he can love us back to sleep.” Nightfall said with a purr of pure contentment.

Leetah called out as well, her voice soft and melodic as always drawing a lusty response.  “Yes, we need his warmth and long for his touch. Come to us our beloved treeshaper and fill us with you.”

“Yes, come back to the furs my sweet one and hold us till we must leave” Moonshade whispered rising up to sit on her hip.

Redlance felt his blood simmer at the offers, the idea of sharing with his family, but something held him stuck to the spot. A feeling he couldn’t rid himself of no matter how hard he shook it kept the treeshaper immobile. Cutter noticed Redlance’s hesitation, and a worried feeling came over him, what could cause this to the one he loved the wolf chief thought. He genuinely loved Redlance with all his heart, wanted to protect him, so if he was hurting or bothered then Cutter wanted to help him. He sat up from the furs, his lean muscular body highlighted by the small rays of light from the day star. Leetah and Nightfall both groaned at the loss of both of their mates, but Cutter gave the furs a quick pat to quiet them before sliding over to sit with his beloved treeshaper.

Go with him my love, help bring our chief bring our treeshaper back. Strongbow sent with love to his family in a sweet send just as Nightfall and Leetah pulled him between them, slipping under the furs.

Before the archer’s request was asked in full the tanner was up and moving behind her chief, a fur in her hand as she did. Moonshade let Cutter take the seat beside her treeshaper before gently sitting down in Redlance’s lap curling up against his chest while he took the fur and covered her to keep his sweet one warm. She rested her legs across her chief’s lap under the furs purring just a little as he stroked a slender thigh with one hand.

“Is there something wrong?” Cutter asked warmly with concern while looking at Redlance.

And then the treeshaper knew with certainty all his thoughts were true, like skyfire from a dark cloud, or better yet the hole to his den closing, as if empty and not needed ever again. It was there all along, the reason for this fear, he just couldn’t grab it hard enough to hold on to it. Redlance was losing his precious family, all of them, not for a day or a night or a turn of the moon, but for so much longer. To an elf a turn of the season was like the blink of an eye, but to do that when your heart and soul ached for those you had come to be with and love with every piece of you, well that was pain in its harshest form. He was going to be alone again, missing the warmth and love in his furs his family had given him for so long, what was he going to do now?  And yet he couldn’t ask his precious family to stay, to ignore the call for help and to bring the tribe back together as one.  He couldn’t do that the treeshaper realized as he took a deep breath knowing his last day with them would soon end.

“Too much thinking, not enough dream berry wine,” Redlance whispered keeping his voice low and his new feelings to himself. He stroked the back and side of his shy tanner with both hands causing her to push into him more, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing.

“And nothing good can come of either except a headache in the morning.” Cutter grinned with a smile.  “But that’s not why you’re awake and staying away from us, your family.”

“Have we done something wrong my treeshaper?” Moonshade asked with a whisper fighting back a twinge of fear.

The treeshaper laughed and smiled knowing the pains of both too well. He also knew it wouldn’t do to keep these feelings and fear inside. Somehow both would make their way out and with unexpected consequences, but to say such things before his family left, to send them away with that worry.  No, he couldn’t put that burden on them. Under the furs Nightfall and Leetah laid perfectly still by Strongbow while staying awake and listening. A sudden sense of apprehension had gripped all three, so much so they held hands while the archer held them and strained to hear every word and intention of the conversation between their loves.

With a deep breath, and a silent prayer to Timmorn, the treeshaper plunged ahead. “Are you happy my chief staying with Nightfall and me again? Are you happy my shy tanner being here with us all?”

The question shocked Cutter for a moment. He hadn’t expected or even considered such a question could be asked.  He almost felt the need to let the chief in him take control and answer, yet here in the den Cutter knew he never needed to be the chief and decided to speak with his heart. “There is nowhere else I want to be my treeshaper, no one else Leetah or I want to be with. I came back to be in your den again because every night I wasn’t here with you it hurt my soul. I used to think it was losing Leetah for so long that caused the pain in my heart, made me so angry and unlivable. After she came back though I still didn’t feel like myself, like I was still missing something. Do you remember when we were treemates the first time, when you took me in and gave me your love and warmth when Rayek took our healer from us?”

Redlance looked to his chief with a loving smile. “I’ll never forget those days and nights.”

“Those days and nights, the deep feelings I felt for you both, it all changed me. So much so when we parted after Leetah returned I thought those feelings would vanish. I just buried it all and lost myself in doing so. I tried to convince myself to live without that part of me, but every time I would look at you two it would grow stronger and harder to fight. After Skywise left for the stars, on the path back to Father Tree, that morning after I hit you and you forgave me, all the pain went away. I was back to growing whole again, more myself with each night we traveled to Father Tree. I knew then all I needed was to be in your den and be with you two again. When we finally settled in later, I felt at home, like a true family. Leetah has been so happy, so content, she knows where she is meant to be, and it is here with you and Nightfall and our archer and tanner.” Cutter whispered leaning in against his treeshaper more looking at him.

“Yes,” Moonshade added while reaching out from the furs to stroke her treeshaper’s beard and face, “there is no where else we could think of being, Strongbow and I. Our hearts opened on our way here my sweet one, and the ‘way’ of this family has taken us in and changed us, both. You showed us this way to happiness, and I will never go back to my old life.”

“It makes my heart joyful that Nightfall and I have made you four so happy. I’m also happy that my worries about our healer or you tanner didn’t come true.” Redlance sighed leaning into Cutter with his shoulder so the two were as close as possible. He hugged Moonshade tighter as she looked to him with a small bit of angst.

“What could you worry about our sweet lifebearers? Were you afraid Nightfall would turn both away?” Cutter grinned.

“Yes, did you worry about that happening?” The tanner asked with her own small smile.

“You three not love one another,” Redlance said with a raised eyebrow, “the two moons would fall from the sky before that happens. Only a blind elf would miss how much you three hold each other dear.”

“Oh, so then our healer’s love must have lost its effect on you then? Our tanner’s affection no longer tempts you? Have they displeased their gentle treeshaper in some way? Tell us what they must do to fix it and it will be done.” Cutter asked with a playful laugh.

“Yes, tell us what we may do to fix it!” Moonshade smiled hugging her treeshaper harder.

“No, the day either of you displeases me is the day they bury me under Father Tree!” Redlance chuckled low shaking his head. “And don’t think I have lost any of my desires for the huntress of my heart or my beloved chief. I will always love Nightfall and you with all my soul.”

“Oh, so you do love our desert flower and shy tanner?”

“With all my heart,” Redlance said without a moment’s hesitation looking deep into Moonshade’s sweet eyes, “every moment with them is a precious gift. Both are food to my soul, sweet dream berry wine to my heart.”

“Then we all can stay, in your heart and den?” Cutter asked with a wink.

“What?” Redlance spat, a smile starting to cross his face at the obvious jest from Cutter. ”The night I ask you to leave our furs and den will be the day the moons fall on me while I’m under Father Tree!”

“I don’t think the moons falling on you should be your first worry if that was to ever happen.”

“No, I’m sure Nightfall would have something to say, or do, to me if I ever made that mistake.” Redlance said with a small smile as the tanner giggled.

“I’ve seen her kill a deer with a shot that would make Strongbow jealous. And I’ve seen you run, or try to.” Cutter added nudging his treeshaper as he laughed.

“It’s not her bow I worry about. I’ve seen her kill a deer with her knife. I still have nightmares about that!” Redlance retorted with a smile.

The wolf chief couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head at the statement,  as did Moonshade. Redlance laughed at his precious loves mirth and the three took a second to recover. Somewhere below the furs a pair of muffled giggles escaped. Then Cutter asked a serious question trying to find out the root of Redlance’s angst. “Truthfully, have any of us done something to hurt you or Nightfall?”

“Cutter, there is nothing my family could do to hurt me or Nightfall. In truth, I found it hard to think any of you would have feelings for me.” Redlance answered with a shake of his head.

“And why is that?” Moonshade responded quickly.

“I’m a treeshaper sweet tanner, nothing more and nothing less. I didn’t fight for the palace, or defeat the Djun, or any act like that. I’m no Cutter, Blood of Ten Chiefs, or Strongbow the great archer. I’m just Redlance, simple and plain.”

Cutter smiled with all his love while reaching over and taking his tresshaper’s hand in his while across their lock-send he let his love flow. “You are so much more to us, this family, so much more. Leetah and I and Strongbow and Moonshade love you with all our hearts, and not because you’re a Wolfrider or what you did for us when we were lost. It is for what we see every night and what you give freely without asking.”

“Yes, you make us feel something we never felt before coming to this den.” Moonshade spoke up hugging her treeshaper and whispering with love across their lock-send. “Call it whatever you want, you ensnared our hearts my treeshaper we have have no want of slipping free.”

Cutter then took over again, “the feeling to come and stay in this den was there for our healer long before I asked her to stay here with you and Nightfall, it was just buried deep away from her own heart. I didn’t ask Leetah to share with you that morning on the path to Father Tree when we gave all of ourselves to each other. She wanted it more than I did, she told me so.”

The memory was still sweet to Redlance as his mind drifted back to it. He was looking at a tree just a few steps away from everyone else, hoping to connect and talk with it when a hand gently touched his shoulder. He turned to see Nightfall and just behind her Cutter and Leetah holding hands.

“Would you walk with us beloved? We want tol spend the day together and enjoy the breeze?” She asked seductively as he noticed the hopeful look on Leetah and Cutter’s face. It didn’t take much more than that for him to say yes to the offer.

He could see them now walking along in the forest, all four hand in hand, heading to just the right spot to lie down. He knew what they had planned, or thought he had. He carried the furs as did Cutter with both following the lead of the maidens who were choosing the spot where they would lay, and finally they picked a small clearing. Cutter laid out his furs on the ground forming a bed for them as the treeshaper pulled out the furs to keep them warm against the morning air. He remembered easily how at first they watched their lifemates, Nightfall and Leetah standing in the center of the small glen beginning to dance gently when Cutter reached around him kissing and biting his neck from behind. Then suddenly the lifebearers began to truly sway with intention and purpose while his chief pulled him to the furs. Then he was lost in such a desire and want it turned his insides to fire, the sharing so strong and so complete it was beyond words to describe. Redlance had readied himself for a night of pleasure under the stars with his family, but what he was given was the fulfillment of a sweet dream he had never expected to be fulfilled. There was only the four and nothing else, not forest around them gazing upon their joining.  There were no worries of traveling to Father Tree, no fears of humans or woodland animals approaching.  There was only the four, hearts and souls becoming one, on a beautiful morning.

Later, when they lay together sleeping from being weary and so filled with love, he remembered startling awake and looking around quickly. For a moment he wasn’t sure where he was, but the treeshaper knew what woke him, a song long forgotten. He could see out past tree limbs, out into a clearing bathed in bright sunlight where a deer ambled along eating grass. Then a brown slender arm wrapped lazily around his chest and he looked over to see a pair deep green eyes staring back.

“What’s wrong?” She asked looking at him with love. He looked over to Cutter and Nightfall arm in arm waking up. He chided himself for disturbing them from their blissful slumber.

“Nothing…I had a dream” He answered smiling.

“It must have been bad, here we’ll help you fall back to sleep.” Nightfall whispered crawling over Leetah to lie on her lifemate’s chest.

Leetah waited for the huntress to finish moving then rolled onto her side putting her head on Redlance’s shoulder and arm around Nightfall. Redlance pulled the furs up over them all as Cutter slid up against his lifemate lying down on his shoulder before reaching across and taking the treeshaper’s neck in his hand rubbing the soft skin there.

Redlance…was the dream about me…what I did? Cutter asked with a loving send.

No Cutter…that’s been forgotten. Redlance answered feeling his chief take his hand.

Thank you treeshaper

They all feel asleep again, all except for the treeshaper. He sat listening for the song again, but it never returned. Maybe it was just a forest animal, or some branch scraping alongside another one making the noise.

And maybe it wasn’t…


Cutter saw the look in his treeshaper’s eyes, knew the precious images were there being looked over again in his head and chuckled. “I knew we could sneak up on you.”

“Yes, my precious family truly surprised me.” Redlance exclaimed with a smile looking to his beloved Cutter and smiling brightly. “Though the morning you all tried to ‘surprise’ me sgsin and we all fell into the stream was more than expected.”

“Oh yes,” Cutter smiled with a small laugh as did Moonshade, both remembering fondly the morning his family came close to taking their own lives, “we thought we had you and it turns out the stream bed has us all.”

Redlance chuckled remembering that morning well, and just as more muffled giggles rose from the lump in the furs the fact he almost died from the shock crossed the treeshaper’s mind. He was by the stream washing his hands after shaping some vines when her scent on the breeze signaled her approach from behind. Her jasmine smell swept over him, intoxicating him, and Redlance remembered becoming instantly light headed. He stood up to keep from falling into the water and started to turn around to greet her. “Good eve Leetah, what can I do for you?”

Before he could turn around though, Leetah had wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her hands danced under his shirt and along his stomach and chest raising his senses and the temperature of his blood instantly. She rose up on her toes to kiss the back of his neck, the touch of her lips sending shock waves through him with every touch. She knew where to touch, what to kiss to make his soul burn. They were more than lovemates, so much more and had been for these last three turns of the seasons at the restored Father Tree. Oh how she could make him collapse with a single touch. He rolled his head back in pleasure closing his eyes giving into the feeling. Leetah sent to him, full of loving emotion and a strong desire to become one, and he exploded with fire.

Good eve my beloved treeshaper. We have missed you’re touch this last day and We need it desperately. We want to be with you now, and forever.

Redlance couldn’t answer. His mind was overloaded so much so he couldn’t send and the only thing coming from his throat was gasps and moans. He fought to gain control of his body when he felt another set of small supple hands begin to dance on his flesh. The treeshaper tried to look down but he felt the lips of someone else starting to kiss and suckle on the front of neck. Even in the midst of the passion he knew it was Nightfall, could tell by her scent and his reaction to her touch. His huntress ran her fingers along his stomach and side while kissing his chin and sending his desire to the two moons.  He finally looked down to see Cutter quietly approach from behind Leetah, put his one arm around her waist as she pulled Nightfall to her, and reach forward with his other arm. Cutter’s hand wrapped around Redlance’s neck, caressing the soft skin that Leetah had been so sweetly nibbling at a moment ago, and then he was biting and adding his own want to the lock-send.

Yet the surprise was not done. When he saw his tanner and archer approach Redlance was shocked beyond thought, if he could think at the moment. The beauty of the pair, the alabaster skin radiantly glowing in the moonlight, was only second to their touch and their want to join and love like no other time.

All at once the six were one, a fiery need to join overtaking them all and pushing them to touch and caress where they wanted.  They were one, never to be broken, until the bank by the stream gave. In one motion all six fell into the water, but not a one let go of other though until they surfaced laughing and running for their den to warm and share the day away.

“I remember the water didn’t slow us down that night. It did keep me from turning into a ball of fire though.” Redlance whispered with a smile born of a sweet memory as he caressed his tanner lovingly.

Cutter shook his head laughing letting the statement from his treemate sink in. “I can still see the look on your face, worth all the sneaking around.”

“Why did you do that anyway, I mean you four could have just waited for me in our den.” Redlance asked letting go of his chief’s hand to hold Moonshade’s.

“It wouldn’t have been as much fun or as sweet.” Cutter remarked looking at his hand nervously after Redlance let it go.

“Well that is true. I still say if I had drowned at the very moment I would have died a very happy elf.” Redlance said starring off into space.

Cutter looked down to the floor contemplating what he was about to say, and decided to follow his heart as his treeshaper always said to do and say what needed to be said. “We felt so alone when you left us that night, all of us, so hollow from missing you. I’m still afraid some nights you won’t come back to our den and it scares me.”

The statement shook Redlance. Under the furs a gasp escaped from someone. The treeshaper shifted on his seat and moved even closer to his chief while carrying his tanner, leaned against Cutter more while putting his arm over his chief’s shoulder. Moonshade reached down and took his chief’s hand in hers and squeezed it as her treeshaper spoke. “Now what have I done to you? What I have I said to make you think that I would ever deny you my furs, my warmth, or my love?”

Redlance’s chief looked up to him with eyes that were wet. “When we’re outside of the den, when I have to be Chief, there are times when you’re hurting and I can’t come to you, times when I’ve felt like I’ve pushed you and Nightfall away. I know you both understand because I’m the chief outside of the den, but it doesn’t take the pain away or the fear of hurting you one day so much you’ll ask me to leave.”

“Then do not feel the pain my chief, because I do not feel it. Every time you thought you hurt me you didn’t, every time you thought you pushed me away you haven’t. And do not feel fear because there is nothing that will make me send you out of our den or keep me from being here by your side and our family. Outside you are Chief and I want nothing more but to follow you because you are my beloved Cutter. Here in our den, you are more than my treemate or my lovemate, you are my very will and I only feel happiness when you are here. I could never deny you anything my chief, my will.” Redlance said gently.

“I use to worry the same my love, and some days I still do when we are apart, but it eases more each night I spend here with my family. I feel safe and so loved here that I am afraid when I leave it will go away like smoke on the wind.” Moonshade stated squeezing Cutter’s hand, the admission giving her solace. And when the treeshaper hugged her tight, and when she felt his love grace their lock-send she smiled warmly.

When did it switch Cutter thought? When did he become the one confessing when he set out to make his beloved treeshaper talk? Cutter shifted putting his arm around Redlance’s shoulders and pulled him close enough to touch foreheads. He reached out to his treeshaper through the lock-send, connecting soul to very soul with the one he loved so much.

Then what has you so uneasy that you stay from the warmth of our furs and those who love you so.

Tomorrow you leave my chief and I will be alone in those furs. I will be without my warmth and love for so long. Redlance responded finally, saying what needed to be said. In his lap he felt his tanner gasp and then her love flowed to him across the lock-send to help soothe his fearful heart.

For the first time Cutter felt the loneliness in his treeshaper’s soul and it hurt him. He shook his head sending him love and warmth and devotion. I will bring your family back to you my loyal one. You will hold Tyleet and little Pool once more. You will show your grandson ‘The Way’ as you have done for so many others, including me, and you will hold your daughter again as you have always wished. You protect the Father Tree while I fight for it.

I can survive knowing when you return it won’t be alone, but tell me you’re not leaving me behind out of some sense to protect me. Tell me you’re not trying to protect me. Redlance sent back.

Never! I would never separate our family and hurt us all if it was not needed! Cutter replied quickly.

Then I will follow your order my chief...I will stay behind and protect Father Tree, our home as you ask. Redlance sent

“I will miss you my treeshaper, friend of my spirit.” Cutter whispered.

“And I will miss you my chief, friend of my spirit.” Redlance whispered.

“No my treeshaper, in here, in our den, there is no chief. Only equals who love each other with full hearts. To tell the truth, you have always been the chief in here and I the loyal follower.” Cutter whispered lovingly.

“Yes, the one we follow, the one we chase when sharing.” Moonshade sighed with love before nibbling on her love’s chest.  

“No Cutter, I’m no chief or warrior like you or Nightfall. I’m a simple treeshaper, nothing more and nothing less.” Redlance smiled.

The trio sat quietly holding each other until Redlance felt a kiss on the back his neck, gentle and sweet and firm. His blood began to rise as he tensed from the touch, added with the tanner’s kisses and nips on his chest and now lips He sent to Cutter while slowly sliding one hand up his chief’s leg slowly letting his want and need build. The other moving up Moonshade’s side to toush her breast sensually. What are you doing?

Loving you my treeshaper before we have to be apart…and I see it’s working. Cutter sent back as his fingers danced just so slightly across Redlance’s sacredness feeling it come to life slowly. His kisses increased as Redlance squeezed tightly on his inner leg drawing a similar response from his own flesh, the touch making Cutter stiffen as Redlance sent to him.

Don’t forget my chief I also know where to touch.

Then, before Cutter could respond, Moonshade stood up taking the hand of both her loves in hers and began to pull them back to the furs. The look in her eyes, those deep purple orbs filled with want and desire, told both there would no denying her or the ones already waiting for their return.

“Come back to the furs our treeshaper and hold your family till we have to leave?” The tanner asked warmly with a husky voice.

“Yes, come back to us and let all our hearts beat as one my love, as a family.” Nightfall ordered while reaching out her hand to him.  

“If that makes my family joyful and warm then to our furs I will go.  Who am I to deny them anything they ask of me?” Redlance whispered with all his love flowing across the lock-send to combine with the love from all of his family’s. Cutter followed with a sly grin and the three moved into the fur pile accepting the hands of the three already there, warm bodies sliding and lying next to other warm flesh as lips began to kiss and caress.

“You must love us today and the next and the next until the world takes us and promise to never leave us.” Leetah suddenly whispered low with desire as Redlance came to her slowly pressing into her. She felt his fingers on her neck moving her hair away so he could bite and kiss the soft flesh there as she wrapped her legs around him squeezing so hard, and all as the send between them all grew with love and his words.

That I will always do my love, for all of my family, till I no longer breathe or walk these woods.

And then hands began to explore and caress without hesitation or restraint as all six in the furs let their love for each other takeover. A need to just touch and savor the feel of the one you desire came over them as well as the want to be shared drove the family to heights of passion as Leetah leaned her treeshaper’s hand as it slid across her heat with a delicate stroke. She looked at him as he kissed her breast while next them Moonshade and her Cutter played with looks ardor and elation.  It was only when she felt her archer and huntress pull her away from Redlance did she fall completely into this sharing losing herself finally.  The treeshaper smiled as he watched his healer moan with pleasure when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him hugging him so hard his breath exhaled on its own before teeth bit lovingly into the back of his neck and hot breath rolled over his sensitive skin.  The treeshaper felt his chief roll then with him on top still holding him from behind and with the air in the den stifling now, filled with lust it seemed, Redlance looked up to see his tanner lay across him.  Her one hand took his sacred in a firm but gentle grip squeezing and releasing as she bit and kissed his chest while behind him chief growled low again reveling in this love he felt.

You, Redlance, son of Talltree, you are so much more than a simple treeshaper, so much more Cutter thought as he needed this one last moment with his treeshaper. Oh how you have pulled us all to you, these four different souls, and how you have given us this path that is you to walk and savor Cutter finished thinking as he let go and just floated along with the love he felt. Soon they were all lost in touching, kissing, and each other, the last time they would be able to this family for sometime understood.


Shortly before the last rays of the day star were to fall below the horizon, Redlance felt a small stirring in his mind. His eyes opened and for a second he wasn’t sure where he was. Then it all came back, the bonding with his family due to the impending trip to Howling Rock to help Ember and the others. The feeling of foreboding nipped at him again as he looked around the den. Nightfall was asleep on his chest, finally succumbing to needed rest with the sound of his heartbeat in her ears. She shared like never before, the knowledge this would be the last time until she returned spurring her to new heights with all. Resting gently next to her cheek was Leetah’s hand, rising and falling slowly with each breath. Redlance turned his head to see her beautiful face lying on his shoulder, eyes closed to the word in a blissful sleep. Cutter was next to her, his body wrapped around her, holding her with one arm while using the other to brace his head.  He turned his head to left and found his lovely tanner sleeping with her head on his other shoulder and her lifemate, their strong archer, behind her with his arm around her and his hand on Nightfall’s back. And under the furs all their legs were entwined, like the vines growing through Father Tree. One was touching another who touched another but no one was separate from this family.

A warm feeling spread over Redlance as love filled his heart and soul from the sight of his family laying with him. Everything would be fine he realized now. They would come back to him, his precious chief and beautiful healer as would his huntress and his lovely tanner and strong archer. He was being foolish in worrying about them not returning. Cutter would lead them safely to and back from Howling Rock. He was the greatest of all the Wolfrider chiefs. And as for being alone, he would get used to it and be strong just like his Father Tree.  A turn of the season was nothing to an elf. He would find his way with being alone again and survive. He slowly reached up to move Leetah’s hand when a faint send touched his mind, like the fragile wings of a butterfly.

No, please don’t move it. I want to feel your heart and soul just a little more.

He turned to see Leetah’s eyes still closed but he knew she was awake. He left her hand in place, but covered it with his own. He stared at her not wanting to look away.

You should go back to sleep. The trip will be long to see your daughter and it won’t be an easy journey if you’re so tired your falling asleep every other step. He sent to her with loving emotion.

If I have to be away from you for so long I want to take the feel of your heart and the memory of this night with me.

Redlance didn’t say anything, the moment didn’t warrant it. He knew she wanted to talk, could feel she needed to just talk and have him listen.

Do you know what you’ve done to me? How you’ve made me feel? You and this family share my heart my beloved treeshaper, and anything else that I am. You all have made me complete and whole. I need to wake with my family in the morning and lay down with them at night. I need to know you’ll be there for me when I need you.

There was nothing to say in reply. He held her hand until she went back to sleep and then he followed lightly dozing until it was time to rise from the furs and get ready for the night ahead. At first they didn’t move, and then finally Cutter rose. He dressed and left to ensure preparations were ready for the departure as did Moonshade and Strongbow, both going back to their den to ready to leave. Then Redlance rose and dressed silently and left the den so his precious maidens could prepare. Nightfall and Leetah had finished dressing in quiet when their treeshaper showed again, two new leather pouches in one hand and a long leather bag in the other.

“Here, I had Moonshade make these for you. I was going to give them to you for something else, but now this seems more fitting. And you can’t look inside to your well away from Father Tree. I left you something as well as the others.” Redlance said handing over the two smaller pouches to his maidens.

Leetah took hers and put it over her shoulder slowly, almost painfully while Nightfall followed with the same moves just as Cutter stepped back into the den. He looked to his family and for a moment it looked like he might tell them the trip was now off, no one was leaving. But he fixed New Moon on his hip, took a deep breath, and uttered the words no one truly wanted to hear.

“It’s time to leave.”

They stood in quiet, no one wanting to say a word. Then Redlance took one of Leetah’s hands in his and then one of Nightfall’s. They each took one of Cutter’s and then all leaned in touching foreheads. Redlance sent to them, a message of love and caring so strong that expressed what each one was feeling.

No tears from anyone because I won’t have it. Yes I will miss you, yes I will be lonely at first, but you are going to bring back our cubs. You’re going to reunite us, the Wolfriders, and that only makes me happy. My heart will be here when you return, my love will be here waiting for you all, and nothing can change any of that. Now, it’s time to leave.

Then there were no words, only love flowing between them to touch and soothe their hearts and minds. How long they stayed connected no one could say for sure, only that once it broke no one had kept to the promise of not crying. Cutter and Leetah walked out first, arm in arm as Nightfall waited to collect her final things. Redlance picked up the other long leather bag and handed it to her.

“I made you a new bow, in case something happens to your other one. I can’t say the work was my best though. I had to do most of the shaping while wiping away tears. When pulling back the bow string it might break in half so be careful.” He said jovially trying to make Nightfall think of something else then the trip. But instead she stepped past his arm and crushed him in a hug. She looked up and kissed him long and hard drawing what she needed to make the long trip to Howling Rock.

“I don’t know how hard this will be beloved? I don’t want to think about being away from you for so long.” Nightfall confessed after breaking the kiss.

Redlance hugged her hard back taking what warmth he could before she was too leave him. He knew he would need every last bit of it to make it through this night.

My lovely Twen, he sent to her and only her, the huntress of my heart. Go and bring our daughter home to Father Tree. Bring our grandson to us so we can watch him grow and be a true hunter for his tribe. I will be here waiting for you. I will always be here in our den waiting for you Friend of my Body and Spirit.  

I can’t live without you Ulm. If I were to ever lose you…

You will not lose me Twen. I will always be here my love, for you and for Tyleet and for little Pool. I will never lose my family now that they have my heart.

Promise me. Promise me Ulm I will hold you in our furs again and we will make sweet love until we both fall asleep in each other’s arms. If you do that Ulm I will be able to make this journey. I have to know you will be here when I return.

I promise you my Twen. I promise you that I will be waiting here for you my love.

The two stood holding each other until a single send from Cutter to everyone told them it was time to go. It was longest hardest walk of Redlance’s long life and as he reached the forest floor the Wolfriders were gathered. He helped Nightfall secure her things to her wolf friend Longcoat, both of their hands shaking as they tied small knots.  Then, with the rest of the tribe watching, Moonshade and Strongbow walked over to say their final goodbyes with this family, to their treeshaper.  All six stood in a circle holding each other, all touching Redlance one last time before having to depart. They broke finally and he hugged his tanner one last, kissing her sweetly before whispering something in her ear, something that made her cry just a little with a smile.  He hugged little Chitter then let the cub sit in her mother’s arms as he turned to his archer. Strongbow took a deep breath as he embraced Redlance then shook visibly when the treeshaper whispered something in his ear. As the pair separated the archer held on as long as he could, his hand almost refusing to let go of his treeshaper till there was no long a choice.        

And then it was time for the others, Redlance turned to see his huntress on her wolf as was his chief and behind him his cherished healer.  There were no words, all had been said and done Nightfall thought that had to be, prolonging this would only hurt more.  She leaned over and kissed him deeply one last time, tears forming in both eyes, before urging her wolf forward. He stood watching her ride to the edge of the forest where Moonshade and Strongbow waited then he turned back as Cutter crossed over to him. Leetah sat behind him, her arms across his waist holding on. The two locked eyes, not a word passing between them for a breath, and then Redlance sent to him.  

I will keep the furs warm and the den safe until your return my chief.

I will miss you my beloved treeshaper, was all Cutter could say.  No other words would form or come to him and all he could do was try to hold back his tears.

“Be careful my sweet healer, keep watch and keep all well.” Redlance whispered reaching out and touching her leg gently. She looked down at him with sad eyes for a second and then suddenly she was moving.

Her lips found his for a long sweet kiss and after they broke she whispered to him. “I will think of you every day my beloved treeshaper, holder of my heart.”
 
“And I will miss you my desert flower.” He whispered back.

Leetah kept eye contact with her treeshaper for another brief moment before Cutter urged Hatch his wolf friend on toward the others waiting for them. Redlance watched his chief take his wolf over to where Nightfall had stopped with Strongbow on the edge of the clearing. There they all turned back to look at him one last time before they moved off and out of his sight. The treeshaper stood still looking at the same spot, burning the image of his family into his memory.

“I didn’t think it would be this way…it was never this way before, on our journey here.” Leetah whispered putting her head against her life mate’s back after turning away from watching her love disappear from her eyes.

It’s because we knew each morning he would come back to us...and now he won’t be there to greet us when the night ends. Strongbow responded from her side, his jaw set hard and taut as he tried to hold his own pain and tears away.  To his side, between him and Leetah, Moonshade rode crying as well but trying to soothe her cub who kept asking where her tree-grower was.  Why wasn’t tree-grower coming with them?  Leetah reached over and took the cub’s hand in hers and squeezed it then felt her Twen rub her leg warmly while whispering.
“We will return to our den and make our family whole, we will!”  Leetah let go of Chitter and turned back to her huntress with tear stained cheeks and nodded as she took Nightfall’s hand when it was offered drawing strength from her precious one.

“Yes my love, my family, we’ll return as soon as we can, I promise you.” Cutter pledged wiping away a tear on his cheek.


“Redlance...will you be all right?”

Newstar’s question needed an answer, but the treeshaper wasn’t sure he could give her the one she wanted to hear.  He stood in the clearing staring at the spot where they had been, his loved ones, and all he wanted to say was no.  He was not going to be fine, not for some nights, but he would come to accept this new life.  Redlance turned to her and smiled meekly, “I’ll be fine Newstar.  I need to go and look at some plants by the stream.  Call me when you have the meal ready.”

He didn’t wait for an answer.  He couldn’t wait for one.  Redlance had to leave, get away before all this strength he had built up to watch his loved ones leave betrayed him and he broke down.  The treeshaper didn’t see the young lifebearer put her hand to her mouth as she watched him leave or the worried look she gave her lovemate Dart.  The young archer only shook his head to her, worry on his brow as well, telling her silently to let Redlance have his space to find his way now.

He walked and walked, fleeing from the pain in his heart. Finally though Redlance was at the stream, nowhere left to run he told himself. The treeshaper fell to the ground then, collapsed on weak knees and cried sobs as he missed them all.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, one must endure...




He sat by the edge of the large tree’s boughs with one arm on his raised knee while propped up on the other looking out at the forest as the day star fell slowly into the horizon. The wolf chief let his mind drift with the small breeze that lingered round the tree, touching his face and bringing the scents of the woods to him.  Cutter breathed deep and with each inhale he pushed the want to turn around and head back to Father Tree down and away.  He wanted to see his treeshaper, everyone in his family wanted to, and it would take so little effort to turn around and ride back to Father Tree and climb up into their den to see him.  Yet Cutter would never do that, he was riding to bring the Wolfriders from Howling Rock back, to come together as one tribe once again.  His daughter had asked for his help to rid the Abode of the last of Winnowill’s monsters and if he turned back on her there would be no welcome at Father Tree like he wanted. No, the treeshaper would scold him for coming back and not helping when asked. Oh it was easy to see the reaction Redlance would have in his mind, the face furrowing as if he had just eaten a sour berry before he told his chief to do what he knew had to be done and sent him back out to bring the tribe home to Father Tree.

“I’ll be home as soon as I can my treeshaper,” Cutter whispered to the breeze.

The wolf chief heard a small moan and turned back to see his family sleeping by the trunk of the large tree.  As if tearing a small piece of his soul away wasn’t enough Cutter also missed having the sleep spot off the ground.  His tribe could sleep and rest without worrying about some animal or human wondering by and finding them.  There was his archer and tanner curled up next to his huntress and his soul Leetah all sleeping soundly, finally succumbing to the weariness of being sad.  It was hard to fall asleep for them all, but when sleep did come it was a welcomed boon and he smiled at the peaceful scene.  They had made the first night and day, the rest would become easier, it had to be or this journey would be a death walk.  Then the source of the small moan appeared and from between Moonshade and Nightfall, the cub’s spiky hair appearing first then her face.

Chitter rubbed her eyes before seeing her chief-father sitting by the edge of the trees limbs. She could see the look on his face, almost sad, and the little cub began to worry. She slipped away from her loving family and quietly walked up to her chief reaching up slowly to place her hands on his knee and arm while whispering, “Father-chief-ok-look-sad-missing-father-tree-grower-like-me?”

In one breath Chitter could say what it might take a normal elf to say in ten, only faster.  Her energy never seemed to run short and if one wasn’t keeping a constant eye on her than there was no telling what kind of trouble the cub could get into.  Yet, even with her boundless energy driving her into one escapade after another Chitter was so lovable no one cared that she mischief side.  Cutter only smiled warmly as he looked deeply into her eyes with fatherly affection. “I’m fine little one, but yes, I do miss our treeshaper very much.”

The little cub rose and walked around the wolf chief’s leg and sat down by his stomach, leaning back into her father-chief and whispering, “I-miss-father-tee-grower-too-but-dada-mama-say-we’ll-see-him-again-and-we’ll-all-be-happy.”

“Yes, we’ll see him again once we have helped the others at Howling Rock and we all return back to Father Tree.”

Chitter smiled brightly and nodded, “I-love-father-tree-grower-and-you-too-father-chief-I-love-you-both-very-much!”

A smile crossed the wolf chief’s face as the little cub’s declaration of love made his soul and spirit glow, amazingly lifting it from low to high.  He reached down and rubbed Chitter’s back as his whispered, “and we love our little Chitter with all hearts, your treeshaper and me.”

The pair sat watching the night push the day away and once Chitter saw a small butterfly float by and she called out “Petalwing!” Cutter gave a laugh and then explained to the cub why the butterfly was not a Petalwing, much to the dislike of Chitter who really wanted to see a Petalwing. Behind them the family had awakened and with misty eyes watched the scene and savored it.  Just the sight alone lifted their low spirits this family and made the coming nights more bearable.


The last of the day star’s light streamed through the entrance into his den at Father Tree but Redlance hesitated to move, refused almost. The night before had been long with the treeshaper wondering around his Holt aimlessly seeing his family everywhere, like ghosts just out of reach. The day had been even more merciless laying the den among the empty furs, and the worst part was both day and night would be coming again and again and again. It was the first full day alone without them and he knew it would get better, had to get better, but how long would it take to get better he didn’t know. How long would it take to forget his lifemate and his loves? How long before he actually would sleep? Redlance pulled a fur up to his nose and the scents of them all came back, his Nightfall, Leetah, and Cutter and Moonshade and Strongbow, memories came back and struck like a knife to the heart. Outside he knew Newstar would be hard at working tanning, using what Moonshade had taught her to soften and toughen the hides to leather.  The weaver would use these nights to try and test herself, to see if she was truly learning from the tanner.  Maybe she would even come up with some new color the tanner and healer would like he thought.

Dart was probably still sulking about not being asked to go to Howling Rock with others. He had argued with both Cutter and his father Strongbow, but neither had budged about their decision. Yes, they knew he had fought the Go-Backs when the elves came to take the Little Palace and he had proven his fighting skill in other ways, but this was different they both told the young archer. He was being asked to stay behind and do an important duty, to guard Father Tree. Dart had almost slipped and said staying behind was for others, like Redlance. He caught himself though, but everyone knew what he meant, and it wasn’t the first time someone had made the remark. The Go-backs had taunted him, even after the trolls attacked the den and he risked his life to save the cubs, with certain words he quickly forgot about. The Trolls called him the quiet one with a sneer, as if not wanting to be in the light was a bad thing. None of it bothered Redlance, the only judgments he cared to hear were the ones from his own tribe.  Anyone else didn’t know him or why he does what he does.

The scents from the furs finally drove him up and out, the jasmine and musk and sweet lilac only adding to his pain it felt like. The treeshaper couldn’t take smelling his loves and not having them near. Redlance dressed in his leathers and left the den in a flurry dropping to the ground instead of climbing down. His ears picked up the sounds of Newstar already at work as he stood silently listening to his Holt, and there was Dart by her side over by the tanning and stitching racks. Redlance wasn’t in the mood to talk and he knew the young lifebearer would want to do just that, check in on him after disappearing last night, even skipping the meal to be alone. So he began to head in the other direction away from Dart and Newstar making for the stream and the quiet the forest there would give him, a solace maybe?

As the treeshaper moved along trying to outrun his hurting heart, and just by chance, his eyes scanned the ground checking for...what...something...anything?  The treeshaper wasn’t sure what he was doing, he might have been tracking a meal or some elf or-

“Ho Redlance, wait!”

Dart’s voice brought him to a stop as he sighed, no stream or quiet just yet.  The treeshaper smiled and looked up and back to see the young archer trotting up with bow in hand and a scowl on his face that may have matched his own. “Good eve Dart, how may I help you?”

The archer only shook his head as he stopped by Redlance, “What bothers me you can’t help with Redlance, but maybe you can help me with something else?”

“I will if I can archer,” he answered with a nod ignoring the first part of the request before the treeshaper fell in line with Dart as the young elf started off down a separate trail.  The pair had only made it a small distance when Redlance spoke up again.  “This is the way to the old troll caves, why are you concerned with those?”

“I’m not, but I found tracks heading this way last night and I think I know who it is.”

“And your wanting me to tell you if your right about who is it?” The treeshaper smiled weakly.

The young archer just looked over his shoulder trying to smile, and only forced one just as weak as his Redlance noted. We must be quite the pair to be around he thought, poor Newstar must be going crazy turning from one sour berry to only find the other one just as bad.  Then Dart stopped on the trail and there in the dirt was the perfect impression of a single foot, a foot wearing one of the tanner’s boots.  It was easy to single out the one who made it. Redlance didn’t even need to kneel down to look at it closer.  “It’s Treestump’s foot...but why is fur-chin out here looking at the troll caves suddenly?”

“I don’t know. I thought Cutter ordered us to leave the caves alone.” Dart sighed with a shrug of his shoulders.  

“No,” the treeshaper answered with a shake of his head turning to stare down the trail as he spoke, “Cutter only said to be very careful around the caves and to tell him if one of us finds a way in. It seems Greymung or the mountain trolls locked up the caves tight enough to keep everyone out.”

“Oh well, there’s something else I can’t do.” Dart sighed with frustration, which brought the treeshaper’s eyes back to him quickly.  The young archer looked ready to add something else to his last, maybe a little more harshness for his father and Cutter and Redlance waited for the young archer to finish, yet Dart just shrugged his shoulders instead. “I need to hunt and find the meal, will you eat with us tonight?”

With another forced smile Redlance nodded, “yes, my stomach won’t let me have another night of peace if there is no meat in it.”

Dart smiled finally and nodded before trotting off to find the meal.  Well, at least one of us is smiling about something Redlance thought as he looked down at the track and back up to the where the trail headed.  “And why are you trying to find a way into Greymung’s old home Fur-chin?”

The night’s endless sounds were the only answers the treeshaper received to his question. He stared down the trail with sharp eyes again, as if he could see Treestump walking down it heading to the caves and if he stared hard enough he might actually see what Fur-chin was up to.  After a moment though there was still no answer to the question and Redlance decided it wasn’t going to show up with him standing here in like some silly treewee. With a quick step, one that wasn’t forced but propelled by curiosity, the treeshaper started down the trail and within a few moments he saw the dark shadow of the old caves come into view.  As he approached Redlance realized something, that since their return to Father Tree so long ago he had been down here to what was once the realm of the trolls only a few times.  It was easy to see why. He preferred the warm green growing forest to the hard cold rock of the caves.  No cave could compare to his Holt.  There, just ahead he noted, was the large rock and metal door that was the entrance to the troll’s underground world.  Redlance smiled as he stopped by it remembering how a certain stargazer would gain access with just a wink or an old badger would come running out after taking everything Greymung’s guards had in a game six-sided dice.

“Good eve Red Hair, why are you down here?”

The sudden sound of Atok’s voice scared the treeshaper, so bad he almost jumped out of his very own skin. He growled, something out character, as he shook his head. “Ah, please Atok, can you warn me next time you come by? Leetah isn’t around to revive me if I drop from you scaring me.”

The old God just smiled and nodded, both movements still sent shivers down the treeshaper’s spine.  The smile looked unnatural and the head moved so fast it was like some bird pecking at the ground looking for worms. “Are you looking for a way in like the stout one and his mate?”

“Maybe, if there is a way in.  Say, do you know of a way in old one?” Redlance smiled hoping there was an easier path to take then the one forming in his mind.  There was no such luck though as Atok just shook his head in that fast unnatural manner.

“No Red Hair, like you I prefer the outside to the inside.”

Redlance sighed and nodded thinking it was silly to ask one who was part of the forest how to get into a part that wasn’t. Then the old one said something that shifted the treeshaper’s world in one simple motion.

“One trying to discover a way in might find such a task a nice distraction from the ache of missing loved ones, like ones family.”

‘A distraction’, the treeshaper heard the words and began to smile.  He turned to look at the old one and smile, the first true one he had since Cutter and his maidens had left.  “That would be a good distraction Atok...a very good distraction indeed.”
   

Later that night, after the trio had consumed the meat from a small buck and fed what was not eaten to the lone wolf of the pack left behind Redlance stood by himself in his forest just a little bit away from Father Tree while Dart and Newstar went off to alone. He was examining the clearing the Wolfriders had first entered when the tribe returned to Father Tree that night so long ago.  The ground was a level and flat while overhead was covered by the branches of the trees which formed a perfect canopy to protect one from the elements. The open area was large and with a little help the treeshaper thought he might just make it into what he was thinking of, the perfect spot for Nightfall or Leetah or Moonshade or any of the lifebearers of the tribe to gather and feel safe and secure.
 
Just earlier he was sitting beneath an old oak listening to the breeze flow through its branches and wondering if he could make it another night alone. This one was only half-way through and at that point he was simply ready to go back to his den and just stay buried away from everything. Yes, he could try and distract himself with the troll caves but how long would that last?  How long could he hold the ache at arm’s length? His heart hurt, nothing like what Cutter had experienced when Leetah and his cubs were taken by Rayek into the future, but it was still enough pain to gnaw at his insides. Yes, wrapstuff had come to mind as a way to avoid the ache of missing them, and then suddenly he rejected it. All his long life he had never run from anything, it wasn’t part of his character. And then he thought about his family, Cutter and Nightfall and Leetah and his tanner and archer, what would they think? Would they think less of him for falling into this despair? A feeling of shame came over Redlance at that moment and he suddenly started to get very angry with himself. No, this wasn’t the time to wallow in self-pity Redlance he told himself. So he decided to start the Maidens Grove. It’s shaping and building would be his recluse from the loneliness, his sanctuary during the long wait for their return.  With this and the troll caves he would make it until they returned.

So here he was at work, first going over every step of the open space looking at it from every angle and coming up with plans in his head. And the next night he was up at sunset and into the grove working, and the next followed the next followed the next. He grew vines from tree branches he had thickened to take the extra weight of the added greenery. He grew moss among the vines to make walls for privacy. He grew heather and clover on the ground to make a blanket of green for any and all to lie on and never feel the cold ground.  Redlance was lost in work, so much so the lonely pain of separation disappeared. He was busy one night working when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. The scent of new flowers on a clean day during the green growing season clung to the air, someone he instantly recognized.

“Good eve Newstar. What may I do for you?”

The young maiden walked up quietly with her gold hair shimmering in the moonlight while smiling with astonishment as she looked from the canopy down to the ground. “This is going to be so beautiful when you’re done Redlance. Are you going to do more?”

“There’s a lot more to do before I finish. I hope to have the general things done before the Death-Season starts though.” Redlance answered wiping his hands on a piece of leather.
“Oh, will you have to redo everything?” She asked concerned.

“Just the flowers, but that’s the fun things to do. I hope to have it done by the time all the maidens in the tribe come home.” He said.

“Oh that would be a great present for them, us. Dart has the meal ready for us if you’re hungry. He was able to bring down a deer earlier and he brought back the meat for us.” Newstar said with a half-smile.

“Is there a problem cub?” Redlance asked noticing the normal happy look of Newstar was missing tonight.

“It’s Dart,” Newstar sighed with a small frown, “he’s still upset about being left behind with us. I wish he felt different. Do you think he’s mad with me, for not wanting to go?”

Redlance saw the hidden meaning to the remark. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to address hurt feelings between two lovemates, it wasn’t his place he felt, but he could help out with a sullen elf having issues following the request of his chief and father. “I’ll talk with Dart; help him see the reason for protecting Father Tree.  Would that be good?”

“Would you Redlance? That would be a great relief to me.” Newstar replied with her beautiful smile returning to her face.
“I’ll do it after the meal. Come now, I’m hungry enough to eat a deer while it’s still running from me.” Redlance joked. Newstar let out a small laugh that was more melody than giggle.

They walked over to Father Tree where Dart had set out the meat and was waiting.  Redlance went about starting the small cook fire Newstar would use to grill her portion while the young archer fed the only wolf from the pack that stayed behind, Dart’s Scamper. They all ate together, as always, with Scamper sitting close by like there had been a true hunt. The meat was simply laid out on broad leaves and Scamper would eat each piece tossed his way while the elves would cut off their pieces off with their knives. All except Dart, who sat by himself with his meal already in hand eating but not enjoying. Redlance looked at him and went through every possible way he could approach the cub to discuss his sour mood, and none ended the way he wanted, and then the young archer suddenly swallowed looked to him and was speaking.

“What are you working on so hard in the clearing?”


“A gift for the lifebearers in the tribe, in truth though it’s to keep me busy so I don’t miss the others so much.” Redlance said taking a bite of meat.

“It must be so hard with missing Nightfall, but with Cutter and Leetah gone as well as Moonshade and Strongbow, that must be the hardest burden to bear.” Newstar whispered with sympathy and some of her own pain.

Even though the young lifebearer meant no harm with the question it was still like a stab right to his very soul. Redlance took a moment to answer. “I’m doing better thanks to the work in the grove.”

“Yes, if it wasn’t for work we might all become crazed from being left here alone.” Dart said sullenly looking down at the piece of meat in his hand.  Across from him Newstar’s face saddened more, his words stinging.

Redlance sighed now understanding that the young archer would need a more direct change to his outlook of being asked to stay behind.  It was one thing to question your chief’s motives in your own head, but it was never good to do so openly, some words can only be taken one way and never retrieved once loosed.  Still, the treeshaper thought with the right nudge he could get the young archer to accept this duty and empty the harshness from his soul. He finished eating in an awkward quiet and when they were done and the elves cleaned the scraps from the meal in the same silence.  Redlance watched Newstar kiss Dart’s cheek then disappear from sight heading back to her weaving and tanning. He looked Dart and thought it was now the time to apply the change he needed. “Can you give me some direction in the grove Dart? I want to see what you think of something.”

The young elf gave a shrug of his shoulders and then quietly followed the elder over to the grove. The two walked in silence giving Redlance a chance to go over his strategy on how to approach Dart. He wanted to just feel the cub out at first, see where the conversation would take them. He didn’t want to go hard, at first, and have everything turn into a battle. And by asking Dart’s opinion he put them both on the same level, no elder to young elf, everyone equal. They entered through a mesh of vines that he shaped the night before and upon entering Dart was amazed at what the treeshaper had completed in such a short time.

The canopy had been shaped with vines that interlaced and sprouted flowers of all colors and shapes. Moss grew on the trunk of the trees along with ivy and it all smelled of fresh spring and sandalwood. The ground was covered with a soft thick grass that softened every step and invited you to sit and relax awhile. “Oh, you have been busy! This is beautiful!” Dart exclaimed with a genuine smile, the first the treeshaper had seen in a while.


“Thank you Dart, but I’m not done yet. After the death-season I’m going to get to the real work. I was thinking about making a leg off the stream and having the water flow here into a pool and then back out to the stream down the forest a ways. What do you think?” Redlance asked Dart with a small grin.

The young elf looked at his elder with wide eyes for a moment and then back to the spot where the stream would flow. “The stream all the way back there… you want to make it flow through here into a pool and back out?”

“Yes,” Redlance said with a nod, “do you think it’s a good idea?”

“I think if you start digging today you can finish in 5 turns of the seasons.” Dart said with a shake of his head and an astonished look.

“It won’t be that hard.” Redlance said with a smile.

“How do you know?” Dart asked.

“Anything can be done if you ask the right questions to the right people, or things.” Redlance said with a small smile before kneeling to feel the grass.

Dart starred at the treeshaper with wide eyes. There wasn’t a moment when he seemed to be daunted by a task or by a situation the young archer thought, except for the Go-Backs camp after the trolls attacked. He was the same mild elf, night after night, and yet there was something there just beneath the surface. Something you could just barely see and couldn’t make out as hard as you tried.  He was still staring when the treeshaper stood up and eyed him a bigger grin.

“I also wanted to see if we could find a way into the troll caves.”

Now the archer’s mouth fell open as he whispered, “you want to explore the caves?”

“No,” Redlance said with a shake of his head, “I want to find a way in.  When our chief returns he will decide how far and where we go in the caves.  All I want for us is to find a way in and why the caves were locked, understand?”

The young elf only nodded feeling better for having something to do, but yet he knew it wasn’t that really.  It was being treated as an equal, being asked what he thought instead of being told what he should think.  The treeshaper had given him equal standing so maybe that show of respect helped Dart with the courage to ask Redlance the question he wanted answered most.  “Why did Cutter leave me behind? You tree with him and Leetah, your lovemates, maybe he said something to you.” Dart asked pointedly.

Yes, just a nudge in the right direction. The question didn’t take Redlance by surprise. He had a silent confidence the conversation would turn down this path if the young archer was given the chance to walk it. All Dart wanted was to be looked on as equal, in fighting and hunting and being heard. Redlance just smiled and answered the way he always had intended too when asked by the archer. “Yes I tree with Cutter and Leetah, and we are more than lovemates, but that does not mean I know what our chief thinks. And I would never influence his decision when it comes to our tribe. We all follow him Dart because he knows what’s best for the Wolfriders and the ‘Way’.” Redlance pointed out.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to step into in your life with our chief.” Dart said, his face showing his frustration.

“Then what is it that bothers you young archer, is it being left behind when the others were allowed to go to Howling Rock? Or is it that our chief did not explain his decision to you?” Redlance asked.

“No...Yes...he told me why but I just don’t understand the reasoning. I trained and fought with the Jack Wolfriders from Sorrow’s End against the Go-Backs. I have proven myself a fighter in every sense, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference to Cutter...or father. I’m here watching leaves fall from Father Tree when the others go to rid the Abode of Winnowill’s beasts.” Dart expressed sullenly.

Redlance stared hard at the young elf. “You think it’s less than honorable to stay back and protect Father Tree, and the adventure that you think your missing is bothering you, isn’t it?”

“Maybe...I’m not sure...maybe I never should have spoken.” Dart tried whispered sighing heavily.  He was trying too hard to say the right thing.  He was trying to walk that path between being seen as calm when inside his emotions were a torrent, from feeling so wronged at the moment by the two he respected so much.

“I think it’s a little of both Dart,” Redlance offered with a slight smile. “I’m sure you don’t think there is much honor in defending a tree from the change of the seasons, not when Scouter or Pike or even your father will be fighting the great beasts of evil Winnowill.”

“No...Well yes...I mean...I don’t know what I’m trying to say.” Dart exclaimed, his body tense as the treeshaper could tell the young elf felt cornered now. He was just trying to back away now, afraid to take another step and lose control. Well, the treeshaper thought, let’s give him a way out and see if he takes it.

“Dart,” Redlance said with a shake of his head, “the days and nights of being young and foolish are over for you. Just say what you feel and stand by it. I won’t judge you, the same as our chief and your father would never judge you for speaking what you think.”

“All right,” the young archer inhaled deeply before speaking clearly again and yet there was just the hint in the sound of his voice that control of all those emotions was less than strong, “I should be at Howling Rock with the tribe fighting the last of Winnowill’s monsters. I’ve proven I can fight as well as father or Treestump...haven’t I? I’m as good as they are, right?”

And there it was, that small bit of self-doubt everyone has buried deep inside, that small core that can be damaged so easily with words taken the wrong way.  Redlance saw what was needed now and he moved carefully to give it. “I know you are an able hunter and fighter Dart.  You are your father’s cub, a strong and brave Wolfrider and archer just like your father.” Redlance said with truth and an even eye never once blinking as he said it.

“Then why did Cutter leave me behind? Does he think I’m not capable?” Dart asked quickly with a small break in his voice.  

Redlance walked over and put his hand on the young elf’s shoulder, which was almost eye level due to Dart’s height, and spoke calmly. “You want my thoughts archer, and that’s all this is, my thoughts. I have never ever claimed to know what is in our chief’s head.”

“Yes,” Dart stammered unsure if he wanted to hear what was coming next.  A small tear started to form in his eyes.  He was close to just letting go.  Oh those emotions, once they churn it can become so hard to get it all to stop and steady the treeshaper thought.

“Cutter knows you’re a fine fighter and an excellent archer Dart. He saw what you can do on the journey here to Father Tree and he sees what you can do every day here as you grow into an even better elf.  Trust me archer, nothing passes the hawk like eyes of our chief. And if Cutter knows what you are capable of then there must be a reason for keeping you here. If you think hard Dart it’ll come to you, the reason you are here.” Redlance smiled rubbing the young elf’s shoulder.

“What, why?” Dart said after a moment of silence. His mind didn’t fully follow what Redlance was trying to say, and all those emotions were not helping at all.

The treeshaper almost laughed before holding in his amusement. The last thing Dart needed was opening up to a laughing elder. “Take a look around and it will come to you. If our chief goes out to hunt or to fight he needs to know there is a den to come home too, right?”

The archer’s eyes started to widen as he began to realize what the treeshaper was saying as Redlance continued.  “When Cutter ordered you and I to stay behind it wasn’t to watch leaves fall. He knows in his heart you and I will fight for Father Tree.  We will defend it to our last breath because this is our one and only true home. I can make dens in other trees Dart, but I can never make another true Father Tree. Only Father Tree can call to our beloved dead so the Wolfriders of our past can watch their tribe grow. This is the greatest possession the tribe has and when Cutter asks you to stay behind and guard it he does this with a trust he does not give to just any Wolfrider.” Redlance explained calmly reaching out with his words to Dart so the archer could take everything in.

Dart closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip.  Now he understands Redlance thought, and now he sees how wrong his thinking was.  The young archer exhaled and shook his head whispering after thinking for a moment still holding his head down.  “I’m so sorry. I was looking at this all wrong.”

The treeshaper put his arms around the young elf hugging him as Dart finally let the emotions out in a safe way.  As he cried the treeshaper whispered to him. “It will all be fine Dart. Just understand that in your long life there will be decisions and duties that will not feel right, only wrong to you. These things will clash in your heart and feel like being punished and yet you’ll have to see them through to the end. The hardest decisions are always the ones where the right thing will go against every feeling you know and yet you’ll have to accept them. You’ll have to accept the decision with a strong heart, press on, and follow the ‘Way’. In the end it’s not you’re aim with a bow or skill with a sword or how many fights you have fought. You are defined by your actions and how your actions affect the others in the tribe that will matter.”

Dart listened to every word and when all those churning emotions were back to being calm all he could do was lean back stare at the treeshaper with wonder. After a second he gave a small nod to Redlance.

“Good, now go get Newstar and go to your den. Let her know you’re good now and that she can stop worrying about you.” Redlance offered with a smile.

“I scared her didn’t I?” Dart sighed again shaking his head.

“Not enough to drive her away archer.  A day in the furs basking in love will set all right and back on the path, for both of you.  Now go.”

Redlance gave him a warm smile as Dart left the grove. The archer looked back a couple of steps, his eyes searching the treeshaper up and down, still trying to figure out just how the treeshaper knew how to get him to open up. Redlance watched the archer walk up to his lovemate, speak a few words to her, then both leave climbing up into Father Tree.  A large beautiful smile rested easily on both of the young lover’s faces.  The treeshaper sighed wondering if that is how he’d look once his family returned and he waited just a moment thinking about that single thought before kneeling down by the grass again. Redlance ran his fingers through the tops slowly feeling each blade as it touched his fingers, like a sweet caress from Nightfall or Leetah or Moonshade.

“Tell me sweet grass.  Tell if I can I make my stream flow through here? Will you help me?” He asked quietly.

He waited a second, as if the grass was answering his question, before standing and walking over to one of the trees. He pressed the flat of his palm against the rough bark while his fingers gingerly closed on to a leaf from a low hanging branch. He felt the tree’s energy, its life force, instantly merge with his.  “Dear friend, can I bring my stream through here? Will you help me?” He asked the tree listening intently to its answer.

And what was returned was not what the treeshaper expected.

Redlance stepped back, his eyes narrowing. He looked around the grove slowly checking for any sign of disturbance. Every leaf, every blade of grass, nothing went without a close inspection. He had to make sure. He had asked Atok not to sneak up on him and the old God had done just that, sitting back quietly watching him and Dart before disappearing into the dark. Well, at least the old one didn’t scare him that bad this time.  He went back to talking to the trees, communicating with his grove on a level only he knew existed. After some time he decided he had his permission, tomorrow he would keep working on his grove for the lifebearers. And he did just that as the days flowed into each other and he continued to work to keep the loneliness at bay and to keep his hands and mind occupied.

He worked with Dart on some nights as well on the troll caves, just not as many as he did in the grove.  Trying to find a way into the elusive former home of Picknose and Greymung was a lot harder than Redlance had given thought to.  There were only two ways to enter the caves he knew of, and both of those doors were locked and quite tightly too.  He couldn’t force the rock and steel entries open with a strong branch and when he tried to grow a smaller branch under both or on the side the poor wood just broke.  Dart walked all around the hill on some nights searching for any markings and found no other doors, no secret passages to try and gain access to the caves.  It would take a bit more thinking the treeshaper decided to try and get into Picknose’s old home.

Then the Death-Season came on quickly sending all the leaves of the grove to the ground making it look like a Golden Sheet. He started to wear the thicker leathers and furs that Moonshade and Leetah had left him as he kept watch over Father Tree, and then one night the white-cold fell and fell. Soon the ground was a solid white and there was no longer any work to be done in the Grove.

He stayed inside out of the cold and the white ground keeping an eye on Newstar. She had taken ill once already so many seasons ago and he didn’t want her to get sick again this Death Season. Also food became scarce so he gave his share of the meat to Dart and the weaver making sure they were staying fed and keeping warm. They tried to protest saying giving up his share was wrong, but he would always pull out a root or a few sweet berries to eat on that he had just grown. He would heat rocks in a small fire outside of Father Tree running the stones up to Newstar and putting them in their furs giving the necessary heat to make it through the cold days and nights. And then the long days of the Death-Season passed into the Green Growing-Season as the white-cold melted and the trees began to grow leaves again. The world went from white to green growing giving Redlance a new life because he could work in his Grove again.

The treeshaper took to shaping with a new purpose putting the new ideas in place that had come to him during the long Death-Season. New vines and new flowers bloomed and flourished under his power all in the Grove and on Father Tree. He put in night after night at the start and then they got the news they had been waiting for from Suntop.

A short send from so far away. The last hunt was about to begin, the tribes were one again.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, the tribe arrives so let the hunt begin...




“What’s it called again?” Cutter asked his daughter Ember, Chief of the Howling Rock Holt, with a whisper. From the cover of trees on a high spot that Ember had led them to, the Wolfriders and the Howling Rock Holt tribe looked down into the darkness of the entrance to an open cave in the side of the hills.

After spending nearly a full turn of the season just getting to Howling Rock one might assume Cutter and the Wolfriders would want to rest, but not the wolf chief. He had Ember take him straight out to see what he had come all this way to help kill, the last of Winnowill’s evil beasts she had set upon the land. He was tired of trail, enduring the cold days of the death season while traveling, but as life was coming back to the world he was more than eager to start the hunt and get back to his den, back to his home at Father Tree and his treeshaper.  

“A Xanth or something like that, it looks like a lizard from Sorrow’s End only much larger and much meaner. We’ve tracked it to so many different caves and holes we’re not sure which one it’s using for a home or if its only one. Scouter thinks there might be more than one from the tracks we’ve seen.”

“With so many hiding places it makes sense there’s more than one,” Treestump remarked with a wink and a smile.

“We think there may be four or five, a family even.” She answered with a smile, which was quickly brought down to a small thin line.

“Why did we ask them to come here again?” A voice from the back spat with acrimony. It belonged to a small elf, not of the original Howling Rock tribe, named Kavali.

“Hush Kavali, let the chief and her sire plan.” His larger friend named Kyun said with a gruff remark lacking any concern that the two maybe friends.  The elf was squatted down with his spear across his lap and his broad back bent. Pike had whispered to Nightfall earlier that Kyun just might be bigger than Treestump and the huntress had to agree.

“I was just making the point that we’ve killed a Xanth before as well. We don’t need anyone’s help.” Kavali sneered back.

“Yes, we have killed a Xanth ourselves, it is why we are two now instead of five.” Kyun pointed out before turning his back on the smaller elf and taking a bite of a fruit he had carried with him.

“Maybe you think two should be one?” Kavali asked and when he got no answer from the larger elf he just spat and turned to look down at the cave.

Cutter, Treestump, Nightfall, Leetah, Clearbrook, and Strongbow all turned to stare at the elves, all with a raised eyebrow. The Howling Rock Holt elves reception to their arrival earlier was a grand howl, these two elves though were less then welcoming to the Wolfriders. They quickly learned these elves were from an unheard of elf tribe from the Plains far away from here and both had barely survived a night of being chased by a Xanth. It was Kyun who gave Ember and her tribe the location of the lasts of Winnowill’s beast. Kyun was indeed as large as Treestump with jet black hair tied back in a tail and his tendency for holding back with his sword until told to use it made him a good fit for Howling Rock. From what Cutter was told the elf was good with the sword, maybe even as good as he might be, but the large elf never raised his voice or arm to Ember. He was loyal and respectful of the Howling Rock chief. Kavali was his opposite though, a mouse of an elf with stringy brown hair, and nothing but a follower with a large mouth that only opened when he was trying to make himself sound good with a lie or two.  At first Kyun had protected the small elf, told the others the tales were true, but lately the large elf’s generosity was coming to a very obvious end.

“Watch your words Kavali!” Ember hissed starring at the elf with menacing eyes. The small elf just stared back though, the corner of his mouth turning up in a grin as if he thought no more of her threat than it was a slightly funny jest.

You need to put him in his place! Cutter sent to his daughter and only her.

I would father, but I need Kyun’s arm and even though it looks like they hate each other the bigger one protects the smaller one and takes the punishment. When you’ve helped us kill the last Xanth I’ll no longer need Kavali and I can be done with him. Ember sent back

If Kyun goed with him so be it, we don’t need either at Father Tree! Cutter finished

Ember gave a small nod as her father turned to the eldest of his tribe and gave a small head shake toward the open cave. “Do you want to go in, see what we’re up against?”

Treestump smiled and cocked one eye-brow. “I didn’t come all this way to sit around on some hill. Let’s see its den, make a plan from there.”  As he started to move though someone very dear in his life quickly moved to his side, Clearbrook grabbed her lifemate’s arm to stop him while whispering low.

“Be careful. Don’t make me come down there to get you.”

“I’ll be right back lifemate. No monster will keep me from you this day and look, I have the treeshaper’s magic stick.” He whispered back holding up a branch before leaning in to kiss her. Clearbrook smiled shaking her head as the others chuckled low at the jest, all except one with large brown eyes who closed them for a moment to push away a hidden pain, the separation from her soulmate having been too long.

Across the small clearing hiding in another spot sat Scouter, Dewshine, Pike, Tyleet, and his cub Suntop. Cutter sent to his eyes asking for confirmation.  You see anything in there Scouter?

No, there’s nothing by the entrance.  He replied quickly.

Suntop, you feel anything, any magic?

No father, there’s no magic I can sense.

Cutter leaned over to Nightfall and Strongbow. “Keep your bow strings tight and ready. If anything follows us out of the cave kill it.”

“We’ll do it.” Nightfall whispered pulling an arrow from the quiver on her hip.

I’ll take the right, you take the left. Strongbow sent nocking an arrow before nodding to her top make sure she was fine from earlier and sliding over just a bit.

Cutter turned to Leetah and took her hand. “If one of us comes out of the cave injured you know what to do right?” Leetah only nodded knowing what was expected of her.

“I’m going in too.” Ember suddenly ordered bringing all eyes to her.  If someone expected Cutter to stand up and keep his daughter back and safe then they didn’t know the wolf chief’s heart. Maybe that’s what prompted Kavali to step up himself. “Kyun and I will go too.”

“No, you’re staying here with the others to backup Strongbow and Nightfall.” Ember ordered quickly.

“What? Are you asking your best warriors stay back?” Kavali cried before looking to his large friend hoping the elf would come the aid of his friend.  Only the large elf just shook his head and looked to Ember.


“I will stay here as you order chief.” He whispered low to which Ember only nodded back.

Kavali’s mouth fell open at what he just saw, as if his eyes couldn’t believe what both orbs just witnessed, yet before he could speak though Cutter flashed New Moon from its scabbard. “Stop yapping like some treewee. Ember didn’t ask you to stay back, she ordered it.”

Tension thick and heavy dropped over the group. Cutter watched as Kavali sank from the confrontation, as expected, because Kyun was not there to back him. There was too much at stake for some arrogant idiot to ruin it by thinking he was above everyone else in the tribe. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kavali backed down, sort of.

“No, we’ll stay here like you ordered my Chief, just like my friend here said we would. We can be just as good at guarding the lifebearers like you’re revered, oh what was his name? Redleaf?” Kavali smiled cruelly before continuing on.  “Oh yes, I meant Redlance, right? I have a hard time remembering the ones who stay back with the little ones. I mean no one really talks of their deeds, do they?”

“Do not speak ill of my lifemate!” Nightfall growled quickly at the small elf pulling her bow string back to test its tightness, maybe.  To her side Strongbow glared just as angrily, the corner of his mouth turned upward exposing a single canine.

“I would not think of doing such a thing huntress. I am sorry.” Kavali quickly apologized, or didn’t, as Kyun to his side shook his head.  The mouse of an elf looked over noticed Cutter and Leetah’s reaction as well as the archer’s. The remark obviously hurting them too. He made his point and scored a hit, two victories with one shot.  

“I’ll deal with you later!” Ember spat. She reached over and touched her father’s shoulder giving it a little squeeze.

He gave a nod to her and then turned to Treestump “Let’s go.”

The trio moved out from the cover of the trees working around in a circle toward the cave. Cutter took the long route to make sure that if there was anything inside it wouldn’t see them coming, or smell them. The progress was slower, but safer. After a long wait they made the entrance hiding among the shadows and underbrush. Nightfall and Strongbow kept their arrows at the ready, while behind them Leetah kept watch on the progress and on Kavali. Cutter moved up to the opening, Treestump and Ember just behind. Nightfall felt a bead of sweat roll down her cheek but she didn’t ease back on her bow string. A send from Tyleet fluttered in her mind and she responded without backing down her bow.

Scouter says he doesn’t see anything still Mother. I don’t hear anything either.

Thank you my sweet cub, but keep your ears and eyes open just in case.

Cutter peeked around and into the entrance then leaned back again. Another moment passed by and then he moved in with a flash, so fast everyone watching barely saw it. Ember followed him in, spear at the ready, and then Treestump with axe in hand. Time crawled along as the others outside waited for some sign of their tribesmen. Nightfall felt more sweat beads form on her cheeks and forehead, but it wasn’t from the effort of keeping her bow nocked. She had to know if the Xanth was alone, needed it to be a single creature without cubs or mates. If it was alone then the hunt would be fast and she could return to Father Tree with Tyleet and the others, return to her Ulm. Yet if there were more than one than the hunt may take days, or worse longer then the turn of the moon they had set. She was already missing Redlance so badly any thought of this taking longer would be crushing to her.

After what seemed an eternity Cutter and Ember and Treestump finally came trotting out of the cave. They didn’t take the long route which signaled the cave was empty. Nightfall’s heart fell instantly, no kill tonight, the hunt would have to continue. The trio made it quickly back to the covers of the trees and hunkered down with their tribes.

Everyone, move back to the Holt. We need to council. Ember sent to all of them. They started to move out silently when Nightfall grabbed Treestump’s arm.

Is it a single beast Treestump? Can you tell? She sent in earnest needing the right answer.

And to Nightfall’s dismay Treestump only shook his head no. Her heart stopped and she grabbed her chest. She might have sat there all night from the news if not for Leetah and Strongbow taking her arms and guiding down the small slope. When they reached the bottom she jumped on Longcoat with Leetah getting on behind her while the archer made for his wolf friend to follow the others.

“Ride lovemate, we have to go!” Leetah whispered to Nightfall. Without a conscious effort Nightfall urged her wolf forward and they kept up with the pack. She didn’t remember the trip back, not one thing about it. She couldn’t remember it at all except for the fact the Xanth was not alone, that this would take longer, so much longer. Yet just outside of the Holt she regained her control. She couldn’t let Pool or Tyleet see her like this, it would make matters worse. So with the strength she took from her beloved lifemate Redlance Nightfall calmed herself down, accepted the path, and as he had taught her so many times before set her resolve to whatever Cutter her chief said to do.

Are you okay my precious one? She felt the send from Leetah touch her mind gently and lovingly.

I will be. I will follow whatever Cutter says at the council, even though it may break my heart. I will endure my sweet one, for our family. She replied to Leetah.

You will not be alone. We will endure together to return to our den. Even our archer and tanner will not leave your side. Leetah responded as they entered the Holt.

Will you hold me tonight? Keep me warm? Nightfall asked while stopping Longcoat so they could slide off.

I will hold you until my last day if you ask. Leetah replied giving her lovemate a small squeeze.

“Grandmother!” a voice called out just before a cub came running up arms outstretched for Nightfall. Leetah stepped back just far enough to watch with misty eyes and a loving smile.

“Ah, my precious little one,” Nightfall called back hugging Pool hard. Her grandson was growing up fast, maybe too fast as he was tall and lean now. She couldn’t wait until the cub got to see Redlance or her lifemate to see him.  Oh that would be a sight to behold, her beloved running in circles chasing his tail from being so happy.

“I missed you and Mother!” He exclaimed hugging her back just as hard.

“We have all missed each other.” Tyleet said walking up and hugging her mother after returning with Scouter and Dewshine.

“And my other precious one, the sight of you both makes my heart joyful.” Nightfall whispered leaning over and kissing her daughter on the cheek.  The young lifebearer only smiled then reached over taking Leetah’s hand in hers and squeezing. The healer smiled warmly back to Tyleet feeling the love the gatherer had for her mother and everyone one in the tribe flow from her beautiful eyes.  Oh my treeshaper how even your cub has your precious gift of love.

Then a loud howl broke across the clearing grabbing everyone’s attention.

AYOOOOOOOOO!

A moment later Chitter jumped up into Nightfall’s arms and wrapping her legs around the huntress’s waist and laughing. The energy used to propel the little cub, no longer needed for that task, shifted to her speech. “Mother-archer-miss-you-where-you-go-why-you-go-so-long?”

Nightfall only laughed as she touched her forehead to the cub’s and smiled speaking warmly as Moonshade walked up shaking her head with a smile. “I had to go see the evil monster we have to hunt our little one.”

“But-why-mother-healer-have-to-go-too? I-don’t-like-family-being-gone-scares-me-badly!” Chitter whispered reaching over and taking Leetah’s hand, which was on Nightfall’s shoulder rubbing it gently, in hers and squeezing.

“She missed you all so much,” Moonshade smiled walking up and putting a hand on her healer and her huntress forming a small circle around the cub who was looking eye to eye with her huntress. “I could barely keep her occupied.  The den is all set, furs laid out and our things in.”

Leetah smiled sweetly leaning into the tanner just a bit, “Are we all staying in the same den then?”

“Yes, Krim said we could have the larger one, but if-“the tanner started to remark, to say she and Strongbow could move to a smaller den, but then the huntress and Chitter just cut her off.

“No, we’re all staying together, right our little one?”

The little cub only howled low and nodded before kissing Nightfall and then leaning over to kiss her mother healer.  Leetah leaned in and kissed her back as everyone laughed and reveled being so close together.  Then the other cub spoke up excitedly.

“Will you teach me the bow grandmother?” Pool asked eagerly breaking in.
“Oh I would be honored to my grandson! We can start when we wake if you would like.” Nightfall offered letting Chitter go to Leetah.

“Do you think if I ask Strongbow he would teach me to track and hunt?” Pool smiled after asking hoping for a ‘yes’ but before anyone could answer his answer came from the very one he had wanted to ask firstly.

I would be honored as well to show you what I know Pool, only you might find your grandfather knows more tracks than I or your grandmother do. The archer sent walking up and putting his arm around his lifemate.  Moonshade smiled brightly and hugged him with her one arm as Leetah looked to him with affection.

“Thank you!” Pool exclaimed hugging the archer before running over to hug Clearbrook and Treestump.  The family watched and smiled more as Nightfall spoke up in a soft refrain, “when our treeshaper sees his grandson his cheeks might burst from smiling so much.”

“Pool acts just like father in so many ways, slow and thinking over things before jumping in.  Now if Pool would only rub off on Sust we might be fine.” Tyleet laughed hugging her mother. The others joined in laughing loudly too as they all held each other while walking into the clearing for the council, and as the others were waiting for Cutter’s words on what he saw in the cave they watched the family arrive and sit with wide eyes.  

“Is that Leetah, laughing?” Mender whispered turning to Tier.

The elf only nodded and whispered back, “Yes, though I don’t remember ever seeing her laugh out loud.”

“Mother laughs a lot,” Suntop countered looking to the pair before shrugging his shoulders, “well since she and father went to Nightfall and Redlance’s den.”

“I’ve never seen that either, the four sharing a den and the furs, are they all lovemates?” Tier asked looking to Suntop.

The magic user just shook his head and smiled.  “Father says it’s deeper than being a lovemate or even a lifemate.  I know mother and Nightfall both refuse to call it anything but a ‘family’ and with Strongbow and Moonshade going to them it only made the bond between all of them stronger.  It’s why Chitter calls mother ‘Mother-Healer’ and father ‘Father-Chief’.”

“Strongbow and Moonshade,” Krim said with a shake of her head and a warm smile, “I always wondered if those two would ever thaw and let someone in.  I guess it had to be the quietest one among us to get through that stone wall those two put up.”

“Nah, it wasn’t a stone wall or a wall of thorns that kept those two from reaching out.  It was just the need to feel safe and loved, which is something Redlance knows how to show. You know, once you go to him and see him for what he is.” Pike remarked taking a sip from a skin of dream berry wine.  When he saw the looks everyone gave him the spear bearer looked around scared.  “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just to hear you say something that deep is shocking.” Mender chuckled as the others joined in.  Krim slapped her lifemate playfully as he smiled then all the Wolfriders and the Howling Rock tribe huddled in and waited for their chief and chieftess to join them.  They all wanted to know what Cutter saw in the cave, all except for the two standing alone back away from the tribes and in the shadows. As the others sat in the circle and a hush fell over them Kyun and Kavali whispered from the very back.

“The wolf chief’s no better than me.” Kavali remarked eyeing the spot where Cutter would stand.

“Of course not, but the others would rather follow him than you I think Kavali, especially Tyleet and Dewshine.” Kyun remarked leaning up against a large boulder.

“What are you doing Kyun, why such a distaste for my words these nights?” Kavali hissed like a snake.

“Have you wondered about this Redlance?”, Kyun asked ignoring his smaller friend’s question as easily as he took a bite of the fruit he held and then continued on, “The others say he shares his furs with his lifemate Nightfall, then the healer Leetah and Cutter the chief.  And they say the archer and tanner go to him some nights to stay next to him too.”

“What do I care where this coward sleeps or with whom?” Kavali spit licking his lips while turning his attention to one lifebearer sitting side by side at the council.  He watched Tyleet sitting next to her mother smiling happily and his heart ached with a dull thump. There had only been one other who had made his heart hurt and because she would not come to him and relieve him of that pain he was now cast out with Kyun from their tribe.

“I think I would like to meet him this Redlance,” Kyun remarked tilting his head to the side, “to see what it is about him that makes others want to be with him.”

“Well you need to stop thinking about the coward treeshaper and help me find a way to have Tyleet. I can tell you that after this hunt is done we’ll be on our own again and I am tired of staring at what I cannot have.” Kavali snarled pulling out his knife and starting to clean his nails.

“And why, my little friend, would I help you? I helped you once before to take one who did not want you and it cost me my home.  I have no desire to be a part of your plans now or when we leave this Holt.  We will be through when this hunt is done.” Kyun stated with a cold hardness, his face expressionless.

Kavali only stared back just as cold and whispered. “You helped me take the life of our chief and his mate.  Do you really think these elves here at Howling Rock or those at this Father Tree would take you in if I were to tell them how you helped-“

“I never helped you kill her or him, only protected you and only because you saved my life once and have held it over my head!” Kyun finally snapped hissing at the smaller elf.

“You helped me escape when I should have been punished Kyun. You are guilty of that.” Kavali sneered then laughed low.  Kyun only stared hard back at him for a moment before turning to see the wolf chief and his daughter had returned ready to speak.  The tall elf only listened from that moment on refusing to trade another word with Kavali.  He only sat back and watched as Cutter cleared his throat and began.

”I had hoped this was would be an easy hunt. One last creature to kill before bringing everyone home to Father Tree, but it won’t be that easy. We didn’t see a nest back there, just a hole to rest and hide in during the day. We also saw four sets of tracks, from a very large beast to what might be a cub, as large as a wolf. We’ll have to track each Xanth, kill it in its hole, and then move onto the next.”

“So it’s like Ember said, only worse.” Pike chimed in with his son Sust sitting next to him.

“As quick as ever, that’s my lifemate.” Krim said with a smile patting Pike’s shoulder.

The group laughed before Cutter got them under control with a wave of his hand. “We’re going to start with the small one and work our way to the large one. If we’re lucky we can find two of them together and finish the hunt that much faster.”

“I wouldn’t wish for that Cutter.” Mender suddenly said drawing all eyes to him as he spoke. “The Xanth is no ordinary monster. It’s an intelligent beast, quick, and razor sharp claws. The small one will give us a fight while the large one will challenge us to keep our lives.”

Treestump just shook his head at the statement while smiling and pointed to Tier. “I say we just have Tier go up and make the Xanth’s all nice for us, like he does with the wolves and deer around here.”

The elves chuckled as the one who was the main part of the joke retorted, “Did you miss the part where Mender said the Xanth was dangerous.  It won’t stand still and let me work my magic, but you can always charge one with your lucky stick.”

The tribes laughed more till Ember held up her hand and smiled, “We can take the Xanth Treestump, big or small. I brought father in to help end this quickly so we can go home to Father Tree.”

“I hope for that daily Chief.” Mender said looking at her with devotion while Tier just nodded and smiled with affection.

“So do I Mender. I want this over with so I can take you all back home” Cuter offered giving his family a look only they understood. “The Xanths caves are the best place for the attack so Scouter and Strongbow will track them down. We’ll use the same tactic we did tonight, but the archers will move down and cover the entrance. Leetah and Mender, you’ll both stay out of harm’s way and once the Xanth is dead you can come down and see to anyone who needs healing.”

“Is the Xanth poisonous?” Clearbrook asked.

“The Xanth’s bite is infectious causing the wound to puss, but it does not carry any poison.” Mender said.

“That won’t be a concern Clearbrook. Mender and I can take of it.” Leetah said with a small nod of her head.

The others started to ask more questions, but Nightfall slowly retreated from the council to her memories. It didn’t mean anything to her what was being discussed now. They would have to kill more than one Xanth for her to return to her lifemate’s side and she would follow any plan that Cutter put before her to see that happen. She reached into the leather pouch n her side, her fingers wrapping around a single dried rose, the present given to her by her beloved Ulm before they left the Father Tree. She felt instant strength from it, his warmth filling her. She could see him lying in their den, that small grin on his face as he listens to every word she says. She could feel the way he would caress her face with the tips of fingers, or hold her when they would first wake up to greet the night. She could hear the sound of his gentle voice as he whispered his love to the three of them or counseled Cutter on something that bothered their chief. He was her everything and there was no one else to take his place, no one she wanted.

“Is everyone in agreement then?” Cutter asked. Everyone nodded till he looked to Nightfall seeking her approval, needing it in his heart the most.

“I’ll do whatever my chief asks of me.” She responded, and somewhere she knew Redlance was smiling just as her chief was now.  His blue eyes let his love for her flow as he nodded before turning back to the tribes.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow night we start hunting.” Cutter said breaking the council. Everyone started to go to their dens in the surrounding caves as the day star began to rise and Nightfall began to move intending to make sure she was set properly for the hunt when she noticed Ember confronting Kavali over in a corner. Something told her she should keep moving to the den she shared with her family, but she didn’t and she regretted it instantly.

“I don’t care how good you think you are. If you disobey me once more I will banish you from the tribe, understand? Unless you’re blind I have enough support now where I don’t need your help or Kyun’s arm!”

Kavali just bowed his head at the statement. “I understand, all I was saying is I am a warrior my chief and warriors do not stand in the back guarding the cubs like cowards.”

“You don’t know Redlance so how can you speak about him? You’re opinions are not wanted Kavali, keep them to yourself.” Ember spat eyeing the small elf hard.

“I would never question an elf whose reputation is so strong, with so many defenders. I just wonder why Redlance didn’t follow his loved ones on such a perilous journey, and if he is not a coward as everyone says then it must be because he senses he not needed or helpful.” Kavali countered with a raised eyebrow.

“You are a fool!” Ember sneered.

“If I am wrong then I am sorry, but an elf who everyone says is so important being left behind while others leave to fight, well that’s not love but neglect my chief.” Kavali explained and for a moment Ember had no retort to throw back at him.

“Are you saying I neglect my tribesman?” An angry Cutter suddenly growled from behind in the dark. When Ember looked up he had stepped out walking over to face Kavali. “Are you saying I would neglect my treeshaper?”

“I’m saying he’s not here and if it’s not because he’s a coward then it must be because you and the other Wolfriders don’t want him here.” Kavali remarked backing away slightly as Cutter closed in.

“When this is over we will have a serious talk about our differences, but from this point forward if I hear you utter a word about Redlance again Nightfall’s bow isn’t the only weapon you will worry about.” Cutter snarled stepping into the smaller elf.

“There will be no need for that talk Chief Cutter. I will make sure Kavali remains quiet Chief Ember.” Kyun suddenly stated stepping out of the dark where he had been watching. The thick elf only walked forward and put a hard hand to the smaller one before turning and leaving a seething Cutter standing with clenched fist.

“Are we sure we need him?” He asked Ember, but his daughter was looking at something moving away at a very fast pace.    

“I think that was Nightfall.” She said and Cutter noticed the look of concern in her eyes. He knew his huntress had overheard everything; the only question was how much she’d been hurt.

The wolf chief watched his heart leave and turned back to his daughter.  “I need you to get your mother and tell her and Moonshade what happened and then your brother.  I think I know how we can help her hurt.”


With Dart hopping on one foot while leaning up against Redlance the pair was able to make it to Father Tree rather quickly, which any other night wouldn’t have been so bad.  This night though, with no healer, the sight of her lovemate hurt only made Newstar upset when she saw them crossing through the grove.  She jumped up from the rack where she was practicing and ran to them.  “What happened?”

“I fell my love, walked right off the side of a steep hill.” Dart spoke through clenched teeth as Redlance sat him down on the small bench.

Newstar went to looking her lovemate over finding more scratches then serious cuts and sighed as she knelt by the treeshaper who was looking at Dart’s ankle. “You two weren’t trying to find a way into the troll caves again, were you?”

The image of Dart stumbling through the woods just moments before instantly brought back the memories of the treeshaper’s beloved huntress the night he found her in the woods trying to get back to Father Tree.  Redlance only smiled as he helped pull off Dart’s boot to look at his ankle.  “No weaver, we were not looking for a way into the caves. I think our hunter was chasing a buck when he fell.”

“Oh yes,” Dart smiled wide looking to Newstar, “it was a beautiful stag with a large set of antlers and a coat as black as the night itself.  What Redlance...is something wrong?”

The Stag, oh how the treeshaper remembered that very animal and its specialness. It had caused so many problems so long ago, and if you asked him it was bringing back those problems again these nights. The treeshaper shook his head to clear the look of shock as he thought this was no ordinary deer and Dart would be well advised to leave it be.  Only, the treeshaper thought, how does he tell the archer to give up the chase of the animal without giving away the fact he knew what, or who, the Stag truly was.  Then a send from a long way off touched all three of their minds and the need to keep the secret was lost in the chance to talk with loved ones.

Good morn Father Tree, are you three still up? Suntop sent making Newstar gasp.

To be contacted twice now, Redlance smiled as he watched the weaver almost run in circles she was so happy.

Yes people, its that time again, for another chapter in the tale of our curious treeshaper...



She was checking the fletching on her arrows, making sure each wooden shaft was straight as possible. A stack of the missiles was forming and growing at her side as she inspected each one then placed it neatly on the stack. Nightfall looked at each feather running her finger along each ridge, her finger tips along the shaft feeling for imperfections.  It was a ritual she did before each and every hunt, a task he father had taught her to complete to ensure she was prepared to stalk and take her prey but tonight she only did the motions of checking her things.  The huntress was only going on muscle memory, letting her hands and fingers do what both knew by unconscious instinct to do because her mind wasn’t in the den and it wasn’t preforming the ritual. She was doing anything to keep her mind from hearing the words the small elf had said, trying to keep her thoughts so busy so she wouldn’t remember what he had said.  And yet it wasn’t working, here she sat trying not to see it all again in her head, hear it all in her mind, and yet what Kavali had said just kept coming back and back no matter what she kept her hands busy doing.  So busy was Nightfall in her work to try and forget what she saw and heard that she didn’t see Leetah and Moonshade approach from behind through the opening in the large cave den or both walk up next to her and sit down, her shy tanner to her left and her sweet healer to her right.

“Are you preparing for when the hunt comes?” Leetah asked knowing that what her huntress was doing was more than just the necessary work to equip and ready.  It was more than evident to the healer who had watched her precious Nightfall so many prepare so many times before this night.

The huntress never stopped and never looked up to her love as she continued to check each arrow, or seemed to. “I want to be ready is all,”

“But Strongbow said it may be a night or two before he and Scouter find where the Xanths are hiding, may be longer.” Moonshade whispered hating the words she spoke because she knew they would hurt her huntress so.  And yet the tanner knew it was for the best to speak the truth, to confront the pain now and not put it aside.

“I still want to be ready when the call comes to hunt. I may even use the spare bow that…our treeshaper made for me before we left.” Nightfall said with a slight hesitation, the last of her words sliding into a whisper. For a moment it looked like she might break, might falter and fall, but the huntress quickly shifted back to busying her hands.

Then Leetah’s fingers were touching her cheek and Nightfall’s hands began to shake, the strength needed to hold back the emotion in her soul weakening.  Her beautiful healer then caressed her cheek with a soft palm as Leetah’s voice reached out and soothed the hurt in her love’s soul. “Nightfall my beloved, please talk to us? Cutter told us what Kavali said, that you overheard it.”

She wanted to say she was fine, that it would all be fine once the Xanth’s were dead and they could all go home to Father Tree.  Only she couldn’t, the words failed to form in her mind, and then her shy lovely tanner’s hand were on hers stopping them and Nightfall inhaled deeply as Moonshade added her words of concern. “It’s not true my huntress those foul words Kavali said. We did not leave our treeshaper behind like he said.”

The repetitive motion of checking each arrow was the only thing keeping the pain and worry and doubt in Nightfall’s mind at bay. The sudden stop, the task taken away, released all the emotion the huntress was holding back, and not just this night and all of its turmoil, but the nights of journeying to Howling Rock.  All those long days of sleeping without him next to her and then waking and expecting to see his face to only realize with a deep longing that her treeshaper, her Ulm, was not there with his huntress and would not be for a long time.

“Oh my loves, what have we done? Our treeshaper should be here with us, not so far away all alone.” Nightfall whispered with frustration as her shoulders slumped and she finally let go of holding her emotion as angry tears began to drip down her cheeks.

Leetah immediately took her love in her arms and held her as Moonshade did the same, both hugging and embracing their Nightfall while the healer speaking softly, soothing feelings and a soul that should have never felt hurt. “No my precious one, we did nothing wrong. I miss him too, so much my heart aches to hear his heartbeat and feel his arms around me. Our treeshaper though is where our chief need’s him to be and that we know is where he will always be, our silent protector.  He looks after us from a far and keeps us all safe, his family and tribe.”

“Yes my huntress, he protects our home so when we return we can all be together again, loving and holding each other.”

She reached up taking both her tanner’s arm and her healer’s arms in her hands as she whispered with a small shudder. “I don’t know...I thought leaving him was what we needed, but now...I just don’t know anymore.”

Then Cutter suddenly appeared at the entrance to the large den and seeing Nightfall in her state he wasted no time in crossing the open space. He dropped New Moon to the floor and knelt by all three of his loves taking them all into his arms. Cutter could sense his huntress’s frustration and hurt, saw a tear come from Leetah’s eyes as well as Moonshade’s, and was close to letting his own emotions free.  The wolf chief then heard another approach and he knew it was their archer, the final one they would need.  As Strongbow knelt behind his lifemate Cutter felt one of his hands come up and grip his shoulder and squeeze and then he saw the other slide up and rub the back of Nightfall’s neck warmly.  And those emotions of his ready to break free, Cutter only held them in as Nightfall spoke what was in her heart, looking deeply into his blue eyes as they all held her tightly.

“I heard you and Redlance talking my Chief, the day before we left...what if we have hurt him? What if he feels left alone like that fool Kavali said?”

“If you heard us talking then you heard his answer my heart. Our treeshaper doesn’t feel neglected. He understands what we’re doing, why we are here. He knows we would never hurt him like that.” Cutter said soothing Nightfall, letting his love flow to all of his family.  And as he felt all their love flow back to him the archer sent to them all.

And he knows we will return as fast as we can once we are done with this hunt, return to him with his cub and grandcub.  We will be a whole tribe again, in his Father Tree, and the happiness that all will bring our treeshaper will ease any pain of being alone for now.

“But we have each other my family. We have warmth and each other. He has no one except an empty den and cold furs, how is he supposed to feel, alone and cold?” Nightfall asked, the frustration in her voice growing as tears continued.

Leetah squeezed her huntress letting her warmth spread to her as she put her head on top of Nightfall’s. “Then we’ll give him whatever he wants when we return my love. We’ll give him all our love, all of our hearts, and we’ll even dance for him if wishes. How can he feel alone when we dance for him my love?”

“Yes, we’ll dance for him my huntress and he will know we love him.” Moonshade whispered with a smile and the statement drew an immediate look from all.  As a small blush touched the tanner’s cheeks Nightfall smiled beginning to regain control and sighed.

“You would dance with us my shy one, for him?” she asked and as Moonshade simply nodded with her warm smile growing Nightfall reached up and caressed her cheek lovingly.

Then the wolf chief joined the proposal with his own grin eliciting a giggle from the three lifebearers. “I’ll even dance for him!”

Will I won’t be the only one who doesn’t dance for him so I will too. Strongbow sent and as the words ebbed in all their minds they turned and looked to him with a happy awe and astonishment.  They had all waited for the enigmatic archer to open his heart farther, to trust just a little more, and now to hear him say such a wondrous thing meant more than any of those could say and no words were warranted.  Moonshade simply nodded with a joyful tear in her eyes as Cutter reached up and rubbed his neck with love and Leetah sighed contentedly.
 
“Oh my loving family, how you make me soar and fly to the two moons,” Nightfall whispered rubbing the arms of the ones she loved so much as she looked into their eyes. “I feel like such a fool for crying like this.”

“If you are a fool in love then what am I or our archer or chief?” Leetah remarked with a warm smile while wiping away a tear from her cheek.

“Don’t answer that question. Nothing good can come of it.” Cutter broke in with a small snicker.

The family laughed out loud until a voice called to them from the entrance of the den.

“Grandmother, can we sleep with you in your den today?”

Nightfall looked over to see Pool standing by the entrance. Behind him she could see Tyleet, Scouter, and Dewshine holding a number of furs and smiling.  “Oh please will you? That would make me so happy!” The huntress answered wiping away tear.

Pool quickly jumped up and ran into her arms as the family broke their embrace. Nightfall hugged her grandson hard as everyone went to work setting up for the day. Tyleet, Scouter, and Dewshine all climbed into the den and began spreading out furs covering the whole rock floor with a thick warm layer. Leetah and Moonshade helped as Nightfall stared warmly at first, then in disbelief when Clearbrook and Treestump followed the three-mated family into the den as well.

“What’s this?” Nightfall asked with a small chuckle.

“What does it look like cub? We’re spending the day together as a tribe. It’s time to be Wolfriders again!” Treestump exclaimed with a broad smile.

Nightfall turned to Cutter and Leetah who both simply smiled back at her and she knew they had a hand in this. She turned back to the three-mated cubs and Treestump and Clearbrook expecting to find out what was going on when Ember, Mender, and Tier and Suntop all piled into the den with laughter.  “We heard we’re all sleeping in here today!” Ember said with a giggle.

“We promise to keep our hands above the furs!” Mender offered.

“Who promised that?” Tier yelped with a smile.

“You better not!” Ember retorted with an evil grin at her lovemates before laughing.

“Why are we all here by the way?” Suntop asked going all the way to the back corner next to Clearbrook, who helped him set out his furs with a motherly smile.

“I heard it was to tell tales and stories before sleeping in a great big pile.” Pike called from entrance next, Krim following right behind with more furs and Sust following her.  Everyone gave a cheer, including Pool who howled next to Nightfall cheering just as loud as he could.  The huntress only shook her head as she wiped away a happy tear again from her cheek.

“Wait, can Pike tell a tale without dream berry wine?” Cutter asked moving behind Leetah and getting into position to let her lean into him.  Next to him Strongbow slid going right up against his chief’s shoulder as his lifemate Moonshade pushed up against his chest.

“I took care of that!” Krim said holding up a drinking skin that bulged from the volume of its contents.

“Now that’s my lifemate!” Pike shouted putting his arm around Krim and giving her a kiss. Sust, crawled in and took a space between them and just in front as Leetah and Moonshade pulled Nightfall between them.

Everyone broke out in laughter again until Nightfall called out from her spot. “So everyone just decided to tree with us for the day?”

When one of us is in need we will always be there. We are Wolfriders. Strongbow sent helping to pull a fur up around his lifemate and family.

“And we know there is one who you want to talk with as much as all of us.” Leetah added pulling her huntress to her letting her love flow to all of her family.  Moonshade leaned over when led by Nightfall’s hand and all three maidens cuddled close as Pool sat down and leaned back against his grandmother’s stomach getting comfortable.

“But we can’t talk with grandfather. He’s too far away right chief?” Pool asked with a sad look to Ember.

Cutter chuckled and looked to the young cub and winked, “we may not be able to but there is one who can among us who can.  He may not be able to lock-send us all together because of the distance but Suntop, I think you can be our messenger and tell us how Redlance and the others at Father Tree are doing?”

Pool turned to look at young magic user quickly with an excited expression, but it was the hope he saw in Nightfall’s brown eyes that moved Suntop.  He only nodded as her sweet smile said thank you so much more than any word could have.  As the magic user looked down and closed his eyes, as he reached out along that magical conduit that connected the elves, the tribe sat motionless waiting.  A moment passed as Suntop’s expression never changed from one of mild concentration but then he suddenly smiled and the stilled hearts in the den began to beat again with anticipation.  The magic user smiled and spoke just as eager as those around him.

“Redlance and Dart say good morn from Father Tree. Newstar is too busy being happy to say hello they say.”

The tribe laughed as Moonshade looked to her healer smiling. “That’s our weaver, sweet and so excitable.”

“Yes, oh how I wish I could see her face now.” Leetah giggled reaching up and gently rubbing her tanner’s neck to which Moonshade leaned into smiling more.

How are the three doing?” Strongbow asked.

The magic user took a moment to ask then started laughing drawing a large smile from everyone, needing to hear what was so funny.  “What is it?” Ember yelped from where she sat between her lovemates.

“Redlance says Dart fell earlier while hunting, walked right off of a steep hill, but he’s not hurt enough to cause concern.  Dart says to tell you Strongbow he was tracking a buck so beautiful it would have made you cry.”

“Really?” Pike asked with a raised eyebrow which only brought a quick nod from the magic user.

“Yes, it’s all black he said with antlers that point to the night sky.” Suntop smiled.  Everyone ooh’d and ahh’d at the description, the archer though looked to the other elders Treestump and Clearbrook with concern, as if all three heard the news of an old friend returning and it was not exactly good.  Ember saw the look on the three’s faces and wondered just what those three knew of the strange buck, but she missed her father’s expression and that one would have really made her curious.

Now it’s going to be harder to keep him secret Cutter thought.  It was fine to watch us from afar old one, he thought silently of Atok, but to show up as the Stag again was too much.  Cutter bit his bottom lip hoping, knowing, his treeshaper would recognize the danger in letting Dart get too close and he would keep the young hunter from pursuing the Stag again.  Maybe he could talk to Atok and have the old one keep a safe distance from Father Tree when roaming the woods in his other form.  Then Scouter was asking a question and thankfully the wolf chief let the thoughts of Atok float away.

“How was the Death Season for them?”

Again, just like before, Suntop took a moment to ask the question and then get answer. “Redlance says it was fine, they kept warm but Newstar just said it would have been better if he ate more of the meat instead of leaving it for her and Dart.”

The mood shifted just a little in the packed den, a somberness rolled through all of them as they thought of the harshness the white cold could bring.  Here at Howling Rock the death season wasn’t very harsh and the white cold rarely fell, but at Father Tree it was far more abundant and harder.  Nightfall sighed and shook her head smiling wistfully as her family hugged her.  “And that is our treeshaper, putting everyone before himself.”

Then, as if the treeshaper so far away could sense the oppressive mood and wanted to change it, Suntop smiled and laughed out loud again before turning to his father.  The others all smiled suddenly waiting for the magic user to speak. “Redlance says he and Dart have been looking for a way into the troll caves and luckily they haven’t had to be pulled out of a hole like Treestump had to be.”

Almost at once everyone came to life laughing and howling.  Treestump held up his hands in a swift defense that seemed to have no effect on the laughter.  “I did not get stuck!”

“We had to pull you out of that hole like some stuck rabbit!” Cutter howled shaking his head. In his arms his maidens cackled and laughed like there was never a care or concern, Leetah hugging her huntress and tanner as both hugged her back.

“Wait, wait, fur chin got stuck in a hole!” Pike gasped before Krim pulled him into her arms laughing and hugging him fiercely.  Scouter and Dewshine beside them laughed harder as the elder shook his head trying to hold back his own mirth.

“Tell the treeshaper if he finds a way in to old Greymung’s home to make sure I can fit!” Treestump called out sending the den into a raucous laugh.  It was just what the newly gathered tribe needed to relieve the melancholy before Suntop gasped to catch his breath, sighing heavily.  

“Redlance says they need to go in father, the day star is up and it is time to hide.  He says to tell everyone he says a prayer to Timmorn every day before he falls asleep that we all are safe and we are never out of his thoughts, his beloved tribe and his family.”

As easily as it had begun the laughter died and the den quieted, but unlike the moments before when the mood was sullen and low all those around looked to each other with a smile. There was no need to be sad now, and with a strong voice Nightfall echoed what they all felt as she smiled and spoke. “Tell them all we miss them...tell our treeshaper his family loves him and keeps him in our hearts always.  We will come home soon and be together again.”

Suntop only grinned and nodded sending the message and with closed eyes, either holding back fresh tears or simply savoring the last of the connection, then looked to Nightfall with a warm smile.  “He says his heart has not forgotten his family and never will and his soul is with you all always.  Now sleep and dream of sweet home comings.”

With the last of the send done Suntop sighed again and leaned over when Clearbrook put her arm around him and hugged like a mother she-wolf. She then looked up and smiled, “we’re here to tell tales and howl for our past so let us enjoy being a tribe again.  So, who do we howl for first?”

“Well it has to be someone we all know of, so no going back all the way to Freefoot father!” Dewshine jabbed with a wicked smile. Scouter held both Tyleet and her while leaning back against the den wall laughing as a chuckle went through the tribe. His lifemate and lovemate pulled a fur over them hunkering down for a long gathering.

“HMPF! Why you little…” Treestump responded with mock anger.

Everyone started laughing again until Clearbrook held up her hand and called out. “It has to be an honorable elf, someone we all love and cherish.”

Almost at once everyone called out the name of Joyleaf making Cutter smile at the sound of his mother’s name. Everyone shared their stories, laughed, and grew closer as a tribe again. They told tales of Bearclaw, Rain the Healer, and others while enjoying laughter and company. At some point Sust fell asleep against his mother’s side as she rubbed his back. Krim leaned on Pike’s shoulder enjoying the story telling and her lifemate’s happiness noting there were rarely times like these in the Go-Back tribe.  No warm sharing of the past and no laughter that wasn’t mocking of loved ones. Pool fell off to sleep against Nightfall’s stomach as she held him so Tyleet covered him with a small fur before going back to be held by Scouter. Cutter cradled his lifemate who held their huntress and tanner as he listened and enjoyed his tribe’s tales again. He felt the archer shift next to him and under the furs his hand found Strongbow’s leg and squeezed it warmly. Ember dozed against Mender while feeling his and Tier hands wander and caress her slowly under the furs as the pace of her yawning began to quicken while Suntop lay beside Clearbrook trying to fight off sleep.

Nightfall rested in Leetah’s arms with her head on a slender brown arm enjoying the feeling of the healer slowly running her fingers through her hair while she held Moonshade and stroked her back with long sweeps of her hand. Treestump held Clearbrook close, both doing what they could to stay awake. Dewshine was fast asleep against Scouter, Tyleet was barely awake on his other side, and he looked extremely content just moments from sleep.

“All right, who shall we honor now?” A tired Ember said between yawns. She could feel Mender beginning to fall asleep as his breathing slowed.

“I say we honor sleep.” Suntop called out yawning as well.

“No one wants to say anything else?” Ember asked looking around the den before shifting and laying her head down on Tier’s shoulder.  Sleep for the chief was just a moment away when a voice spoke and her eyes fluttered back open

“Do you think the Stag Dart saw was the same one Redlance caught?” Pike called out.

“The same one father caught?” Tyleet asked sleepily at the sound of her father’s name.

“Grandfather?” Pool spoke waking up at the name.

“Oh my, I barely remember that night.” Clearbrook said as she smiled at the mention of a happening so long ago.

Under the furs the archer reached up and rubbed his chief’s forearm as Cutter’s hand caressed his leg while he sent. It can’t be the same one Pike.  The buck would be so old it couldn’t run if it were the same one.

“I don’t know Strongbow, Pike may be onto something. How did the treeshaper get the antlers of Bearclaw’s Stag and yet have no meat or hide from the kill, eh?” Pike answered.

The archer only shrugged, the hope of the mention of the Stag dying on the air lost as everyone in the den woke up.  The tone of the conversation between the two, the mysterious nature, only made everyone more curious.  “Is there a story about the Stag?” Ember asked looking from Treestump back to Strongbow.

“Is it a good one?” Tier asked just as quick before anyone could answer Ember’s question.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one.” Leetah whispered as she felt her family shift and turn under their furs.  A hand began to rub her stomach with slow wispy touches making her sigh and almost purr with contentment.  In return she felt a warm body with her hand beginning to caress the skin there and almost at once her precious lifemate sighed making her smile.

“I barely remember it. I think father only told me it once.” Scouter uttered.

“I haven’t heard it, someone tell it.” Krim said eagerly as she yawned while snuggling into her lifemate Pike more.  Oh how warm he feels she thought while waiting for someone to talk.

“I want to hear about grandfather.” Pool added while moving from Nightfall’s stomach to his mother’s awaiting arms.  Tyleet opened the furs enough for her cub to crawl in then hold him with a warm smile.

“Is that the one where he tracked Bearclaw’s deer Cutter? We were so young I don’t remember it but father told me the tale when I was older.” Nightfall asked with a giggle while reaching out and fixing the furs that covered Chitter now.

“Yes,” Cutter said putting his head in Leetah’s hair and laughing,” we were so young I had forgotten about that as well. Bearclaw would have killed our treeshaper if it wasn’t for Joyleaf.”

“What did he do?” Ember asked with a smile.

“The treeshaper showed all the Wolfriders who the best tracker is in the tribe my chief.” Pike said with a wink to the healer.

“Why hasn’t someone told it in so long?” Tyleet inquired.

That’s because your father won’t let anyone talk about it, Strongbow smiled with a nod.

“Why won’t grandfather let anyone tell it?” Pool asked looking around.

“Your grandfather isn’t one to boast little cub, and to him telling that story is boasting.”  Clearbrook offered with a smile.

“Will I don’t see our treeshaper here, and since most haven’t heard it in an age, or never at all, I say Treestump tells it.” Pike said with a quick nod.

Treestump gave his friend a quick look. “How come I have to tell it?”

“Not enough dream berry wine!” Cutter stated with his chiefly authority.

Pike held up the skin and smiled brightly, “nope, not enough yet.”

A chant of ‘Redlance and the Stag’ started and before Treestump could believe it he was telling the story to the room. “Okay, where to start. At the beginning would be best I guess. Bearclaw was a good chief, but an even better tracker, and one season there was a deer that had his blood boiling. A magnificent Stag with horns that stretched so high it seemed he couldn’t carry them, beautiful to behold. And a hide that was jet black like Moonshade’s hair, so dark you swear you could see stars sparkling in it! Bearclaw chased that stag all over the Holt and he took it personal every time the beast escaped him, and trust me there were so many times he had it in his killing stroke and missed. He would have tracked the stag to the end of the Abode if it took that. The moons changed and with it Bearclaw’s attitude, more sullen with every miss of the stag.”

“And then one night it just disappeared, gone from the Holt. Bearclaw sent the hunting party out looking for it every night after that one and we came back with nothing. Not one track, a piece of fur, or a broken branch. There wasn’t a sign of the stag anywhere.”

Pike spoke up pointing a finger at Tyleet and Pool. “There wasn’t anything cubs, and we had the best trackers in the tribe looking, trying to find that deer. Or what we thought was the best tracker until your father showed us all.”

Tyleet blushed from pride at hearing Pike statement. “My father found the stag?”

“Cub, your father did more than find the stag. He brought back its antlers for Bearclaw.” Treestump whispered drawing every eye to his.

“Whoa!” Pool whispered in astonishment from his mother’s side while Sust looked up to Pike who only nodded.

Tyleet turned to Nightfall who only smile and spoke. “That was the first time father realized he could track, really knew the woods. Mother said the whole tribe stood in surprise when he came walking in out of the dark with those horns in his hands.”

“But why did he bring the horns back? There’s no use for the horns right?” Mender asked.

“The Stag was to be his chief’s kill and Redlance knew that. He was giving the honor of the hunt to Bearclaw cub.” Pike remarked before his elder carried on with a snort.

“It didn’t matter to that old badger. The first thing that Bearclaw fumed about was how this little cub found the stag. Not a one of us, his best trackers, could find the deer and yet Redmark, his name then, tracks the beast to its cave all the way across the Holt.” Treestump said bring the story back on track.

Tyleet gasped and she looked up to find Scouter eyes raised in disbelief. She heard Dewshine move and looked over to see her lovemate awake and listening.

“And what made it so hard to believe was the rain.” Treestump added.

“It was raining?” Leetah asked wide-eyed.

“For days,” Clearbrook interjected, “there wasn’t a mark of any animal in the woods because of all the rain but that didn’t seem to stop Redlance. It even rained while he tracked the Stag and Redlance still found its lair.”

Leetah looked down Nightfall who simply smiled with pride while Moonshade had the same expression on hers. Everyone in the den who had been sleeping before was awake now. Eyes were glued to Treestump who seemed to love the attention, drawing out the tale to a perfect endgame.

“So, the treeshaper’s been missing for three days and as we’re getting ready to go out to look for him when in here he strolls out of the dark. Redmark walks right into Father Tree carrying that splendid set of horns in one hand and his spear in the other, right up to Bearclaw himself. He kneels and hands over the horns to his chief, presenting Bearclaw with the spoils of the hunt.”

“Whoa!” Suntop and Sust said in wide eyed wonderment.

“Oh, that’s not the best part.” Pike said with a shake of his head.

“What else is there?” Leetah and Krim asked as one with matching curious expressions.

“Hold your breath.” Cutter whispered to his family getting ready for the big finish.

“When Bearclaw asks where the Stag was Redlance tells him the location of a cave all the way across the Holt. He tells the old badger that he tracked and followed the deer all the way to the cave during the days and nights he was gone. Bearclaw practically calls him a liar, yet here’s that perfect set of horns in his hand so we all knew the lad wasn’t lying. Bearclaw demands to see the meat and hide of Stag, where’s the proof of the kill?” Treestump said pointing his finger for emphasis.

On cue everyone in the room leaned forward, waiting to hear the last of the tale. But it wasn’t Treestump who delivered it to them. From his spot by Cutter Strongbow spoke up for the first time. There was no meat from the Stag because there’s been no kill our treeshaper says. Somehow Redlance got the horns from the Stag without killing it.

The whole den gasped, even Suntop’s mouth dropped open, then Ember fell back into her fur and Mender and Tier with a wave of her hand. “Oh you’re trying to deceive us, play us for a bunch of newborn treewees.”

“No Ember,” Pike spoke up with a shocked Krim and Sust sitting by him,” It’s the truth. Ask Strongbow, Clearbrook, or I and we’ll tell you it happened. He had the horns, not a piece or a part, but the whole rack to prove it.”

“How did he do it? How did he get the antlers without killing the stag?” Krim demanded leaning forward again.

“Bearclaw asked the same question and Redlance wouldn’t say. That’s the second thing that made old Bearclaw go into frenzy. He demanded to know, threatened to cast out Redlance from the tribe if he didn’t tell him how he did it. He even sent him away for four days, no contact with any of the Wolfriders, no help from any of us as a punishment for even thinking of not telling him!” Treestump said.

“What? That’s terrible!” Dewshine yelped.

“What do you think he’s going through now?” Pike remarked before realizing he’d said it. “Sorry, must have been the wine”

The den fell into an awkward quiet at the thought, Nightfall felt Leetah and the tanner give her a small reassuring squeeze, then Suntop spoke up. “So, did anyone find out how he did it? How did he get the horns without killing the Stag?”

“No one knows son. He’s never told anyone including Nightfall.” Cutter offered looking at Suntop with fatherly affection.  That wasn’t the truth though the wolf chief thought.  Redlance had told him how he got the antlers from Atok, a gift for never giving up on the chase to snare the buck, which was really Atok himself.  The funny part was each Wolfrider who had ridden to Father Tree now carried a piece of those beautiful antlers, the discs that were left for each pair one day while they slept, just another gift from the old one as he watched over them all.

“What happened with Bearclaw?” Tyleet asked quickly.

“After three days of Joyleaf talking in his ear, and every other lifebearer, Bearclaw brought Redlance back. Oh he called the treeshaper every name he could think and a few he made up, and then he never went on a hunt again without Redlance at his side.” Treestump said finishing the tale.

“That was grandfather?” Pool asked with a smile full of pride as his eyes drooped and finally closed. Sust was already asleep in next to his mother Krim who was fast following right with him.

“I never would have guessed, I mean he’s so quiet, and not the kind of quiet like the archer here.” Krim cited deciding to go back to leaning on her lifemate’s shoulder. She pulled a fur over her and Pike getting ready to go to sleep like her precious cub.

“He’s something different that is for sure.” Clearbrook said looking over to the family and pointing. “You, Cutter and Leetah and Moonshade and Strongbow, you haven’t scratched the surface of what he is and Nightfall has just started to see what he might become. He’s smarter than any of us except maybe the stargazer, and sometimes he thinks so hard I wonder if his head will pop off.”

“Father’s no different from any of us. He follows the ‘Way’, honors and loves his chief, and protects us all.” Tyleet said as her eyes finally started to shut.

“If you ever sit down and listen to him for just a moment, really listen with your heart, you’ll find you want to stay.” Cutter explained. Leetah raised her hand and stroked his face gently.

The den fell into silence once again as everyone started shifting into positions following Krim’s lead when Pike called out again. “Hey, do you remember when Redlance made the bow for Strongbow?”

Suddenly the quiet was lost as laughter erupted from Treestump and everyone who remembered it. Leetah looked down to her huntress and tanner with a broad smile. “You two have to tell me what happened?”

Before the maidens could speak though Treestump was continuing on trying to speak between breaths while Clearbrook held a hand over her mouth watching her precious lifemate make like an archer with his arms and hands.   “Strongbow’s out in the Holt with his new bow carved special by Redlance, hunting for the biggest buck he can find. And he spots one, a big fat one in a clearing. He sneaks up on it and gets his arrow ready. He pulls back on the bow string…”

“And Pow,” Pike yells before slipping back into guffaws.

“There he here stands, Strongbow the great archer of the Wolfriders, with a chunk of wood in one hand, an arrow at his foot, and a gash on his head where the broken bow shaft him as it flew past!” Treestump finished falling back into his furs roaring with laughter.

Strongbow, normally stoic, was lost in his own laughter. I nearly lost my eye, but losing that buck was even worse.

Scouter, Dewshine, and Tyleet all fought to catch their breaths they were laughing so hard while Ember rolled between her lovemates almost crying. Clearbrook slapped Treestump on his shoulder for setting off another round of laughter before falling into him laughing uncontrollably. Pike and Krim tried desperately to get themselves under control and just failed miserably.

The tanner covered her mouth and leaned over touching foreheads with Leetah and Nightfall sending to them the image of her archer the day it happened to all in the family. When they saw the image, the very memory of the aftermath Leetah couldn’t stop laughing at the sight and neither could her huntress but not a soul in the family broke the connection or lock-send between them.  The archer felt his chief lean into and speak or try to.

“He made up for it though. He made you a new one that lasted every day until Sorrow’s end.” Cutter grinned getting under control, but no one could miss the admiration or devotion in his voice for the treeshaper.

After a few moments everyone fell silent and the need for sleep was too great. The murmuring sounds of slumber gently floating on the air started to fill the den as this tribe of old and new Wolfriders began to rest. Sleep wouldn’t come for Nightfall though so she clung to the memories and the stories of her precious lifemate, using them to soothe her soul. From the semi-dark Ember issued one last question. “Do you think he’ll remember me? Redlance I mean.”

“He’s never forgotten you Ember. That’s not Redlance’s way. And how can anyone forget you?” Suntop answered with a loud yawn.

Everyone laughed one more time and then fell back into silence. The morning sun was starting to rise as they all readied for a long slumber.

“I have missed him so much. I can’t wait to see and hold him.” Tyleet said sleepily, her last as she fell asleep in her lovemate and lifemate’s arms.

Nightfall felt Cutter put his arms around his maidens three squeezing all three hard to get as close as possible before pulling the archer in as well. She felt a small tear touch her face and knew Leetah was crying so she took her love’s hand and nuzzled her face into the soft flesh. Nightfall could smell her scent, the jasmine of her skin as she gently kissed the soft flesh. She reached up when she felt another tear touch her hand and knew it was Strongbow, a small tear rolling off his cheek.

It’s harder than I thought it would be. Strongbow sent to the family and them alone.

I can feel his heartbeat still and my memories are still fresh, lean on me my archer and we will endure. Leetah replied letting her hand join her huntress caressing his cheek.

We will endure, all of us… Nightfall replied as they fell asleep holding each other.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, the tribe fights the Xanth...





The bow string was taught, her fingers no longer aching as it bit into the flesh. It hummed just like Nightfall said it would, singing with the power it held. Leetah looked down the shaft of the arrow, past the hand she used to hold the bow, and right to the target that she had been using over the last days. A large round tree with a small circle cut into marking the spot to shoot at. Nightfall, Moonshade with Chitter in her lap, and Strongbow sat behind her watching intently, giving advice when needed, which wasn’t much these last two days. The healer had taken to the bow like a true huntress, gaining in knowledge of the weapon every time she seemed to touch it. Soon it would be second nature to pull the string and fire the arrow at a target. Clearbrook, Tyleet, and Yun sat and watched happily after admiring Pool’s turn with the bow. The cub sitting by them watching and learning with every shot the healer made.

The healer had sent a small sting of surprise through her huntress and archer when she asked to learn the bow with Pool, induced a gasp of shock even from Moonshade.  The tanner had asked why her healer would want to learn the bow when she would never have the need to use it, never the want to take a life pray to the High Ones.  And to the question Leetah only smiled small and whispered ‘to occupy my hands and my mind, to not think of him so much.’  The three reacted with their own smiles and nods more than understanding what their healer wanted and needed from learning the bow. What they were not ready for was just how quick she would take to it.

“Hold your breath and loose the string.” Nightfall said from her seat.

Keep your arm straight, and look the arrow into the target. Strongbow followed with his usual short send.

Leetah took a breath, slow and sure, while concentrating. She held it in to steady her heart and arm. Finally she let her fingers loose the string and it popped with a small twang launching the arrow through the air straight and true. A flash later it struck the target dead center with a loud thud to the gasps of the small crowd watching her. Then they all erupted into a cheer with little Chitter jumping up and howling.

“How was that?” Leetah said with a broad smile breathing deep with satisfaction.

“You did even better than I did!” Pool exclaimed with a laugh.

“I don’t think there’s anything else I can teach you my sweet one.” Nightfall said, her smile brimming with pride for her pupil.

I have nothing more, and so quick to learn! Strongbow added with a nod.

“I think I might be able to improve a little” Leetah blushed looking at the bow in her hand then to Nightfall. “Our beloved treeshaper fashions a magnificent bow.”

“It’s not the bow that makes the arrow fly straight and true, but the archer who shoots it. And you have become a fine archer my soul.” Cutter called stepping out of the dark.

“Do you truly think so?” Leetah said taking her lifemate in her arms.

“Yes I do, soon you’ll be challenging Strongbow and Nightfall I think.” Cutter answered putting his forehead to his lifemate’s with a warm smile.

“I could never match our huntress. She is too fine a shot, and our archer is a master with the arrow!” Leetah laughed before giving Cutter a small kiss.

Nightfall and Strongbow and Moonshade rose and walked over to join their small family in a hug with the huntress who gave Cutter a small kiss on the cheek before speaking. “Don’t let her tell you different, no one has taken to the bow like our desert flower.”

The tanner rubbed her healer’s side and smiled brightly, “and her skill shows with every shot!”

“So, who shall fear your bow lifemate?” Cutter asked chuckling.

“All of those who would threaten my loved ones, or speak wrongly of a certain treeshaper.” She outwardly jested looking to Nightfall. The huntress gave a quick nod her beautiful smile crossing her face at the remark knowing the intent that lie just beneath.  Both knew well Leetah could never take a life unless it was in defense of a loved one.

“Those two haven’t uttered a word since our howl that night. I think our three lifebearers have them too scared to speak.” Cutter said with a wink taking Moonshade’s hand in his and giving it a playful squeeze as he reached Nightfall.

I know I’d fear these three if I was against them.  Are we ready to leave? Strongbow asked unusually excited and not from watching the healer’s skill with a bow.

The anxious mood of the archer was felt by all in the tribe except for Kyun and Kavali. They had found the first Xanth two nights before, the small one Cutter had predicted. What they all thought would be an easy kill turned out to be a fight like Mender had said it would be. The monster was the size of a very large wolf and meaner then Ember had described or could have imagined after the twisted magic of Winnowill had altered it. It was a lizard, with hard scales and a large mouth full of teeth, but it walked on its hind legs upright unlike the lizards from Sorrow’s End using its fore legs to attack with by slashing and gouging. They took some hits that night, Scouter in the leg and Treestump across the chest, but in the end the small Xanth died. It just took almost every arrow they carried and a dozen slashes from the others to finally slow it enough for Pike to drive his spear through its chest.

Now, two nights later, they had found the next one. Everyone wanted to go after it, kill it, because that meant one step closer to going home, one step closer to returning to Father Tree and back to being a Wolfrider. Yet no one wanted to fight a bigger one after fighting the smallest one. It didn’t matter to Nightfall though. She would face the largest one alone if she had to, anything to return to her lifemate and his arms. If she had asked Cutter about fighting the Xanth alone to return their den she was sure her chief would have answered the same with no hesitation as would any in their family, and her love for them grew as the realization for that filled her heart.

“Yes,” Cutter answered to Strongbow before turning to his soulmate, “bring your bow and enough arrows to fight the monster, this may be a long night.”

Leetah looked to her bow with sudden reluctance before looking back to her lifemate with concern. “No beloved, I can’t...to kill…”

“I won’t ask you to fight my love, only heal if someone is hurt, but bring your bow and arrows just in case. Our huntress or archer may have need of both before this fight is over.” Cutter broke in with a nod and a smile before turning to walk away with the others.

Leetah felt a moment of relief, to think of taking a life was more than frightening to the healer and for a brief moment old memories of what her hands had done while in the cold of the mountains came back.  Yes, she had saved her daughter, but still...then a small hand took hers sensing her mood and squeezed it as love flowed to Leetah across the lock-send.  The healer turned to see the brown eyes of her huntress and her sweet voice reassuring.  “There is nothing to be ashamed of lovemate, like our treeshaper we don’t expect you to fight.”

“Yes, we don’t want you to fight my healer, but you and I will have to carry what our dearest can’t.” Moonshade smiled warmly as Leetah turned to her.

“Thank you my loved ones,” Leetah whispered back kissing Nightfall then Moonshade before her family left the clearing hand in hand. The healer felt better, renewed with each step as they made their way to the meeting rock where the others were. Cutter took control immediately learning from Scouter that the second Xanth was in a cave formation just north of the Holt. The Xanth, not the largest one but bigger than the cub they had killed already, would den there for at least a night or two according to its usual pattern. They could be at the cave by the mid of this night, could catch it in its lair unaware. Cutter could have asked around trying to determine his tribe’s mood, but he knew they wanted nothing more than to have this over with this hunt. He looked over to his family and decided to move out immediately. He took Ember aside and talked over plans while the others gathered their things. Leetah and Nightfall filled the quivers on their hips with arrows while Moonshade filled the one she had slung on her back along with a spare bow for her lifemate. All three tied on their knives and checked to make sure the blades would not come free.

“Who’s watching the cave with the Xanth?” Cutter asked just as he finished preparing.

“Kyun and Kavali,” Ember sighed checking her spear.  She knew what her father’s reaction would be, it wasn’t hard to think how he would react knowing both elves he distrusted were the ones he suddenly had to trust.  Cutter raised both eyebrows in surprise causing Ember to shrug her shoulders. “You said to get them out of the Holt and I did.”

“What’s the cave look like?” Cutter asked after shaking his head.

“It’s like the other one. There’s a small drop into the mouth. We can hold the hill with the archers so it doesn’t get past us if it runs.” Scouter offered, but Cutter just shook his head again before speaking.

“I want everyone with a bow midway down the hill hidden. Ember, Pike, Scouter, and Tier and Kyun can spread out at the mouth with spears. Treestump, Clearbrook, and I will drive the beast out into the wall of thorns.”

“After last fight, do you think it wise to meet the beast head-on?” Treestump asked.

“For this last small one I think we can attack it upfront. The last two larger ones we’ll use our heads to take them down.” Cuter said with a wink.

“Where shall I go Cutter?” Tyleet asked holding Pool.

“Stay here with the cubs, Mender, Krim, and Suntop and Yun. If we need any extra help then there’s someone here to answer.” Cutter ordered.

“Yes chief.” Tyleet said with a smile.

“All right, let’s get moving.” Cutter called out and the hunting party left meeting rock.

The group moved to their wolves, Leetah getting on behind Cutter. Tyleet, Pool, Sust, Krim, and Mender waved the group off with Nightfall blowing her daughter a small kiss before slipping away into the dark of the night.  Chitter stood next to Yun and waved her mother and father good bye before climbing up the Go-Back and howling loudly from her shoulders making everyone laugh.

“Will grandmother come back?” Pool asked concerned.

“Oh yes little cub. She will return with the others.” Krim winked with a smile.

“Yes she will, and then we’ll be one step closer to going and seeing grandfather!” Tyleet said happily with a clap of her hand. Pool imitated her clapping his hands and squealing loudly.

The Wolfriders moved through the dark using the deepening shadows to mask their travel across the land. After riding for a while they passed a crevice, so deep and wide it looked like someone pried the land open to crawl out. Shortly before the moon on was at its highest they reached the cave. Kyun and Kavali were hidden just at the top of the small rise as Cutter and the others approached. The two elves didn’t look back or hear them approach. Kavali actually jumped at the sound of Cutter’s voice in his ear.

“Is it still in there?”

Kyun looked over slowly and then back down to the cave nodding as he answered. His voice was strong and calm, respectful of the wolf chief as he spoke. “The Xanth crawled in just before sunrise this morning and hasn’t come out this night.”

“We’ve been out here for two days watching this cave. Do you think it got past us?” Kavali sneered shaking his head.  Ember opened her mouth to threaten the small elf once again only his larger companion beat her to it with a loud hiss.

“Is it the one we’re looking for?” Cutter asked ignoring the mouse’s comment looking to Kyun.

Again Kyun spoke low and calm, respectful. “Kavali saw it crawl in as I was sleeping.  He says it wasn’t the bigger ones.”

Cutter’s eyes narrowed at the Go-Back’s words. He was building just a small bit of trust for the large elf, but the smaller one he could not stand and now this night depended even more that one’s word. He crawled back to the others while Kavali turned to Kyun.

“This should be a very good hunt for me...very good indeed.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kyun asked with eyes filled with suspicion.

The smaller elf ignored the look and whispered low with a sinister smile, “Do not try and stop me or I will tell Ember how the blood on your hands might as well be her father’s, killer of chiefs.”

One eyebrow rose on Kyun’s features as he stared hard at the smaller elf.  It’s happening again he thought. The fool is going to hurt or even kill Scouter thinking Tyleet will just run into his arms.  It’s going to happen again unless I stop it, only if I do then Kavali will tell them what I have done his mind whispered, and that would be the end of trying to find a new home, a new tribe to live with. Now what do I do?  

Meanwhile Cutter was giving last of his instructions to his tribe. “Dewshine and Strongbow take my left. Nightfall take my right with Leetah. The grass is high enough so you can hideout in direct sight of the cave with no problems. Get high enough to where you can shoot over the top of the others. I want you to keep hitting the beast with arrows until it drops to the ground dead.  Leetah, be prepared if someone gets hurt.”

The three archers nodded quietly as did Leetah.

“Ember, Scouter, and Pike take Kyun and meet up by the mouth of the cave but keep out of sight until you hear it coming. We want to pin it in with the arrows and spears then let the ones with swords finish it off.” Cutter said. They all nodded again as he turned and headed toward the pair at the top of the rise again. Once there he gave his order short and concise, no points to miss.

“You,” Cutter said pointing to Kavali while purposefully choosing not to use his name, “take the middle of the hill with the archers.”

“At your request wolf chief,” the small elf said with a head bow, his sinister smile still on his face.

“Kyun, grab a spear and take the middle with the others. They’ll tell you what to do.” Cutter ordered with a tone that was nothing like he had used when commanding Kavali.  It took on note of regard, almost as if the large elf had more than just strength to the tribe.

“As you request,” Kyun replied slowly, his tone sounding more like a follower with each word.  The two stared for a moment passing some unknown token of courtesy before the large elf looked over to see where his smaller companion had gone with a concerned eye.  The small change did not go unnoticed by the wolf chief who watched closely as both elves moved off to get ready.

Then Cutter waited for Treestump and the others to join him while he gazed on the cave and the land around it. Something didn’t feel right he told himself, didn’t sit well with his instincts. He kept staring at the cave waiting for his mind and his stomach to sync up, give him the necessary sign to begin the hunt. It never did though and finally some prodding from Clearbrook made the decision for him.

“Are we going in Cutter?”

He looked around once, felt foolish for waiting, and gave a single nod. They moved out silently in three groups. The archers crawled down the hill slowly moving into place staying low in the high grass to hide. Leetah watched Nightfall closely, mimicking her moves as close as possible. She had been living with the Wolfriders for so long she had learned to stalk, move silently, and become one with her surroundings. And she was good, not as good as Nightfall or Cutter, but she wasn’t a hindrance either. Even with the knowledge gained of hiding and moving without disturbing the surroundings she felt her nerves tingle and her senses climb. They were closer to going to home, to bringing the tribe back together, and finally getting back to their treeshaper and the den and being a loving family. She didn’t want to do anything to stop that so Leetah watched Nightfall intently. When the Huntress stopped she did, and when she rose to a sitting position Leetah did the same just a few feet down the slope. The grass swayed in the wind blowing toward her, which was good because the Xanth would not smell them Leetah thought. She took several arrows and put them point first in the ground for her huntress to use then kept her hands flat across her lap like Nightfall and waited nervously.

The others moved down the slope slowly creeping toward the mouth of the cave. They split into two groups circling the entrance like the previous other times. No sound was heard as Cutter peeked around the edge and into the cave. He looked inside for what felt like an eternity to Leetah, and then he motioned to his group to start to enter. She watched Treestump and Clearbrook follow her lifemate into the cave, and the tension in her body went up. She knew why to, and it wasn’t worry for Cutter. He was a warrior, the best she had ever seen and she had seen so many. There was no equal with a sword to him, no one faster than he was, and no one as brave as he was. No, it wasn’t worry for her beloved lifemate. It was for the return home to Father Tree. If something went wrong, if the beast got away or if they failed in any way to stop it then that would mean staying longer at Howling Rock.  It would mean staying away from home and the warmth of their den longer.

Nightfall! She sent with nervous fear.

All is fine Leetah, just breathe my sweet one. Everything is going to be fine. Remember to stay behind and be ready if we need you. Nightfall sent trying to sooth her love.

Yes, just breathe! She sent back rubbing her hands and watching the cave.

Scouter, Pike, Kyun, and Ember moved around the mouth of the cave on the edge of the grass taking up their positions. Somewhere a bird cried, the night grew quiet again, and then in a blink it all exploded.

RUN! IT’S ONE OF THE LARGE ONES! Clearbrook sent with a scream.

A roar erupted from the cave shaking the ground causing all of them to gasp. Nightfall, Strongbow, and Dewshine all brought their bows up at once. Leetah jumped a bit form the loud noise and send, the breath frozen in her lungs. The archers all pulled their bow strings tight ready to lose a volley at the Xanth, or whatever came out of the darkness of the cave opening. Somewhere in the background a flock of birds screeched as they fled with the noise reverberating all around the small hill.

It was all going to plan Kavali thought as he smiled with even more maliciousness. Kyun would be sorry if he sided with those pathetic Wolfriders in this because this was not a small Xanth as he had told everyone, no this was the large one, or at least what he thought was the biggest one. He wasn’t brave enough to crawl close enough to see the Xanth to know its exact size, but the tracks he covered up were very large.  Now all Kavali had to do was wait for that fool Scouter to run at him when he saw the large beast escaping the cave and fire a well-aimed arrow, a missile right at the elf’s chest. He brought his crossbow up, sighted it right for Scouter’s back, and readied to squeeze the trigger. All was prepared; he just needed the beast now.
And when the Xanth showed the plan didn’t go…well go as planned.

The beast crashed out of the cave, its scaled head hitting the top of the opening and sending chunks of rocks flying. It was the size of two no-humps and at full flight, its back legs propelling it forward at a break neck speed. Only at the moment, due to striking the top of the cave, it wobbled just a bit semi-stunned. Everyone should have been running as Clearbrook had ordered, but Scouter and Kyun, the two middle spears, didn’t back away and held their ground thrusting with their weapons trying to drive the beast back. Pike and Ember surrounded it on their sides. The blow to the beast slowed it just enough to give it some awareness as it came to sliding stumbling stop just short of the thorn wall in front of it.  The Xanth growled and roared at the five elves sending a gust of wind at all of them with the force of its thunderous bellow.

“Fire your arrows now!” Nightfall screamed.  The huntress recognized the direness of the situation and that the spear bearers were now in more danger than her beloved chief had intended them to be and let her arrow loose to try and help them.

Leetah heard the bow strings pop and watched the unleashed arrows fly right for the Xanth’s side, striking with a second loud pop. They did it she thought; even the thick scales didn’t stop their attack. The Healer rose to one knee watching intently as Nightfall pulled another arrow from her quiver as the others bow strings began to sing with the flight of more missiles. From the cave Cutter appeared in a dead run slashing at the rear legs of the Xanth with New Moon. The blows though didn’t seem to have any affect and Leetah started to panic suddenly as she watched arrow after arrow hit the beast and bounce off its scaly hide. She couldn’t believe her eyes as one arrow after another flew wide of the beast after bouncing off the Xanth’s side. Treestump suddenly appeared with Clearbrook, the two slashing at the beast as hard as they could and doing little to nothing at all to it. Leetah saw an arrow from Dewshine veer and fly off course so far it was closer to hitting Ember then the Xanth.

Calm Down Dewshine! Hold your arm straight, breath, and let the bow string go. You’re jerking it and your arm is half bent! Strongbow sent to them, almost yelling.

The send was like a slap in the face for the small lifebearer. The send also helped Leetah get herself under control, her breathing and her senses and her mind slowing down. She thought about reaching for her bow, but then stopped. Even with the Xanth as dangerous as it was, it was still only a poor beast twisted by Winnowill’s magic. It had no more evil in it then what the black snake had poured in, and she couldn’t hurt it for that reason. She looked up as Dewshine fired another arrow and this one struck true. The small lifebearer gave a yelp of joy for the hit and Leetah only a small smile. She was saddened with conflict, at the pain the Xanth would feel from this attack but then calmed by the fact it would be released from Winnowill’s evil.


He didn’t run. Kavali thought as he waited for Scouter to run at him in panic and fear, only the elf wasn’t doing it. The Wolfrider was standing his ground, jabbing at the Xanth and screaming like they were actually going to bring it down. Being devoid of a greater intellect Kavali wasn’t sure what to do, fight the beast or improvise on the plan. If he fought the beast and killed it then that wrecked everything that he had planned for getting Tyleet, but if he didn’t fight and tried to improvise the plan who knows what might happen. And he had to do something because standing here doing nothing was a sure way to have questions asked about his loyalty later. He wasn’t as brave as Kyun either. He wasn’t even close to the bigger elf’s courage or skill level with a weapon.  

Fire your bow you pile of Zwoot Dung! Strongbow demanded in his send to Kavali

The mouse decided then. He chose not to follow his plan and also not to fight the beast. No, in the end he opted to just fire his crossbow crazily to fool the others into thinking he was fighting, but even then the mouse’s luck was bad. He rose from his sitting position to kneeling and squeezed the trigger firing the arrow wildly at the group. In a blink the arrow struck Scouter on top of his left shoulder and with some kind of wild luck it bounced right up and into the eye of the Xanth. Scouter dropped to kneeling head bent low from the blow as the beast gave another mighty roar. The Xanth saw it’s opening with its good eye and the Xanth took it with a wild charge at the injured elf.

“SCOUTER” Dewshine screamed running toward her lovemate.

He is going to be crushed Kavali thought, just as good as the first plan and there would be no way to point it back to him, except for the misguided arrow. Yet, just before the Xanth could hit Scouter, Kyun flashed across the scene hitting Scouter and pushing him out of the way at the last possible instant.  The beast never slowed as Pike stabbed at it with his spear driving it forward into Kyun, knocking and spinning the large elf on top of Scouter. Kavali stood frozen in place stunned at the sight of his rival now safe on the ground, saved by the one he had placed just a bit of trust in. What happened? Why was fate so cruel? First the plan doesn’t work, but then his errant shot seems to get it all on track, and now it had failed again. Kyun turned on me and joined them the mouse thought angrily, right up to the point the Xanth was on him with its shadow falling over him like a giant dark cloud.

Kyun watched the beast sprint by, his leg and side hurting from where the Xanth had struck him while it ran by heading up the slope and freedom.  He looked over to see Scouter alive thankfully, Kavali’s vile plan gloriously ruined, then back up the slope to see what happened next. The beast saw Dewshine coming at it and with a quick snap tried to eat the small lifebearer with one bite, but with an instinctive acrobatic agility Dewshine just dropped into a roll at the last moment. The Xanth’s mouth passed overhead barely clearing her tumbling body and its rear leg missing her by less than a finger’s length. Then she was up again running fast to Scouter’s side with a smile to see him alive.

We can’t let it get away Leetah! Nightfall sent with a scream while turning and running in the direction the Xanth would be fleeing. Leetah jumped up and started sprinting after the huntress as the large beast ran by. She saw her huntress fire an arrow on the run right into the Xanth’s side, the shaft bouncing with each stride. The two lifebearers kept in step moving as one, Nightfall firing arrows into the Xanth’s side and Leetah right beside her. Nightfall’s wolf friend sprinted out from its hiding spot to her and with a grace developed from a long life in the woods the huntress leaped on to Longcoat’s back while nocking another arrow to her bow string. She stopped her attack long enough to reach back with her free hand for Leetah. The healer grabbed it and with a quick pull from the huntress she was flying onto the back of the running wolf. Before she had settled in though Leetah looked over to see Strongbow following them on Lashpaw with Moonshade right at his side on her wolf friend, the two archers fired again together striking the beast once more with two solid shots. From behind they heard the howl of Cutter and knew he was in pursuit as was everyone else.


Cutter ran past Scouter and Kyun looking at both slumped on the ground in a heap. “Are you all right?”

“We’re good! We’ll catch up!” Scouter yelled back while getting up just as Dewshine reached his side hugging him. The answer was enough for Cutter as he and Pike and Ember all three bolted for the fleeing Xanth. Mid way up the slope their wolves appeared running alongside giving each the chance to mount. Pike grabbed his with one hand and pulled while holding his spear with the other. Cutter didn’t grab Hatch, his wolf friend, instead jumping cleanly from the ground to a laying position across the wolf’s back. The trio crested the rise in pursuit; Pike just behind his chief and Ember just behind him. Cutter could see the Xanth with Strongbow and Moonshade pursuing it from one side while Nightfall and Leetah attacked it from the other. He urged Hatch on faster to catch up feeling the wolf’s stride lengthen and its pace pick up. He turned to make sure Pike and the others were staying up and when he looked back Leetah and Nightfall were no longer there. Only a cloud of dirt and grass flew up around where they should have been.


“Are you all right?” Dewshine asked looking back as she ran behind Scouter for the top of the slope and her wolf friend.

The large elf only nodded stumbling to his feet and yelling, “Yes, now go quickly and kill the Xanth!”  

The small lifebearer only nodded and followed her lovemate. The fight was over and Kyun was somewhat unscathed. He watched the Wolfriders ride over the crest of the slope away from the cave and growled. Yes, he had saved Scouter from Kavali’s plan, but now the Wolfriders were fighting one of the large Xanth’s and it was possible some would not be returning back to Howling Rock. What was the fool thinking; if Cutter survives this monster he will surely know what he had planned. What would happen then, Kyun knew and it meant he had lost another home due to that foolish elf.

“Kavali, you witless black eyed cat, come out of hiding?” Kyun called out with a loud yell meant to scare the small elf.

Nothing answered though except the sway of the grass in the night breeze. Off in the distance he could hear the Xanth scream in pain. He heard the Wolf chief scream out for his mates.

“Kavali… Kavali answer me!” Kyun yelled for the mouse. Rage started to set in as he started to climb the slope with his eyes scanning. He took five steps, just five steps, when his eyes set upon a crushed area of grass. He could see the hand meekly pointing skyward.  Kyun stared at the appendage as it twitched, moved as if to try and grasp the air.

“He’s hurt, the Xanth ran him over” Tier said from behind with his spear in hand.  Why the small elf didn’t chase the beast with the others he wasn’t sure, maybe it was the way Kyun yelled for the smaller elf Tier thought.  Whatever it was he watched closely the next few moments.

The larger elf didn’t respond to Tier’s question, just limped slightly over to where what remained of his past gasped for air. Kyun dropped down by the crushed body of his old tribesmen with an emotionless look. He could see the blood oozing from the mouth, hear the choking sound of each breath, and he knew there was no help for the mouse. From behind he heard Tier speak up again.

“Does he need a healer?”

Again Kyun remained quiet not answering the question as he stared down into the eyes of Kavali with cold assurance.  Kavali would die, mere moments probably he thought, and the last look the small elf would see would be his face.  The last the mouse would see in this world be his eyes and Kavali would know from looking into them that Kyun was free, with his death there would be no more holding the past over him.  So with that indifference in place Kyun watched Kavali gasp one last time and then no more.  


The Xanth was running at its top speed with Leetah and Nightfall trying to keep up. The healer was holding onto the huntress keeping her eyes on the Xanth when she  saw the beast suddenly lunge at them, its front claws slicing at its attackers and the move was so quick she had no time to scream. Nightfall didn’t have time to react either except to loose her last arrow at it, the shaft sinking deep into the Xanth’s face. The claws raked across the huntress’s thigh cutting into the flesh almost to the bone. Nightfall tried to scream as the Xanth’s attack continued on with the beast slamming into Longcoat sending the wolf and its riders sprawling across the ground. Leetah saw the green scaled beast coming at her, for her, and all she could do was flinch as the blow landed almost taking her off Longcoat, and then the wolf beneath her just went away. Nightfall disappeared in front of her as she felt her body become weightless and float for a brief second before the ground came crashing up to meet her.


“LEETAH! NIGHTFALL!” Cutter screamed and before he knew what he was doing he was bringing Hatch to a stop. But he couldn’t stop. He had to help Strongbow, who had also slowed with a look of fear on his face at the sight of his loved ones being driven to the ground.
Go my chief! I’ll take care of them! Moonshade sent jumping off the back of her wolf friend with a quick move. She ran over to see Longcoat standing back up, a little wobbly, but okay from the short glance she took before spotting one of the riders who had fallen.

“Leetah,’ Moonshade screamed running over to her healer who was starting to rise shakily from the prone position she had been in on the ground.  Cutter and Strongbow both gave one last look before turning and sprinting away praying to the High Ones their maidens were okay.

Everything hurt it felt like, but most of all her shoulder and head throbbed. The healer sat up on her knees hearing her name being called with a heavy dose of panic running through the voice. “What happened?” she asked groggily looking around confused.

“The Xanth attacked you and our huntress.” Moonshade gasped pulling a cloth bandage from the small pouch on her hip and putting it to Leetah’s arm which was bleeding.  

“Where’s Nightfall? Where is our huntress?” Leetah asked quickly as her mind finally began to clear and the memory of the Xanth’s blow came back.  She looked left and right as did her tanner before they heard from their love.

I’m hurt Leetah! I can’t stop the bleeding! Leetah and Moonshade felt the send from Nightfall and it was full of fear and alarm.

Leetah jumped to her feet pulling Moonshade with her. The healer stood still and scanned the grass for a moment before just a few feet away she saw Nightfall. Leetah bolted for her huntress with her tanner right behind. When both got there Moonshade froze for a second at the sight of all the blood, “High ones!”

Nightfall was lying down on her back, her left leg several inches off the ground as blood flowed. She was holding three large gashes with her hands, squeezing with all her might. “I can’t stop the bleeding Leetah!  I can’t stop it!”

Leetah instantly dropped by her love’s side with a rush and began healing the wounds as Moonshade followed. Before the tanner could ask what to do the healer gave her a quick order. “Grab the leg above the wounds and squeeze my tanner! We have to stop the bleeding while I close the injuries!”

“Please Leetah,” Moonshade pleaded as she grabbed Nightfall’s leg above the gashes next to the huntress’s already blood stained hands and squeezed with every ounce of strength her small arms could produce, “we can’t lose her.  We need her so much!”

Nightfall screamed in pain from the squeeze, but she didn’t let go with her own hands either. The huntress and tanner watched as the healer did her magic, the wound slowly closing from the inside out as Leetah whispered. “We are not losing our huntress. I will never lose anyone from my family!”


Hatch and Lashpaw caught up with the Xanth, which was slowing now due to all the wounds the Wolfriders had inflicted, but the beast had no intention of stopping or giving in. Cutter spun New Moon in his hand, the blade now facing down his arm. He punched with his hand drawing the blade across the Xanth’s leg opening a long and wide gash. The beast screamed and tried to kick at its attacker, but Cutter pulled Hatch away easily dodging the flailing leg. Pike and Ember rode up behind the archer and stabbed at the underbelly of the Xanth repeatedly opening cuts and slashes. Strongbow drew his bow string back and fired his last arrow for the Xanth’s head. To the spot he knew might end the beast’s life. The bolt flew straight puncturing the beast’s only good eye with a pop sending white milky fluid spilling down its head. The beast gave one last scream of pain, but it still refused to fall. It trudged on, limping and staggering, but refusing to give up. It tried to kick at its pursuers, but being blind its attacks were feeble and missed.

Cutter looked up to see they had chased the beast all the way back to the large opening in the ground. He started to pull Hatch to a halt as did Pike and Strongbow and Scouter on their wolves. They all watched as the Xanth never stopped or slowed as it approached the opening, it couldn’t see what was in front of it. The Xanth gave one last mournful scream as it ran right off the side of the crevice, and then it was gone. Strongbow moved Lashpaw carefully up to the opening and peered over. After a second he turned back around to the others with his usual calm expression.

Its gone, was all he needed to send.

They waited long enough to turn and run back for their brethren. Cutter pushed Hatch hard feeling the wolf’s sides bellow from the effort. His heart raced, they had to be all right. Of all the ones to get hurt it had to be them? What would he say to Redlance? He had promised to bring them all back safely and now what, he may not bring back the most the important ones.  The family may be no more. As the wolf chief closed he saw three shadows standing, one in the middle while the other two held it up. It was them Cutter thought, it was all of them. He could make out Leetah and Moonshade holding Nightfall up as Longcoat limped behind them.

“How bad were you hurt?” Cutter yelled jumping off Hatch as he reached them.  His arms were around all three before they could answer.

“We’re fine lifemate.” Leetah said before he had them in a hard hug.  Then Strongbow was taking them in a hug as well and she finally smiled letting a deep exhale go as the archer sent to them.

What happened?

Moonshade leaned into him and whispered, “if it wasn’t for our healer we would have lost our precious huntress.”

The group stood there, each hugging the other reassuring all that everything was okay now. The wolf chief finally loosened his embrace and stepped back looking at Nightfall “What happened to your leg?”

“The Xanth clawed me my love, but Leetah healed the wounds. I’ll be fit to run in a night or two.” She explained with a smile seeing his worry subside just a little from her words.

He turned to his lifemate, who looked exhausted and beaten, and simply smiled. “How are you?”

“My head hurts along with my shoulder, but other than that I will live.” Leetah said returning his smile.

“How is Longcoat?” Cutter asked Dewshine who was by the wolf now with Pike.

“He won’t take the weight of a rider for a night or two at least, but he’ll make it back to the pack at the Holt.” She said with a smile.

Sweet relief spread over his body as Cutter realized they had survived, everyone was all right. It took a moment to sink in but they had not only survived the hunt but beaten one of the bigger Xanth’s. The realization of what they just did, what they had just gone through and why hit him finally. He stepped back from lifemate and lovemate, his jaw locked.

“Where is that fool Kavali?” Cutter growled.

“I don’t know. I lost track of everyone after the big lizard tried to run away.” Ember answered shaking her head.

Cutter wheeled and started up the slope back toward the cave. He pulled New Moon free with one pull intent on sticking it into the small elf. Leetah knew that look, knew what was coming, which is why she screamed for her lifemate to stop.  “Cutter don’t, don’t shed more blood!”

“He almost got us killed! He almost got you and Nightfall killed! Am I supposed to just let that elf get away with that?” He yelled back so incensed he forgot who he was speaking to.  The night he struck his treeshaper suddenly came back, the ugly memories, and abruptly Cutter felt sick and he froze.

The healer shook her head noting the change in her beloved soulmate’s demeanor.  He’s back to that morning, back and feeling sick from it.  Leetah whispered with all her love reaching out for her beloved’s heart the way her treeshaper would to try to calm her lifemate. “No, you must address this, but not with blood. That is not your way beloved. It’s not our ‘Way’.”

The wolf chief stood perfectly still, his hand throbbing on New Moon’s hilt, the internal struggle between his anger and compassion showing on his face. He saw Leetah say the words, but knew it was Redlance who inspired them. After a minute he accepted what he knew had to be and sheathed New Moon with a click. He shook his head and pointed at Leetah “Your right, but I can’t promise I won’t hit them though.”

“I can live with that.” Nightfall said hobbling after her chief. Strongbow stepped in putting Nightfall’s arm over his neck letting her lean on him as Leetah caught up with her beloved.

The group moved off up the slope intent on meeting, and giving, Kavali a good thrashing for what just happened. “Kavali, you fool, where are you hid-“

The last stuck in his throat. When Leetah and the others gained the crest they finally saw what had stopped Cutter cold. In the middle of the slope Tier knelt by a large patch of flat grass stained red with blood. The Wolfriders looked to the spot with shock before turning to Tier who stood up holding his spear at his side.  Without asking they knew someone had passed on, the only question was which one had.  

“Was it Kyun?” Ember asked with a small whisper, her voice tinged with fear.  She had felt a small kinship to the large elf from the moment he had arrived.  He reminded her of Treestump in the way he looked after the tribe when he would let that side show.

“No,” Tier answered shaking his head before looking to Leetah with a tear in his eyes, “it was Kavali. I don’t think there was any healing you could have done to save him.”

“What happened to him...to Kyun?” Leetah asked squeezing Cutter’s hand.

“The Xanth ran over Kavali, crushed him.” Tier responded walking over to Ember before looking to Cutter. “Kyun took his body to bury it maybe. He said he might return to the tribe my chief, but not to wait for him if our chance comes to leave for Father Tree.”

“We will leave him a den to return to if he wishes.” Ember stated with a tone of pure dejection.  She had never expected to lose one of her tribe like this.  She looked around to note the others felt the same, from Pike to Scouter and on.  No one wanted to lose Kyun and yet they all understood that it might come to that.

The wolf chief sighed and nodded to his daughter, “and we will leave one for him at Father Tree.”


The Wolfriders collected what weapons were left by the Xanth’s den in silence before heading back to Howling Rock. When they were well away from the cave and the crevice the quiet was finally broken by Pike. He turned to Nightfall who rode behind Strongbow.

“What does Father Tree look like? Is it the same as before?” He asked catching everyone’s attention.

“It’s just like before. Redlance even made it larger and taller.” Treestump sighed with a smile.

“With branches thick enough to hold you and your lifemate while you join under the light of the moon. Vines to climb and dens a plenty!” Clearbrook laughed grabbing Treestump’s hand and holding it tightly.

“That’s a thick branch!” Scouter yelled out. Everyone laughed as Treestump shot his lifemate’s cub a wicked but teasing look.

“Did he grow flowers too?” Dewshine asked.

“Oh, has he been busy growing flowers, so many blooms.” Nightfall answered with an air of reverence as she hugged the archer who smiled thinking of his treeshaper.

“Everywhere there could be a flower he has put one. All different kinds and colors, and all smell so sweet. He even put some in our furs once, remember beloved?” Leetah asked with a small giggle. Nightfall tried to hold in her laugh and missed letting it out.

“I think there’s a story here!” Clearbrook remarked with a raised eyebrow and a grin.

“Let’s just say I rolled over and found a thorn where there shouldn’t have been one!” Cutter growled with a shake of his head and loving smile.

Everyone started laughing, even the wolf chief, as they neared their Holt. Tyleet, Krim, and the others met them at the clearing. The story of the Xanth’s death quickly passed between the groups causing Krim to cheer while hugging and kissing her lifemate. Mender hailed his chief Ember and Cutter as true warriors.

Tyleet though ran to her mother Nightfall with a concerned look and hugged her. “The Xanth clawed you?”

“Yes precious one, and thank the High Ones Leetah was there to heal me.” Nightfall said hugging her daughter back.

“Do not thank me. Thank Moonshade for being there to aid me!” Leetah offered walking over and kissing Tyleet on the cheek.

Moonshade just shook her head after climbing down from her wolf, a small blush on her cheeks. “I only helped a little. I’m just so happy Leetah was able to heal your mother so she is still here with us.”

But Leetah wouldn’t let her shy tanner take the modest route. “If not for you our huntress might not have lived. Her wounds were more than I could have handled alone.”

Tyleet turned to the tanner and quickly grasped her hand. “If you won’t take their thanks for saving my mother Moonshade then please take mine. I owe you so much.”

“You owe me nothing Tyleet. I could not bear losing your mother, my precious huntress.” Moonshade whispered shaking her head with a loving smile.

“Then take my thanks Moonshade, please.” Cutter asked walking over and kissing her on the cheek.  

“Oh my chief, you have given my lifemate and me so much already. I could never give back what this family has given us, what you all give us every night with full hearts.” The tanner countered squeezing Tyleet’s hand while looking deeply into Cutter’s eyes.

Yes, Strongbow sent to his family as he appeared by his lifemate putting a hand to her back as he looked to his chief, we could never give back what you have given us and show us.

The family fell quiet as Chitter ran up and jumped into Cutter’s arms howling and hugging him before settling into him.  The wolf chief and the others laughed before he spoke, “Still I think our treeshaper may grow you an entire field of flowers for saving our huntress.”

“Oh, I’ll settle for that.” Moonshade giggled.  They all laughed this precious family and Tyleet turned to her mother speaking.

“You may need to bathe and clean your scratches mother. If any of the slime or dirt from the Xanth gets into them it can infect.”

“That sounds like a splendid idea!” Leetah exclaimed with a smile.  The tanner and archer only nodded as soon others in the tribe began to join in.  In a mere moment the whole tribe had decided to bathe as well.  Tyleet laughed as she began to walk away with Scouter and Dewshine, the trio following the others heading for the small stream to bathe. Nightfall was ready to limp her way to the stream when Cutter abruptly scooped her up in his arms. She gave a small squeal as Leetah and Moonshade giggled at the sight.

“What are you doing?” Nightfall asked laughing.

“It hurts to watch you hobble, and I like to carry you.” Cutter stated.

“Oh you do, well I’ll have to make sure the next time I battle a Xanth to get clawed by it as it flees for its life so you’ll carry me again.” Nightfall smiled with the jest.

Cutter stopped in his tracks, the playful mood gone in a blink. “Don’t even joke like that. I almost lost you tonight and Leetah too. I couldn’t survive that kind of loss. I won’t even think of it. The only good thing is Redlance is back at Father Tree safe.”

Leetah moved up and put her arm around Cutter’s shoulders. “We’ll be fine my beloved. We will return to our den at Father Tree with our beloved treeshaper soon.”

I can’t wait to see him, the archer added with a smile as his cub rode on his back clinging to him.  No one missed the emotion of his send or the look in his eye which made the tanner lean on him as they waited.

“And he can make us more roses for our furs!” Nightfall suddenly spoke as the family began to move toward the stream again.

Cutter gave Nightfall and quick playful neck bite then spoke with a deep growl. “And this time you can pick the thorns from your backside!”

They all laughed disappearing to the stream.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, the Troll caves have finally been conquered...



“Are you two sure of this?”

The question from Newstar, the concern that it was filled with, matched her lovemate’s worry as he stood by the opening.  It looked dark and deep did this hole, and as Dart stared down it the more the hole began to look even darker and even deeper, a long drop into nothingness.  He finally broke from the trance he was in gazing down the hole with and turned his attention back up to his lovemate who looked at him with so much worry her beautiful features appeared marred.  “Yes...we’ll...be fine...right?” Dart stammered before turning to look at the treeshaper

Redlance only smiled as he lit the bundle of tinder he brought along.  As the small bit of old bark stripped from a dead tree and leaves caught he spoke still grinning.  “You don’t have to come with me Dart, but it would be nice to have someone else follow to help if I run into a problem.”

“What kind of problem would you run into?” Dart asked quickly as he watched the treeshaper push the burning bundle down into the hole.  The small burning ball fell, and fell, and fell it for a long time seemed like to the archer who swallowed hard.

“I’m not sure, all I know is it would be nice to have someone else in the caves with me, but if you don’t want to go you don’t have to?” The treeshaper commented pulling off his tunic.

Dart looked at his treeshaper for a moment then over to his lovemate who stared back wide-eyed with more worry before he answered.  “I’ll go Redlance...if this is the true way in?”

Just as the archer finished his question the burning bundle hit the bottom of the shaft and with the last of its dying embers the trio at the top could see the hole had a bottom but more importantly there was a turn to one side, in the direction of the rising day star strangely. Redlance looked up with a smile, the grin of someone who silently had a question or memory confirmed by what he just saw.  Dart inhaled deeply as the fire burned out while his lovemate shook her head still not convinced.

“How do you know this hole will lead inside the caves?  Didn’t Treestump and Strongbow already try this and fail, miserably?” The lifebearer sighed.

“They were close Newstar, on the right path just not following the tracks close enough.” Redlance smiled.  It was their idea the treeshaper thought, fur chin and his archer figured that the trolls who worked bright metal in the caves had to move the hot air and smoke from the fires outside less it choke the very ones living in the caves.  Then they all remembered that above the pits where the trolls burned the great fires to melt and shape the metal they worked were holes, openings in the very rock of the roof.  One might be able to crawl down one of those holes and find a way in.

“So this one is different in some way?” She asked nervously while watching her lovemate take of his top as well.

“Yes,” the treeshaper nodded picking up two branches he had prepared to be torches and stuck them in a sling he wore round his bare chest made of a strip of leather, “the walls of this hole have look to have been chiseled by a trained hand and smoothed, unlike the hole fur-chin got stuck in.”

The memory of poor Treestump getting stuck halfway down a hole he and Strongbow thought was the one that would take them inside came back to the three and the fact it took four Wolfriders to pull him free and a turn of the moon to heal was not lost on them.  Redlance turned back to the mass of foliage he had grown back to reveal the holes and began to grow a long vine from it to use to slide down the shaft.  The treeshaper had spent the better part of the night before growing back the seasons and seasons and seasons of foliage and vines from around this one hole half way up the large hill of rock the caves were part of, which looked not so big now that he had seen Blue Mountain. He was sure this was the right one, the hole the trolls used to get the smoke and heat out of the caves with, because as he ‘talked’ with his plants they told him this was the right spot.  The vines told him they had only been able to grow here when the hot and the bad air stopped and the treeshaper knew he had found the way in.  Now, what he was going to find once inside, well that scared him a lot more than crawling down this shaft.

“How do you know the trolls made this hole?” Newstar asked with a shake of her head.

“I don’t, but since there are no trolls to ask anymore I’m just guessing.” The treeshaper kept grinning with a nod, which didn’t ease the weaver’s nervousness.

“Are you sure about this?” Newstar asked one last time in a whisper.  It would be the last her voice told the young archer, the last time she would give him an out from this idea.

He just smiled and leaned in kissing her cheek, “I’ll be fine my love.”

Newstar sighed still unconvinced of this plan, that it might get one or both of her hunters killed and she’d be alone at Father Tree was foremost in her mind. It was bad enough she worried for all the elves at Howling Rock hunting Winnowill’s beats but now she had to add this to the growing pile. She watched the treeshaper toss down the vine into the hole and then look to her with syill smiling trying to soothe her fear. “Climb down and wait by the big door with the opening to look out of.  We should be down there shortly Newstar.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.” The weaver whispered, still unconvinced and still worried. She gave Dart one last kiss on the cheek then stepped back to watch.

“All right Dart, I’ll go first.  We’ll have to slide down head first because I don’t see enough room down there to kneel and get turned around.” Redlance offered to which the young archer just licked his lips and agreed.  Breathing was suddenly very hard to do and he had to force every breath as he watched his elder give a small dip of his head then lay down by the hole.  Dart inhaled deeply forcing in the air as Redlance slid down into the hole head first and was gone into the dark.

The treeshaper used his hand and arms to control his descent down the vine, the leathery plant wrapped around his extended arm and his hand clenching down on it to control the speed.  His legs were splayed open, one to the front and one to the back, against the wall keeping his body straight up and down.  It only took a moment to reach the bottom of the shaft, his hand touching stone, and with a small twist he turned and slid into the opening. He laid there, half in and half out of the opening, slipping one of the torches he made out of the sling across his chest.  It was black down here, no light at all so Redlance couldn’t see anything and no scent to tell him if there is or was life at one point.  It was like being in nothingness, buried and covered with it. The air was stale, tasted old on his tongue, which he discovered when he forced in a breath.  It felt like the rocks around him were closing in and squeezing him but Redlance pushed back the fear using the curiosity of what he might find when he was in the caves to fight the fear.  Where will I end up, in what room he kept asking himself over and over?

He managed to squirm and slide the arm with the torch up in front and then his other arm.  The treeshaper reached out as far the arm with the torch would go swinging the branch from one side to the other hoping he didn’t hit anything, like a rock or an animal.

Nothing, just like what he was surrounded by, met with his arm and the unlit torch.  Well, not nothing, as something did scurry and run across his face.  It had lots of legs and skittered quickly over him to get out, probably a spinner-web or something else.  Whatever it was the treeshaper was glad it didn’t feel enough fear of him to bite on its way out.  I’m in the turn Dart.  I’ll send to you and Newstar when I’m inside so you can start down.

I’ll wait for your send. A nervous Dart replied.

What do we do if you get stuck Redlance? Newstar asked quickly.

We’ll think of something if that happens weaver, now, let’s see where this leads.

There was no reply and Redlance could picture Newstar’s face in his mind, the beautiful brow all completely furrowed with fear now.  He smiled while squirming to move his arm above him and with a push of his legs and pull of his hands he started to slide down the tunnel. At first it was easy work, there seemed to be enough space to move in, but then with the farther in he went the tighter the tunnel got around him and the more it squeezed the harder it was for the treeshaper to breath.  Maybe this wasn’t the right hole his mind asked once, maybe this was just some random tunnel that is going to end right up here.  Then what treeshaper, what are you going to do then when you are stuck down here in the nothingness of the dark wedged in here like some-

Redlance forced a deep breath into his lungs which in turn forced the growing fear in his chest to stop and not become a panic.  He pulled a little harder with his hands, pushed a little harder with his legs, and then his hand stopped, smacked into a wall.  The treeshaper froze. He was here, at the end of the tunnel. He reached around but only found more stone ahead and more stone overhead and to either side. He forced another deep breath and went to touch the rock he slid on with the back of his hand.  He said a small prayer to the High Ones to let there be an opening, and as the back of his hand touched nothing Redlance smiled. I think we’re in Dart, give me a moment to make sure.

Really, your inside the caves, you did it?!

Well, he wasn’t sure of anything yet but Redlance knew he didn’t want to stay in this small tunnel a moment longer.  He gave a small push with his legs to slide farther to the opening and reach around the edges for something to grab.  Almost at once he found a metal bar, his fingers and hand wrapping around it, and with a pull he slid out of the tunnel through the opening dropping slowly into...more nothingness.  As he unfolded and then hung by the bar the treeshaper couldn’t help but suddenly miss the cramped quarters of the tunnel.  At least there was something in the black of the tunnel, the tight space made you feel not so quite alone, not like now where it felt so open. He hung there for a moment from the bar, said another prayer to the High ones that the drop would not be into some spiked lined pit, and then let go of the bar.  The drop was short, so much so it surprised the treeshaper.  He knelt after regaining his balance and patted around like a blind elf, which he was essentially, trying to discern where he was.  He felt what might be pieces of wood, old and crumbling, maybe what was left of a log that had partially burned.

“I’m in the fire pits, just like I thought I would be.” Redlance whispered and even though he never expected a reply when the deathly quiet of the black was his only answer a shiver went down the treeshaper’s spine from the silence.

He quickly took the torch in his hand and lit it with the flint he carried in his leggings.  The old leather cloth he wrapped around it caught and then he had light and Redlance looked up to notice what dark the torch threw back was little but enough to see his guess had been right. He was standing right in the middle of the fire pit among the remnants of an old fire.  

I’m in Dart, come down. The tunnel is tight though so be prepared.

Alright, I’m on my way.

While the treeshaper waited for the young archer he turned around slowly where he stood eyeing the dark just beyond the glow of the torch eagerly.  He remembered this room, vaguely through the hazy memory of living so long, but he knew this room.  This was where they bartered with the trolls, where they traded for bright metal and arrow heads with pelts and meat.  This was where Picknose and Old Maggoty tried to undercut them when the pair tried to take Moonshade from the tribe, and where so many other countless encounters occurred.

I’m in the tunnel Redlance, how far does it go? Dart sent nervously to him.

He held the torch up into the tunnel opening, which was just overhead, and replied.  Do you see the torch Dart?

Yes, I’ll be there in a moment.

Alright, I’m going nowhere yet. Redlance sent back as the room was plunged back into a semi-darkness.  As he stood there waiting a sound suddenly touched his ears coming from behind, just a hint of what he thought was mumbling, and he turned to see what it was.

There’s someone in here with me, but that couldn’t be Redlance told himself.  How could anyone still be in here, in this dark locked away?  The sound happened again, the mumbling, and it was just out there in the dark shadows the torch light couldn’t reach.  He was staring there when he heard Dart scraping along above him and he pulled the torch down to let the young archer reach the opening.  The treeshaper dropped the torch at his fee and helped Dart lower himself down into the room.  Then as he bent to pick it back up Dart whispered.

“What is this room?”

“This is where the trolls shaped the bright metal, made the weapons and arrow heads we traded for.” Redlance whispered back.  He walked over to the edge of the fire pit then dropped down onto floor with Dart right on his heels, the cub not wanting to stray very far from his elder it seemed.  The pair stood there as Dart sent to Newstar to tell his love he and Redlance were inside and to move to the door and the treeshaper looked round getting his bearings.  It took a moment to orientate what little his memory could tell him to the dark that was all around them and still Redlance was only sure enough to say they were in one of the rooms the trolls used to shape metal. He stepped away from the pit and lit the second torch before handing it to Dart to use.

“I think we need to go this way,” he offered as his light fell onto another smaller fire pit and several large metal boxes the trolls called anvils.  He remembered the name because it sounded funny to him, the treeshaper, and even now he was grinning at the sound of it bouncing around in his mind.  Redlance started out heading past the pit with Dart right behind keeping an eye out on their backside.  They found a wall after a moment of stumbling in the dark but no door so Redlance went right and began to circle round till he came across the opening that led out of this room, yet he knew from the fog of his memory there was a second opening, another door into this place.  His mind kept saying go on so he circled more walking along till his scarce recollection was proven correct.  The treeshaper stopped in front of the large opening and looked back to where he thought the first entrance into the room might be when Dart sent to him.

Which way does this go?

The treeshaper looked at the dark opening here at his hand, one way to leave the room, and then back across the dark to the opposite wall and the other way to leave. If I’m remembering right there were these rooms like this one with the fire pits, what they called a forge I think, and they shaped the metal here. Then the trolls had a separate room where they made and stored the long bars of bright metal they shaped in the forge rooms.

So one of these openings leads to the room where they kept the bars and the other one leads...to where?

Redlance was about to tell the young archer he wasn’t sure, that his hazy memory was barely keeping up at the moment and his only intention was to find the door out of the caves before poor Newstar went into a fit outside, but the mumbling started again and just as close as the last time.

What was that? Dart hissed jumping and spinning around.

The light from the torches barely threw back the deep dark but it was enough to tell the treeshaper whatever it was it should have been close enough to be seen and hadn’t.  Whatever it was had no scent and left no track.  I’m not sure Dart, stay close and let’s find our way out.

I agree, let’s find out way out.

Door one or door two, Redlance turned back and looked at both again before deciding on going down the one they stood by, and going down was right because the floor sloped down to where it ever it was going, and that turned out to be the room where the trolls kept the large bars of bright metal. There were no tracks on the floor to be seen and the only occupants of the room were spiders and their webs.  The pair found another fire pit and a large metal bucket sitting square in the middle of it and along one wall stacks and stacks of the bright metal bars, which had long since turned brown. Wrong way, let’s go back. Redlance sent heading back out of the room and then across the room they entered.

As they crossed the space quietly, moving low and slow using all the available torch light to see what was around them both heard the mumbling again, louder and easier to make out words neither understood. The pair kept moving ignoring the sounds and before they reached the far wall a loud crash echoed from the other room, the sound sweeping through them with a sudden cold air.  What was that? Dart yelped holding his torch out trying to give the light it produced a boost to cover more ground.

I think it was the large pot sitting in the fire pit.  It fell to the floor. Redlance answered turning back to leaving the room.

How, it was sitting in the fire pit with no way out unless someone lifted it?

Agreed, Redlance replied with all he could offer.  He wasn’t sure what was happening but he had a feeling he knew, only that all fell second to the importance of just finding the way out. He started out the other entrance and felt the floor stay even, no slopes.  

Agreed...agreed...what does that mean? Dart asked catching up.

The treeshaper kept his eyes facing forward as did his hand with the torch and the pair slowly made their way down the tunnel.   At first he looked down every few steps and found no tracks or signs of anything passing by, the dust and dirt had built up over such a long time of being unused and no visitors he thought.  Then Redlance noticed the first sign of life other than him and Dart and an animal.  He stopped by the track and knelt just as Dart looked over his shoulder.

Human, the young archer whispered.

Yes, but it’s very old, so very old. Redlance countered as he stood back up and started forward again in silence.  The new, old, tracks kept going in the direction the pair was heading so Redlance used them as a guide along with his faulty recollection. Soon the tracks and the tunnel led them to a split, one new tunnel branching off in one direction and a second moving off in another.  The treeshaper looked down and noticed the tracks went up one tunnel and then doubled back and went down the other.  He looked around in the dark, which felt like it was pressing in on him again with each step he took farther into the caves.  Redlance then turned and stared down the one tunnel where the tracks went for a moment then the one where the tracks doubled back.

Which way do we go? Dart asked, his send tinged with fear.  Obviously the deep dark was affecting the young archer just a little more than him Redlance thought as he nodded toward the tunnel where the human’s tracks led only once.  As he started forward the mumbling from before happened again, the words loud and easily heard by his and Dart’s ear and fully understood.  They both stopped short of heading into the tunnel following the tracks.  The treeshaper froze and turned to look at Dart with eyes squinted whispering.

“Did it just say ‘Don’t leave me’?”

Dart just swallowed hard and nodded slowly, his movements just a moment before the sounds of someone crying echoed in the tunnels from the dark. The new sound, the clarity of it mixed with the realization there was no one here in the caves but the two who stared at each other, only made the need to find the way out more important.  Before Dart could state this Redlance started off in the direction he had planned on taking just a few moments ago, each step quietly placed and the farther he traveled from the split the louder the crying became.  The young archer looked over his shoulder nervously hoping the torch light would fall on whatever it was making the crying sound, but all he saw was the thick black and how close it seemed to be getting to him and Redlance.  Then, just as the pair emerged into a large open space that Redlance knew instantly was the old throne room of Greymung the former ‘King of the Trolls’ the crying stopped, as if it had never been.  

It used to glow in here the treeshaper thought accepting the silence now as he moved through the room slowly still following the human tracks that were now leading the way for him.  When Cutter and Skywise came through on the quest for other elves they both said the room still glowed dully he thought on, the walls giving off some light through the rock itself Old Maggoty explained. Now though, as if being sealed off for so long had killed any of the light, the glow of the rock was gone.  Redlance walked carefully while turning in a slow circle in one direction while Dart turned in the other taking in all that used to be the troll kingdom.

What happened to the trolls Redlance?

These trolls were taken by other trolls from the North Mountains, the ones Cutter and Rayek and the others fought with the Go-Backs to take back the Palace.  All the trolls who lived here were wither killed or taken prisoner. The treeshaper answered.

The young archer looked around curiously and then back to his elder. If some were killed in the fight...where are the bones?

I don’t know Dart.  Cutter and Skywise both said the caves were empty when they passed through on the quest and Picknose said the Mountain trolls...ate the dead...but I think something else has been through here since. Redlance answered noting the tracks of the human split again, well actually it looked like the human went in several directions, and that Dart’s face suddenly looked like the archer was going to throw up.  The treeshaper stood still examining the tracks noting one set went up a tunnel he recognized as the way to the door to the outside while another set of tracks went and ducked back behind the large throne where Greymung once sat.

“What were you doing back there I wonder?” The treeshaper whispered stepping in that direction.  When he reached the back of the throne his eyes went wide causing a gasp from Dart.

What is it? The young archer sent running over and taking a look behind the throne but not seeing what the treeshaper was seeing, well he was it just wasn’t causing the same reaction to occur. It’s just a big piece rock with a chip in it?

“It’s the lodestone,” Redlance whispered kneeling to run his hand over the chunk on the floor.  It was just maybe a quarter of what Cutter had struck with New Moon that night they fled the fire and there in its crown was the large impression of the missing chip.  The treeshaper smiled and quickly picked up the rock and stood back up next to Dart smiling widely.  “Now let’s go back to Father Tree, with our lodestone!”

“You know the way out now?”

The treeshaper only nodded and holding the chunk of rock he headed down the last tunnel the human had passed through. He noted the tracks only went one way, toward the throne room, which meant the human who ventured into the caves never left the same way they came.  And when the pair reached the final door to the outside Dart breathed a large sigh of relief, the dull metal wheel that used to gleam from being polished meant they were almost free of the dark.




It was almost morning, the day star was just about to pop up over the top of the trees and still she waited; only it wasn’t anywhere near as patient as she had been.  Newstar was now chewing on her last nail and pacing the same line with so many steps she had worn a path in the dirt.  Where were they? Oh she knew it, they were stuck in those stupid caves or worse...they were stuck down in the tunnel?  Oh no, no, no! Newstar stopped and looked to the horizon noting with a panic filled heart the day star was now closer to lighting up the woods.

“Oh! Where are yo-“

Click...Clang!

The door to the troll caves began to move suddenly, squeal loudly in protest as the hinges which hadn’t been oiled or taken care of for so long yelled in metallic pain.  She gasped covering her mouth with shock as the big metal portal began to slide open and she could make out the treeshaper pushing hard against the door.  Newstar finally took a breath and ran to him when she saw her Dart appear in the entrance and she screamed so happily.  They were alive, oh High Ones they were alive!  So happy was the little lifebearer that when the elves stepped out of the doorway she jumped into them letting their arms embrace and hug her.

“You did it! You found a way into the troll caves!” She squealed happily hanging on both of their necks equally.  In return Dart and Redlance just hugged her back laughing, happy to be greeted by a beautiful lifebearer but also just genuinely happy to be out of the caves and the dark and the strangeness that had followed them. Actually, so happy were the three Wolfriders that not a one noticed the door begin to close behind them and it was only when it was just about to close did Newstar see it and gasp.  Redlance and Dart turned back and saw it shut home followed by the locks they had just opened slipping shut and barring access through the door again.

Click...Clang!

‘Puckernuts, the rope I used on the wheel must have broken.” Dart whispered with a dead look.  He had found the old hemp lying by the wheel and used it to keep the door from closing; well he tried to at least. The treeshaper walked over and grab the inset handle of the door and gave it two hard pulls noting the portal gave not one bit from both.

“Oh well,” Redlance sighed and turned back to the other two, “guess we’ll have to crawl through again.”

“No, not today! No, you two are going to get a bath before you even think of going back to your dens and the furs!” Newstar ordered, just like a she-wolf with cubs.

It was the first chance that Redlance or Dart had to take a look at themselves and the sight was a little funny and horrifying. Their skin, the parts not covered by leathers, was black with soot from crawling down the shaft to gain entry.  Their hair was covered in long pieces of all the cobwebs they had walked through and their leathers needed a bath just as bad as they did. Still, looking as they did, Dart gave out a quick howl followed by the treeshaper as Newstar joined in before cackling with laughter.

“We did it, we conquered the troll caves!” The young archer yelled loudly.

“Yes, yes we did!” Redlance joined in laughing.

“Yes You Two Did!” Newstar yelled loudly hugging both again around the neck again and before she knew it the pair started to run for the stream as she dangled between them.  She laughed even more so happy to have her archer and treeshaper in one piece all she could do was cackle over and over.
   



“You two are covered in scratches on your backs and I think a web-spinner may have bitten you Redlance, on the back of your shoulder.” Newstar sighed as she poured water from a bowl someone had left behind at the bathing spot, maybe Leetah or Nightfall, over the treeshaper’s back.  She could easily see the trip through the shaft into the forge room had not been without its cost once all the soot and dirt had been washed of her proud explorers.

“I have some plants I can mix to a paste to take care of it Newstar, does the bite look red and puffy?”

The lifebearer sighed once more and answered, “a little, is it poison do you think?”

“Yes, I have something for that as well in my pouch.”

“Good, I’ll put it on for you.” Newstar remarked sliding around to face both.  All three had shed their leathers to bathe and now she could see the water had returned the pair’s skin to its usual color.  She had even let her lovemate wash her, becoming dirty due to celebrating with them too much.  Dart poured a handful of water down her neck and side making her giggle before she turned to Redlance.  “Is that truly the rock Skywise’s lodestone is made from, the one that fell from the sky?”

The treeshaper nodded and smiled. “Yes, you can see where Cutter hit it to make the chip the stargazer carries round his neck.  I’m not sure where the rest of it went but the little piece of it that’s left I couldn’t leave there in the dark.”

“Well, it proves you two were the ones who found a way in when no one else could.  I am so proud of you both.” Newstar exclaimed with a sweet smile first kissing Redlance’s cheek then turning to kiss her lovemate.  Only when she showed her affection Dart turned to her and the small kiss, what it was meant to be, deepened making her purr and moan.  Then she heard a small splash and Newstar opened her eyes just in time to see Redlance stepping out of the stream and picking up his leathers and the last piece of the lodestone.  She growled low and spat, “Puckernuts!”

“What?” Dart asked quickly with a shocked expression. He was actually thinking he had done something wrong when his lovemate shook her head.

“How can we be so bad Dart?  Here we are about to share in the stream right next to Redlance who’s all alone and has been for a whole turn of the season.”

The archer looked to his elder who was disappearing into the forest and then back to his lovemate, his face a mask of embarrassment. “Oh, puckernuts, do you think he’s hurt?”

Newstar just shook her head and sighed not sure if Redlance was shaken or hurting.  She grabbed her leathers just as Dart did the same and both chased after the treeshaper worried they had wronged him, only when they caught up they were shocked to find him perfectly fine and grinning.  He told them they could have stayed and shared, that the chance to hold and share with the one you truly love was a great gift no one should ever let pass. Newstar blushed from his words, a little red to her cheeks as she agreed with him while she walked along with him and as the three reached Father Tree the day star filled the Holt with light.  

Redlance went to his den where made a special shelf in the wall by the furs pile and he placed the small piece of lodestone there. He sat back then and stared at it while wondering about the voice and the crying.  He knew Wolfriders had the shimmering figures of their beloved dead here at Father Tree, spirits who stayed to watch their precious tribe.  He had been shown what had happened when he woke Father Tree in the lock-send he shared with his precious family.  He thought that maybe the crying in the cave was not a what, but a ‘who’?  Maybe the mumbling and the last words ‘Don’t leave me’ was the human’s version of the Wolfriders beloved dead?  Maybe there was a human spirit trapped there in the caves and it was desperately trying to get out?

A small knock brought him out of his thoughts and the treeshaper turned to see the flap move by the entrance to his den.  The slender arm of the weaver appeared followed by the rest of her body then Dart and when they were in Redlance grinned and chuckled.  “What are you two cubs doing?”

“We’re staying in here with you today and maybe tomorrow if you will let us?” Newstar replied  holding a fur in her arms.

“Thank you Newstar,” the treeshaper with a warm sigh, “but you don’t have to stay with me.  I am fine.”

Dart just shook his head and slid over to the pile, “please Redlance, let us stay until the others return. We don’t want you to be alone anymore.”

“No, please, let us stay.” Newstar whispered, the emotion in her words and voice touching the treeshaper deeply.  The memory of the day his little fox had come to him bound hand and foot refusing to let him be alone any longer flashed through his mind.  And he found on that day, much like this one, that could not tell his love to leave.

“Then please, share my den and my furs and let us stay warm till the others return.”

The weaver’s face turned to one of happiness as she nodded and slid over to the fur pile putting the one she brought from her and Dart’s den on top of the pile.  The treeshaper watched the two ‘move’ in with a contented smile before reaching into his pouch and pulling out two long stem plants with bright red bulbs at its crown.  He quickly chopped and crushed up the plant bulbs and all smearing the paste on a leather piece.  Then he handed it to Dart and gave the archer a set of orders.

“Here Dart, hold this so Newstar can cut open the bite and drain the poison.”

As the leather touched Dart’s hand he let out a gasp and looked to Redlance.  “It’s hot. Is it going to burn you when we put it on?”

“Yes cub, it will but the burn will cleanse the wound and I should be fine. Use the leather patch I put it on to spread it, don’t get any on your hands or it will burn you.” The treeshaper answered smiling still.

“I will,” the archer whispered to his lovemate who stared back at him with a worried look.

Then Newstar rose up to sit up on her knees behind Redlance and taking Dart’s knife she cut open both fang bites with a steady hand.  She felt the treeshaper shake as she cut into the red wounds then whispered.  “I’ve opened the wounds; do I put the salve on now?”

“No,” Redlance gasped shaking his head, “Dart, squeeze around each cut to get the poison out then use the Gose root.”

Dart slid up beside his lovemate and did as he was told trying to keep the sound of Redlance wincing and groaning out of his head.  Then with it done he picked up the leather patch and with a hard swallow put it to wounds and immediately he heard Redlance gasp and then grunt pushing back into the leather and the archer’s hands.  Newstar reached up and pushed as well as a smell rolled through the den, like a bitter mint, and then the weaver knew the salve was burning Redlance.  She looked to Dart grabbing his hands pulling the leather patch away and yelling. “Stop, please stop!”

The treeshaper groaned and clenched the edge of the furs as he pushed back against the pain of the root.  Dart and Newstar looked on scared, unable to move with the exception of dropping the foul leather patch to the floor of the den as if it was an evil thing.  Then with a whisper Redlance spoke and turned to them, “very good work cubs, Rain would be proud of what you’ve done.”

“Is there anything else we need to do Redlance?” Newstar asked with a worried voice.

“Just to rest now cub, let’s seek slumber.  I know I need some.” He said low and without hesitation, the weaver and archer slid over to the fur pile climbing in.

The treeshaper waited then slid in as well laying gently on the furs and inhaling deeply through his nose.  And their scents came to him, his beloved huntress and lovely healer and shy tanner.  He smelled his handsome chief and strong archer and smiled as the scents of all his loves filled him and made his soul blossom.  He felt Newstar slide over and onto his shoulder letting her cheek rest where his maidens always did when they were here. Her arm wrapped around him in a warm hug as Dart’s arm slid under his head when he moved in on his side to snuggle up against his lovemate.  They look like Cutter and Leetah or Cutter and Nightfall or even Strongbow and Moonshade when they’re here in the den Redlance thought and he sighed holding the images in his mind as looked back up to the roof of the den.  Soon both of the cubs were asleep and he thought it was good to not be so alone, not so cold as Newstar hugged him gently under the furs.  

And deep in the troll caves, back in the dark, the crying started again.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, it's time to go home...




The day star rise threw a bright light down around Howling Rock and the small stream that ran through it, passed it by on the water’s way to some unknown destination. A small bend created a break and a hidden place where the flowing water would collect and swirl making a pool deep enough for one of a small stature to enjoy. It was a natural spot to bathe and this morning the elves of Howling Rock shared its close surroundings. Cutter and Strongbow waded out into the bend to wash off the dirt and grime of the hunt as did the other warriors while Nightfall and Leetah and the other maidens stayed close to the bank sitting in water just deep enough to cover their waists. Leetah sat there watching her lifemate and archer bathe with the others while Nightfall washed her back and checked the many cuts and scrapes.  Next to her Moonshade, covered in her usual pelt for bathing, talked with Clearbrook as the healer began to think of her treeshaper, but the thought was nothing more than a wisp of gossamer, a string which led to the image of the beast they had dispatched during the evening’s hunt. Did the hunters truly kill the Xanth, or was it just luck that no one they cared for died from the monster before it fell into the canyon, blinded but more than capable to still fight? Then she began to wonder if the hunters could kill the other large beast like this last one and what would happen if they couldn’t.  How long would they be away from their den and home now? Seeing her lifemate and archer started her thinking of her treeshaper again making the healer sigh with contemplation, with a small bite of pain.  Then she felt slender but strong arms wrap around her as a loving send full of warmth touched her mind.

“What are you thinking of?” Nightfall asked with a smile and loving whisper.

“I was thinking of the treeshaper bathing next to our beloved chief and archer.” Leetah whispered with a sad smile on her face before sighing and speaking again. “Which led to my thoughts on what happened this evening. How are we going to slay the other Xanth when we barely stopped the one last night?”

Nightfall leaned in wrapping her arms around her sweet healer, to embrace her while whispering, her breath tingling against the healer’s neck. Leetah stiffened a bit at the feel as the words from her huntress floated on the breeze. “I was doing the same, thinking the same. How can we take the large Xanth when the one last night almost killed me?”

The healer sighed again at the memory and turned to see the tanner was staring at them and just from the look in Moonshade’s eyes Leetah knew she was thinking the same.  And as the tanner leaned over up against her loves Nightfall continued. “Then I thought about Redlance and his unshakable devotion and love for our chief.  He wouldn’t be sitting here like us, full of doubt and fear. No, he would be at Cutter’s side doing whatever he was asked to do and never once doubting an order.”

“Just like he did when we all journeyed to Father Tree, he never faltered once, even when we barely believed him...when we...” The tanner whispered stopping short of bringing up the morning no one wanted to remember and yet couldn’t forget.  A strong voice broke them from their melancholy with a warm word.

“Cutter will find a way to finish these last two Xanth’s,” Clearbrook smiled looking out to her lifemate as he finished up bathing and started to head in, “and then we will be back at Father Tree with our tribe, our whole tribe, back home.”  

The lifebearers all smiled more as they took the matriarch’s words to heart then Cutter walked up with the other warriors. “And what have you all been talking about?”

I don’t think it would be too hard to guess my chief.” Strongbow sent walking by Cutter and laying down beside his lifemate, just across from Clearbrook who smiled as her lifemate Treestump sat down by her.

“A certain treeshaper no doubt,” the wolf chief replied with a smile as he sat down by his huntress and lifemate.  The small family formed up as the others from Howling Rock watched with a little wonder.  Krim looked over with a smile and nodded to her spear bearer and love who only nodded back and both quickly rose and walked over to sit with them.  

Ember watched the pair join with the others from her tribe, with Tyleet and Dewshine and Scouter, with a deep sigh and a look of want in her eyes. It was so easy for them to just walk over and sit with them. She wanted to go and sit with them, this family from Father Tree, but she felt as if she did it would only intrude on something so pure she might stain it with her past.  So, she sat there with a small bit of envy building in her heart when her brother walked up to pick up his furs and leathers.  As he did Suntop couldn’t miss the look in his sister’s eyes, knew what she was thinking, and grinned as he spoke. “Come, let’s go sit with them.”

“Yes, let’s go sit with them.” Tier quipped quickly getting up while to his side Mender just chuckled at the sight of the healer and tanner laughing.

“You know, it is good to see Leetah laughing more and with Moonshade as well. After what I heard about those two and how they were in the Sun Village it’s very good to see!”

The young healer’s last just deepened Ember’s mood as she looked to her brother and Tier who was standing now.  “You go ahead, I’ll just ruin everything if I go.”

“Come,” Suntop started bending at the waist and looking his sister in the eyes, “if mother and Moonshade can be happy together like they are then you and the tanner can be as well.  Stop thinking of the way it was and start a new way with her today.  You’ll be surprised when you talk with her now, and the archer too.”

“Whoa, did he just say something profound?” Mender chuckled.

Ember just smiled though ignoring her lovemate’s question while looking at her brother, “you think so you old cloudhead?”

“Yes, they’ve not changed as much as opened just bit, like a flower blooming for the first time. But, you’ll only find out if you take the first step Ember.” Suntop replied holding out his hand.  With the grin still on her face, the Chief of Howling Rock rose with her brother’s help shaking her head and walked over with her lovemates. The group went to sit next to Moonshade and Nightfall with the magic user speaking up. “Can we sit here before we go in?”

The healer looked up and smiled warmly, “yes you may.  Here Ember, sit with our tanner and let her look for any cuts.”

“Yes, I would like to do that,” Moonshade remarked with a warm smile and even though Mender had already checked her for any wounds that would need cleaning or healing Ember only nodded with a small smile at the invitation before slowly sitting down between the tanner’s legs after stepping past Strongbow. She bent at the waist lying on her pulled in legs at first as Moonshade moved her long auburn locks out of the way, but with the gentle touch of the tanner’s fingers as water poured on her skin Ember felt an ease rest across her soul and she leaned back wanting just a little more of the touch as Krim spoke.

“Is anyone going to miss this place when we leave?”

“I will, until our first night at Father Tree, and then I know I won’t remember a day I spent here at Howling Rock” Scouter remarked sitting next to Tyleet as Dewshine sat between his legs.

As everyone laughed Cutter smiled while lying quietly thinking of the day’s events and what had happened to his precious maidens. He took his lifemate’s hand in his giving a gentle squeeze but Leetah barely noticed as she laughed being hugged buy her huntress. Nightfall squeezed her healer lovingly he could easily see as well as the shy tanner laughing with the others and the usually stoic archer Strongbow was smiling and chuckling as he switched from rubbing his lifemate’s back to Nightfall’s.  Cutter only smiled more at the sight of the four feeling his heart beat a little faster, his soul shine a little brighter.  How his family had grown, not only in size but in adoration for each other he thought turning to look back to the morning sky. The wolf chief’s thoughts brought him to only one conclusion and one step he had been thinking of doing for some seasons now.  He had lived happy nights and days with a brother in all but blood, a love that was familial and close, with the stargazer.  This though, what he had with his family and his treeshaper, this was different than what he had with Skywise.  For some time, he wanted to give his soulname to them, his huntress and treeshaper, but just like before he moved into their den the wolf chief found his soul having the smallest doubt suddenly. And yet, as he remembered how Redlance felt before they left Father Tree, Cutter had a small idea of just how the pair would react if he gave them his true name, his soulname, and the image in his mind made him sigh with contentment as one of his newly formed tribe spoke up.

“I’m worried about Kyun.” Yun said suddenly.

“Why?” Krim asked with surprise as she helped wash off her son Sust.

“Do you think he’ll come back?” Dewshine asked quickly.

“He’ll come back, but only when he’s ready to.  When, whatever it is that has him feeling like he must hide away from us, loosens its grip then he’ll be back, you’ll see.” Treestump winked while combing Clearbrook’s long hair.

“Hide away from us?” Tyleet asked with surprise this time.

“Yes, some act in his past is my guess, something that the mouse Kavali held over his head and forced Kyun to follow his orders.” Cutter answered looking to others finally.

“I sensed that as well.” Leetah smiled squeezing his hand now.

“I agree with you my healer. I felt it as well, but in the end, he chose with his heart and saved Scouter from the Xanth.  If he comes back, we can only thank him for saving him.” Nightfall added.

“He can have his furs and den without question. He will always be welcomed back in my eyes.” Ember ordered then smiled as she felt the tanner hug her warmly.  She has changed the chief thought, and for the better as I like this Moonshade so much better.  Ember reached up and squeezed the small hands that hugged her then looked to her brother who only winked and smiled.  I hate it when he’s right, old cloudhead Ember chuckled.

“Thank you my chief,” Yun smiled and nodded. The look of affection the offspring of the stargazer showed made everyone smile just a little wider.

The tribe sat and finished bathing, and after that talking amongst themselves and enjoying the growing amenity. Then Cutter sat up and looked to his daughter with a sigh, “it’s time to head in, let’s dry off and then go to our dens and the furs.”

Ember only nodded and the elves gathered round began to rise and dry off, Moonshade adjusting the fur she was wrapped in with the help of her healer and huntress while Strongbow picked up their cub Chitter who was fast falling asleep in his arms. The tribe then began to head in to Howling Rock, moving slowly and not from being tired.  Soon their dens were in sight and all said goodbye with small smiles and hearts that wanted to be together for just a little longer if possible. Cutter and his family slipped into their den and into the furs with him lying on his back with Leetah in the crook of one arm and Nightfall lying gently on his chest listening to his heartbeat.  The tanner lay up against him on her back with Chitter sleeping soundly on her bosom, her lifemate curled up next to her with his arm across both and the hand resting on Nightfall rubbing her back with small strokes.  They all lay in quiet listening to the sounds just outside the den entrance, visitors like the beetles and birds, when Leetah asked a question of her lifemate with a low exhale as her hand slowly reached up and took her archer’s holding it tightly.

“Speak truthfully, what were you thinking of by the stream beloved?  Was it how to kill the last large Xanth?”

“No,” Cutter whispered hiding his real thoughts away from the family for now.  His decision to give his soulname to his family was still growing in his mind, the why of the choice just ahead of the how.  “I was thinking of our treeshaper and those troll caves he’s trying to get into.”

Are you afraid he’ll get stuck like Fur Chin? Strongbow asked getting an immediate reaction from the ones he loved.  Nightfall shuddered for a moment with a giggle at the image that appeared in her mind as did Leetah and Moonshade.

“Redlance is too smart to get stuck,” Cutter whispered between his own chuckles, “but if he does get inside, there are places in those caves we never knew saw, places that he could go and become lost in or worse.”

Nightfall looked up and gave him a look signifying everything would be fine with their treeshaper while Leetah looked to him and spoke truthfully. “Please, beloved. Do not forget who you’re talking with, your loved ones. I know you trust our treeshaper not to defy your order to wander the caves, but there was something else that brought your attention to him. What was it, why did you feel concerned for him?”

The wolf chief took a deep breath with a smile realizing now exactly who he was talking with and understanding hiding feelings and worry would be like trying to turn Father Tree back to a sapling.  Why would one even try? “When we left, I felt like he wasn’t telling me something. I felt fear, something deep down he didn’t want to share.”

Nightfall rested her head on her folded hands, which were on her chief’s chest, and looked to her love with a loving warmness while talking. “I think I know what that fear is?”

“What could it be?” Moonshade quietly asked looking to her while under the furs Cutter rubbed her hip point and top of her leg with small sweet strokes.

“He’s afraid of losing us, his family, just like he lost his mother and father.” The huntress answered and the sound of her voice, the way it inflected, carried more truth than her words. So much so it was easy to talk now.

“That’s what I thought as well, and when I saw you and our healer fall last night from the Xanth’s attack...I was scared numb, like never before. I actually thought, how would I tell him we lost one of you or both.” Cutter answered with shaky sigh.

So was I, was all the archer could and needed to add as it was more than enough as his lifemate turned her head to him and nuzzled his face with her forehead in a loving gesture.

“And I think of it the other way my love,” the huntress answered looking to all of them before going on calmly, “I keep asking myself what would happen to our den and all of us if something were to happen to him. I know we would all live on because we had too, but it would be feel so cold and lonely, worse than I feel here now, as if my heart and soul were not just missing but torn from my body. I know it’s not ‘The Way’ to think on these things, that we live in the ‘Now’ and savor every moment of life with the ones we love, but when I think of losing any of my sweet family my heart breaks and when it comes to losing our treeshaper…”

With the confession out, and the words fresh on their ears, the family looked to their huntress with wet eyes. Leetah held back her tears and hugged her while holding Strongbow’s hand, the pair adding their devotion for Nightfall together in the embrace.  Cutter smiled with love for his huntress, his blue eyes staring deeply into her brown ones, as across the lock-send the family shared his adoration for her and his loved ones flowed as he replied.

“I have felt that way before my love, when our healer and my cubs were taken in the Palace.  I would have been lost to that loneliness once if not for you my huntress and our treeshaper. I forgot those wonderful nights all in my hazy memory, but not in my heart, not there where Redlance came to me and pulled me away from that loneliness again. I will not lose any of my loved ones to that same feeling, that darkness I had on our journey to Father Tree. We will not lose our treeshaper my love, and I will not lose any of our family due this last Xanth. We will kill it and return to our dens in Father Tree.”

“Yes, we will,” Moonshade added leaning over into her chief with her lifemate pushing her gently into him creating a deeper closeness between them all now as she spoke for her lifemate as well, “it took so long for us to find you four, such a crooked trail to this family bond, to find the loving hearts you gave us to feel free and safe to run in. To lose that would hurt so much it would leave us torn and to lose our beloved treeshaper...no, I won’t think of that. This mating, we have no words to tell you how we have been changed by it, changed for the better.”

“We have all been changed by it, now and forever.” Leetah whispered feeling the love of all her family filling her soul and making her warm.

A smile of hope started to show on Nightfall’s face. Maybe, she thought, her feelings were wrong all this time, worrying for nothing. Yes, there would be a day when the family would lose one and if that happened they would honor the fallen and live on, thrive for the one who was gone so the beloved dead could watch them from Father Tree.  Her father, her mother and all the spirits of the tribe from nights gone by watched from their home in the Holt, so if one of her precious family were to join the Wolfriders of old she knew they would watch over them all as well.  Yet, still Nightfall felt a little weak for letting her mind fall to this feeling again, which lasted no longer than the blink of an eye as her chief asked a question drawing her away from the feelings.

“You know, I wonder what our treeshaper said to Strongbow just before we left.  What was it that made our archer tremble?” Cutter asked with a smile.

“I have wondered the same beloved, but what is between our archer and treeshaper stays between them.” Leetah whispered taking Strongbow’s hand in hers again while snuggling into her beloved soulmate ready to fall into sleep.

At first there was no response from the archer, but then with an affectionate send he told his loved ones what Redlance had whispered.  He told me not to be afraid to fly, that all of you wouldn’t let me fall.
Nightfall reached across and touched his side stroking it slowly. “We will never let you fall my archer, not ever.”

“No we will not, for we love you both, our archer and tanner.” Leetah whispered finally falling into a light slumber in her love’s arms.

“And we love you all, our family,” Strongbow whispered one last using his voice to let his emotion rode on it. The archer smiled as he felt so much devotion for him, for all his family, he sighed long and sweet before closing his eyes and falling into a restful sleep holding Leetah’s hand.

As they lay there drifting and slipping into slumber Cutter stayed awake with his mind churning over the same question he had been pondering by the stream.  Oh, he had chosen to give his soulname to his precious family; it was now just a question of how and when.  Cutter let the thought run through his tired mind a little longer, not much longer, but just to the point when he finally fell asleep it was to the small purrs of the tanner as she slept.


That night Scouter and the hunting party went out looking for signs of the other large Xanth or the smaller one. They came back just before dawn with word that was not good. There was no sign of either beast. Leetah practiced with her bow while Nightfall kept the weight off her injured leg and tended to Longcoat. Cutter paced while watching his tribe, eager to be done with the hunt and on the way to Father Tree.

The next night was the same as was the next and the next. Leetah stopped practicing and turned to spending time with Pool and Tyleet. Nightfall did the same as her leg felt normal, the soreness gone. They played with Pool, talked about Redlance, and even joked about what he would do when they finally arrived. Cutter tried to be friendly, but with the last two beasts refusing to show his mood just soured. He still spent time with Leetah and Nightfall and Moonshade and Strongbow and the others, but he also spent time alone letting the thoughts in his mind batter him. He was alone sitting by a tree when Scouter rode in on the fifth night hopping from the back of his wolf.

“Where’s Cutter? I need to see Cutter and Ember!” He yelled. Everyone else ran up at his sudden appearance eager to hear something that was good, anything other than the Xanth’s were still missing.

The wolf chief jumped up and raced to the young elf’s side just as Ember arrived. “Did you find one of them?” He asked anxiously.

“Please tell me you found one of them?” Ember asked with a huff.

“You need to come and see this, both of you.” Scouter gasped turning to go.

Cutter grabbed him and spun him back though stopping the elf from leaving. “Did you find one of them?” He growled.

“I can’t explain it, you have to see it.” Scouter only offered.

Cutter’s and Ember’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. Scouter held up his hands and shook his head. “You need to see this. We won’t need anyone else, just you two.”

“Everyone be ready to ride in case we do need you.” Cutter ordered quickly to the group before turning back to Scouter. “We’ll follow, let’s go.”

On the way out, he stopped Hatch by his family. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He spoke with a forced smile before speeding off to catch Scouter and Ember.

The rest of the night, and the time, slipped by slowly as the remaining Wolfriders waited to ride out at the first command from Cutter. Nightfall and Clearbrook played hide and seek with Pool and Sust while Leetah, Tyleet, Pike and Krim laughed. The cubs tried their best to hide, but could never fully cover their scents. Dewshine walked over and watched with Suntop and Yun waiting for word from Cutter until the first rays of light from the Day Star began to break from the dawn.

“Do you think their good?” Dewshine asked.

“I feel Treestump’s life force, he’s fine.” Clearbrook answered.

“And I can feel Scouter.” Tyleet added taking Dewshine’s hand.

“Well, whatever it was they had to see must have been important for them to stay out in the daylight.” Suntop remarked watching Pool succumb to a large yawn.

“What do you think it was?” Dewshine asked.

“I hope it was a Xanth lair. I want to finish this and go back to Father Tree.” Pike stated with an edge to his voice.

“We all want that lifemate.” Krim offered giving him a hard hug, while Sust put his head in his mother’s lap and started to fall asleep.

“Should we wait for Cutter?” Nightfall asked.

“I don’t think we’ll have to, here he comes.” Tyleet said suddenly, pointing to a spot across the small clearing.

Cutter appeared along with Treestump, Scouter, Ember and Strongbow. The group quickly crossed the clearing in a sprint on the back of the wolves. As soon as he was close to the group the wolf chief leaped from the back of Hatch and grabbed both Nightfall and Leetah in his arms. He lifted them both free from the ground with ease as a smile as large as his face could hold appeared.

“It’s over, we can go home!” He cried out.

The group gasped at the remark and it took a moment for it to sink in. Scouter and Treestump both followed up Cutter’s excitement with their own grabbing and hugging anyone within reach. Ember hugged Mender and Tier so hard both almost passed out.

“What do you mean it’s over?” Pike yelled.

Cutter put a hand on each of his maiden’s faces, his eyes a glow with excitement. “The last Xanth’s are dead. The last hunt is over, we can all go home!”

“Dead, but how?” Leetah asked with a tear in her eye.

We tracked them to a set of caves no one knew about until last night. We found their tracks and scent at the same spot where we killed the large one, at the canyon. Strongbow sent with excitement as he hugged his lifemate and cub together.

“No one thought of checking out those caves the large one was in until Strongbow decided to backtrack and start again, sort of. The scent was right at the edge of the canyon where we saw the first one go over. We followed the trail it left to these new caves, but there was no life in them. We didn’t hear anything, didn’t sense anything. It was like the beast had walked in and vanished from the world. I had an idea of what had happened so I decided to go in and take a quick look around, confirm my suspicions.” Treestump smiled.

“You did what?” Clearbrook and Dewshine shouted with fear and surprise.

“Uh-oh,” Pike whispered with a smile to his lifemate.

“We’ve already talked about that, and why he won’t be doing that again.” Cutter said eyeing Treestump with a hard stare.

“I was never in any danger- “He started before his lifemate cut him off.

“You do that again and I will kill you myself, and then follow behind you from grief.” Clearbrook promised as Treestump pulled her close.

“I won’t do it again. I’m not ready to leave you yet.” Treestump said touching her forehead with his.

“What did you find?” Tyleet asked excitedly after the quiet moment had passed.

“We found the large one and its cub at the end of a long tunnel, dead for some nights now.” Scouter said happily.

“Lifemate,” Tyleet yelped in fear at Scouter.

“Don’t tell us you went in with father?” Dewshine asked as her eyes narrowed to slits. She used the word ‘us’ meaning Scouter would pay double for his error.

“No,” he said raising both hands in a mock surrender,” only after I brought Cutter. Treestump wouldn’t let me go in with him anyway.”

“At least he used his head on that.” Clearbrook laughed slapping her lifemate’s arm.

The group gave a small laugh before Nightfall spoke up, the joy in her voice barely contained or in check. “They were dead all ready, dead for nights?”

Yes, they’ve been dead for at least four days. I think they died the day after we killed the other one. Strongbow sent.

Leetah looked to Cutter who only nodded. “The cub was next to its mother I think, in their den, almost like it was sleeping.”

“Oh Winnowill, what did you do?” The healer suddenly asked with a tear coming to her eyes.

The others looked confused until she spoke and they discovered what she had already deduced. “Treestump said he found its trail almost at the spot where the other large one went over into the canyon. The mother must have discovered her mate dead. She died in those caves with her cub from the pain. She couldn’t live without him, much like I couldn’t live without you my lifemate or our family.”

“That’s so cruel.” Tyleet gasped, her voice trailing off at the last.

The quiet was suddenly very solid. Nothing made a noise, not even a bird or beetle. The lifebearer’s shuddered at the thought feeling what the Xanth must have felt at that exact moment. Krim reached for Pike’s hand looking for reassurance, suddenly needing to know he was there. Dewshine pulled Tyleet to her and then they both slid into Scouter’s arms needing the warmth there. Ember grabbed Mender’s hand squeezing it so hard it threatened to break while reaching for Tier with the other. Both said nothing needing the feeling of her in their arms it gave him. Nightfall slid over and put one arm around Leetah while taking Cutter’s hand, his shocked expression fading at her touch.  Moonshade led Strongbow over putting an arm around their family just as she felt them take her and her lifemate in theirs.

“I need to hold him my chief. Please, let’s go home now.” Nightfall whispered hugging her chief but needing another.

He only nodded understanding she desperately wanted to see their treeshaper as much as he wanted to and looked to Ember. “How long will it take until you and the others can be ready to leave for Father Tree?”

“Tonight,” Pike suddenly called out.

Cutter and Ember laughed at the remark, or more to the enthusiasm in it. “We’ll leave when the moons are high then, Suntop?” he asked

“Sir?”
“Tell Father Tree, we’re coming home!”


The howl went up strong and loud echoing over the Howling Rock Holt and out into the forest. Some animals ran and some returned the call in kind and one did nothing except sit in the dark feeling so lonely. His mind ran through all that had happened, how he had ended up sitting out here among these craggy rocks starring at the tribe he had once and so hoped to stay with.  Oh mouse, you evil one, your vileness only hurt me in the end. Kyun had lost his first home due to the small elf’s nefarious plan and now look, it cost home one more.  And then he could see Yun, standing away from everyone but still happy and full of joy.

She would be leaving for Father Tree soon with the hunt for the Xanth’s over with.  He had entertained a thought of following them, her, to this fabled home of the Wolfriders but then simply stopped the hope where it had begun.  For that’s what it was, a hope and nothing more because what tribe would take one in who had helped to kill a revered chief?  No, Kyun told himself as he turned and began to walk away, it was better to never think of having a home again because the mouse had taken that away from him.


Later, as the Day Star passed its highest point, Cutter was snoring blissfully in the furs with Strongbow’s arm draped across his chest as the archer slept next to him, and oddly no one else was near. A few feet away in another set of furs small giggles erupted as the pelts slowly twisted and turned.

“Are you happy to be going home my loves?” Nightfall asked with a whisper making sure not to disturb Cutter.

“Yes, yes I am my precious loves.” Leetah sighed as she ran one hand over Nightfall’s body slowly, caressing it. She pulled her tanner to her who began to kiss her healer’s soft neck feeling the warm tan body tense from the touch.

“Oh, you have mastered me as well as I taught you the bow.” Nightfall gasped arching her head and leaning into the touch while she caressed her tanner with slow strokes of her sensitive spots.  

“We will never replace our lifemates, but we can sustain ourselves for a small time.” Moonshade purred with a smile before leaning over and biting and kissing Nightfall’s neck now.

“Do you think we broke our pact my loves?” Nightfall whispered feeling Leetah’s touch stoke the fire in her blood and her tanner’s lips set her skin to fire.

“No, my loves, we only survived.” Leetah answered suddenly inhaling at a touch from her huntress and tanner as both caressed her.

“Then I pity the three our first night back in the den.” The tanner growled seductively before letting out one of loud purrs.  The three giggled again as Nightfall’s hand made another trip along both her loves bodies feeling and touching everywhere.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, humans have found us...

Chapter 8 – And it begins…

“How much of this have you two had?” Redlance asked trying to hold back his laughter.

Newstar finished her drink from the skin of dream berry wine, wiping a small bit of the juice from her chin. The send from Suntop saying the Wolfriders were now less than a half-turn of the moon away from Father Tree on the journey home brought out a long howl from the three souls at Father Tree, a bag of the potent dream berry wine, and the feeling of excited joy mixed with relief. They were so close to being together again, especially after another harsh Death-Season which tested the three every night it seemed. The weaver had made a pledge that Redlance would eat some meat this time, and of course he didn’t, letting her and her lovemate feed first till they were full. She understood what he was doing, and maybe Newstar let him do it because it’s what he wanted to do, what she wanted him to do as well.

“I don’t know, and I’m so happy I don’t want to know how much I’ve had to drink.” The weaver laughed falling back into Dart’s chest as he leaned back on his arms.

“Your head will ask how much you had, quickly followed by why?” Redlance remarked. Newstar and Dart began to giggle at the statement and the treeshaper had no luck in holding back his own mirth before continuing. “I think these next nights will pass by the slowest of all that we have seen.”

“Yes, I can barely think I am so happy. Our tribe will be back together, my Wolfriders and my love at Father Tree!” Newstar exclaimed, reaching up with her unsteady free hand and rubbing Dart’s face, which ended up looking more like a stab with her fingers.

The young archer only grinned with his drunken smile and kissed the top of her head, twice, by accident. Redlance chuckled again, feeling so very happy for the pair he could barely contain his own wide smile as he watched them. The two had grown steadily closer over the time Cutter and the others were gone, growing into what he thought the true meaning of ‘lifemate’ meant.  Oh, he and his little fox had found love when she came to his den, and with Cutter and Leetah a deep devotion had been discovered with them, the same now with Moonshade and Strongbow, but the treeshaper and all five in the family had walked a long path with each other to find what waited for them at the end of the trail. With Newstar and Dart, it was as if both had found love and devotion in a single glance, when eye met eye one could say, and let everything be what it may be. Redlance reached over to take the skin from Newstar, to take a drink and to maybe keep her from drinking more, when the weaver grabbed him and pulled with a fierce strength.  Before the treeshaper could react, he was off balance and falling into her with his face landing in the nape of neck.  She let out a cackle as Dart, already unsteady, collapsed to the ground with a laugh.  All at once the three were in a lump on the grass, laughing as Newstar threw her arms around the treeshaper and hugged as she giggled.

“Oh Redlance, your family is coming home and your daughter with them! You will get to see your grand-cub every night!” Newstar almost shouted as she squeezed Redlance's neck.

“Yes treeshaper, you should be so happy that you’ll pop like a ripe dream berry!” Dart exclaimed slurring every other word while smiling happily from the bottom of the pile.

Redlance broke free from the weaver's awkward hold as she sighed warmly, before taking the skin from her and drinking from it feeling the sweet dream berry wine roll down his throat into his stomach. When he was finished, he passed the skin back to Dart, who promptly titled it back drinking again.  “Oh, I am happy, to the very point of bursting, but not to the point where I want to be down for the night with a dream berry headache!” He laughed.

“Well, I’ll be happy for you!” Newstar announced with glee just as her archer's arms wrapped around her and squeezed. Dart smiled drunkenly as he stuck his whole face in her hair and sniffed deeply, a moment before coughing and then finally giggling.

“Well, now I know we need to stop celebrating and go to the furs. A new night will call early, and when we’re not ready for it.” Redlance chuckled standing up. The world spun a little to the left, in a hazy motion, and he fought to get everything under control as Newstar purred loudly in her love's embrace.

He helped Dart and Newstar up and helped them along pointing both in the right direction toward Father Tree before heading back to get the dream berry skin. Twice, though, he had to run back to them to make sure they got to the right tree as both seemed unable to find the really large one right in front of them. Finally, after both started up, he walked over to get the skin when a familiar voice spoke up from the shadows as he bent over.

“Having some trouble this morn Red Hair?” The old god Atok asked with a grin and a small turn to his head.

“I will be fine old one, though the cubs might be hurting when the day star falls below the trees. And speaking of Dart and Newstar, thank you for being more careful. You have stayed hidden and their curiosity of the Stag has become less.” The treeshaper remarked steadying himself again as he stood up.  The Holt was moving just enough to make twins of every bush and tree.

“They might be fine,” Atok replied grinning while walking over slow taking care to not further the disorientation of the treeshaper, “or both might be waiting for a third to come and join them, to play maybe?”

Redlance looked to the old one and sighed with a tired expression. “I doubt there will be any sharing this day Atok. While dream berry wine may make it easier to express one's feelings, it can also make one too sleepy to show them.”

The ancient being looked ready to reply when he stopped suddenly and looked to the North, toward something only he could see.  The treeshaper tensed as he turned to look as well while sniffing the air just enough to notice there were no scents but his and Atok's.  Redlance turned back just as the old being spoke, “humans, they are entering the forest looking for something, hunting maybe?”

“How far are they from Father Tree?  How many are there?” Redlance asked with a whisper, the concern in his voice easily detected.

“A day at most, a group of eight, but there is no purpose or direction to where they walk. As if they are lost and trying to find a trail.  The humans might miss Father Tree, or they might walk right up to it.” Atok replied with a whisper.

The treeshaper stared back grinding his teeth for a moment in contemplation before turning to look in the direction where Atok was gazing.  Humans, the five-fingered nemesis of the Wolfriders from before the night he came into the Abode, enemies from the very moment the Palace had landed here with the High Ones. If there was even the slightest chance the humans might find Father Tree, stumble on it by some small accident, then it could be a nightmare from his past coming back to revisit him.  Redlance inhaled deeply and turned back to thank Atok, but when he did the old one was gone, disappeared into the air of the morning.  The treeshaper only sighed and whispered the thank you to the ethos knowing full well Atok would hear him.  The old one may be gone but he is never far from us he thought.

There was no answer to his words, and Redlance didn't expect one as he took the departure as a cue and began to walk back to Father Tree and his den, where he knew Newstar and Dart were in the furs already.  He quietly made his way up through the large Oak using the melded body of the smaller oaks as a path, right up to his den entrance.  Redlance entered his home just as quiet, all the while hearing the snoring of the cubs before he even had a chance to move the flap. After slipping in he sat on the small step by the entrance and looked at the naked pair in the furs and was moved just a bit at how much they reminded him of his family.  He could see his precious chief and sweet healer in them, his shy tanner and quiet archer, and his very heart, his huntress.  As he sat there with a small tear rolling down his cheek, the love in his heart for his family making the muscle skip, he felt joy knowing soon they would be together again. Newstar's eyes fluttered open then and she looked to him a moment before her small hand rose off the furs, reaching for him, beckoning his tired body to come and lay next to her.

The treeshaper nodded and crossed to her silently, removing his leathers as he did.  Newstar shuddered as he slid in beside her in the furs, pressing his body into hers.  She leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the lips before lying down in her young archer's arms, her back to his chest, snuggling into Dart.  The treeshaper smiled and sighed as Newstar ran her small fingers through his face fur, scratching the skin before kissing him again.  She felt a small tear slide down her cheek as Redlance reached across her and hugged Dart to him, pressing her in between them, warm and secure.  Soon, she and her lovemate would return to their den because the treeshaper's family would be with him again, and Newstar felt a twinge of regret at the thought of it.  These nights here in Redlance's den had been sweet and loving.  Then, as if he looked into her mind, the treeshaper leaned in and helped ease her heart.  He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her letting the weaver know he would always be here for her.


The next night, with the day star slowly slipping below the horizon, Newstar stirred to wake, slow and with an uneasy stomach. Her insides felt all twisted, combined with the steady pounding of the troll hammer in her head, and the weaver was more than ready to stay in the furs. Only, when she looked around the den with half open eyes, she noted quickly that both Dart and Redlance were gone. Where did they go, Newstar thought between hammer strikes, or better yet, how did they even get up If they felt just half-as-bad as she did? No, she had to get up now Newstar told her pained head. If Dart and Redlance were up and working then she could do it, and for emphasis the weaver threw back the furs and started to stand-

Then the den spun, tilted just a smidge, and she sat back down in the furs with a plop. Oh, Newstar thought with a moan that turned into a giggle, this is going to take a moment. She took a quick, deep breath, before trying to stand up again. With a little determination, the weaver gained her feet, unsteady a bit maybe, but she was upright and that was a good thing. Newstar found her leathers and slipped the garments on, and while doing so discovering that raising her arms above her head was not a good thing at the moment. The den stopped spinning, mercifully, and she headed for the bole hole and the outside. Even at twilight, with the day star falling into the horizon, it was too bright for her. Newstar used one hand to block out the bright light of the day star while using the other, sliding the appendage gently against Father Tree, to guide her down to the ground. When her booted feet finally touched ground, she sighed with relief while moving slowly toward the Grove where she knew Redlance was working, finding the treeshaper easily.

“Good eve Weaver, finally up, eh?” She heard Redlance call, the sound like sky growls in her head.

“Please Redlance, whisper or I might have to flee in pain.”

“I told you the eve would come, here it is, and you are not ready for it.” The treeshaper said with a chuckle. He stopped shaping a vine and reached down into his pouch, pulling out two leather squares, which he opened and handed the contents to her. “The leaf is for your stomach and the root is for the pain in your head. I would say, take both, and all of each.”

“Thank you treeshaper, I’ll do as you say, but where is my love? I can’t imagine him hunting if he feels as I do.” Newstar whispered rubbing her head.

“I gave him the same root and leaf, just before leaving to hunt he said. I think, though, he’s found a nice tree to climb up in and rest his head as well.”

“I know I would, and will. Thank you again Redlance.” The weaver whispered before turning and walking away.

A nice climb into the welcoming limbs of a tree would be relief, but to rest her aching head on the shoulder of her archer while being held, well that be so much more than relief. So, Newstar began to look for her love, hoping to find him quickly and put this aching head to rest. She had a good idea of where he would go, not to hunt, but to hide and take refuge. The weaver took the leaf and ate it, stem and all, just as Redlance had said to, even though it tasted sour. She ate the root next, the mint in it erasing the sour of the leaf quickly, thankfully. Newstar wasn’t sure if the pair would work magic and quiet the pain, but it might, and the chance outweighed the suffering she decided as she walked along. There was a small clearing up ahead, nothing special in its appearance, except for a large oak tree on one side. The branches in the tree are thick and stout, strong enough to hold a Wolfrider seeking a place to nap, or other things.

That’s how she knew of the tree, many a night spent in Dart’s arms among the strong oaks limbs, some in rest and others in sharing. A smile began to cross the weaver’s lips as she drew closer to the clearing, which stalled abruptly at the sounds touching her sensitive ears.

The noise, it was wrong, so very wrong. Newstar began trot as the fear in her heart squeezed it, more and more with each step. She crouched down when the clearing came into view, and when her eyes took in those who made the noise, the fear in her heart squeezed so hard the muscle almost stopped.

Dart!


There was still plenty to do in the Grove, and no time to complete most of it. Redlance knew he would have to work night and day to finish what he could, something he also knew his beloved chief would not allow. He would have to break Cutter’s rule about being out in the day and that pained the treeshaper, but it had to be done. There were vines to shape and grow, secure in the trees, and grow more flowers to bloom than he could count.  And there was the final phase of his work, completing the addition of the stream through to the pool and back out. Redlance would have to pull all his energy to one point, a fine sharp edge to complete the task. He would have to ask a lot of his trees and plants, but they had agreed to help him, wanted to help him.  The treeshaper stepped back, sighed, and smiled. His family, his tribe, will be surprised with what he done, hopefully.

But then he stopped. His precious plants told him someone was here. Then he felt him, that old friend, in his grove. Redlance looked around finding nothing out of place but he knew, the plants knew, that he was here.

“Come out Atok. I know you’re here. And no questions about sharing.” He called out. The treeshaper was already sure the old one would ask and the treeshaper was not in the physical or mood to play the game Atok wanted too.
Then, from a dark corner, a tall dark shadow appeared. It moved so swiftly one’s eyes could barely follow the dark shape, not till it stopped just at the edge of Grove. Redlance was used to such movements though from the Old God, but he wasn’t ready for what the being told him as Atok took his usual human shape, an old man in ragged robes. A look of fear, rare for the old one, was across his aged face as he spoke.

“There is a crisis Red-Hair!”

The humans, the one Atok mentioned from this morn, they’ve done something the treeshaper thought instantly, the idea striking Redlance numb, to his very center. “What is wrong Atok?”

“The humans, they have come to your Holt, stumbled on it and two of them are marking the trees to find their way back.”

No, the humans had found the Wolfriders home. How did they find this place in such a large forest like the Holt? And if Atok was right, they were coming back. Why would they return to this part of the forest, do they know about us Redlance thought quickly, like trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together? He needed to know why these humans were coming back desperately.

“I don’t understand, why would the humans mark the trees to come back to this place?”

Yet, before the Old God could speak, a terrified send hit the mind of the treeshaper. Humans Redlance! They’ve taken Dart prisoner!

And all at once everything stopped, the words from Atok and the send from Newstar crushing him. Their old enemy, the five-fingered ones, now had Dart. The treeshaper forced an inhale of air as his mind raced, almost out of control, until Atok spoke again. “The young archer is alive Red Hair, for now, but that will change if you-”

“I know Atok, I know.” Redlance hissed turning to look at Father Tree before sending. Where are you Newstar?

I’m by the clearing where the tree Dart likes to lay in grows.

Do not move, sit and wait for me weaver! Redlance replied quickly, and maybe a little too harshly, but he didn’t want Newstar trying to save her lovemate. She wasn’t prepared for it, and he wasn’t either he thought as Atok spoke again.

“Move swiftly Red Hair, the young weaver will not wait long to try and save her love.”

“And that will just make this worse!” He hissed running for the entrance to his grove. The treeshaper reached into his pouch as it was leaned up against a tree and pulled out his knife before bolting out into his Holt. Atok watched Redlance run from the grove and whispered low with worry in his voice. “Be careful Red Hair, this will be no small test I feel.”

He knew exactly where the weaver was, these were his woods and he knew every tree and flower in it. Newstar had gone looking for her lovemate in one of the many spots the Wolfriders  had all over the Holt, little places to hide for hunting, sharing when the need arose, and shade when an elf needs to seek respite from the pain a bag of Dreamberry wine can induce. The treeshaper ran with a purpose, ducking fallen logs and hopping over bushes making it to the clearing where Newstar said Dart was in trouble. He pulled up hiding behind the foliage of a large bush and tree, his eyes scanning for a sign of any human or Newstar. Only there was no one there, only the oak and nothing else.

No humans.

No Newstar.

Redlance bit his bottom lip while thinking, did he miss something? She had said the tree Dart likes to lay in and that was the same one he liked to sleep in as well as Nightfall and Treestump and Cutter and everyone else. It was the same tree he was looking at. Where are you Newstar? I ‘m here by the tree but I don’t see him or you or any Humans.

Then, much to Redlance’s chagrin and outright better judgment, the weaver stepped out right into the clearing from her hiding spot by some bushes. The treeshaper hissed in a bit of frustration and ran over to her grabbing Newstar’s hand and taking her back into her hiding spot. Don’t step out into the open like that, the humans could have seen you

They took Dart away on a cart, tied up, heading that way

She pointed in a direction leading away from the clearing and Redlance turned noting the humans were going down a rarely traveled trail, a path he had only walked to care for the trees that way once or twice. These were his woods yes, but the forest still had plenty of places to explore. He looked back to Newstar and whispered. “How many five-fingers were there?”

“Eight I think and one cart they pulled.” Newstar answered quickly. “We have to save Dart Redlance. We can’t let the humans-”

“We are going to get Dart back Newstar, I promise, both of us are going to get him back.” The treeshaper stated just as quick, cutting the Weaver off.

“Yes,” Newstar nodded calming down, her breathing coming under control. “We are going to save him.”

The treeshaper smiled, it may have been harsh to cut off the weaver and act cold, but it helped her get control of her insides and find a steady path. And now he needed to include her in as much of what was to come, to keep her calm by being an equal part in this. Newstar would have to be, eight humans were too many for a simple treeshaper to take on alone.  She smiled back as he took he hand and both went quickly stepped into the clearing and over to the oak. The treeshaper took a quick scent of the air and asked out loud as he knelt to examine the tracks by the tree.

“Do you scent any humans?”

“No, they are leaving the woods I think, heading back to where they came from.”

Now that’s my weaver, calm and thinking in straight lines. “I agree, the track for the cart looks deep which means its heavy, probably full of things they have gathered to take back home.”

“Like our Dart.” The weaver replied, the words tinged with worry.

Redlance nodded as he stood up. “The humans went the way you pointed, so we are going to run after them and then follow quietly, is that good?”

“Yes,”

“We only have two knives between us so there will be no fighting them. We wouldn't last very long in a fight so we are going to find a way to get Dart out and then run into the woods to hide, understand?”

Again Newstar nodded, “yes, we are going to get Dart away from the humans and then hide in the woods.”

“Yes we will,” Redlance nodded before reaching down and taking a leaf from a bush in his free hand hand. Newstar watched confused as he ‘talked’ with the plant before looking up and over to a different tree. “That one, come we need to see something.”

“What are we doing? Dart needs us!”

“And we will help him I promise Newstar,” the treeshaper replied as he reached the tree and scanned it quickly taking a step or two around it before stopping. There, on the trunk just above their heads, was a set of cuts from a knife marking the tree and then Newstar realized what Redlance was doing. She watched as he placed a hand over the mark and grew the bole back and removing the mark.

“They want to find their way back?” Newstar whispered in fear.

The treeshaper only nodded and answered. “Yes, but they won’t have the aid of their marks and only memory to get back here. If I can stop the one then maybe the other will be taken care of by time.”

Well, it was enough the treeshaper thought. It would have to be as he turned and led Newstar from the clearing, in pursuit of the humans.


“I knew he’d come back.”

The whispered statement, along with a playful smirk, from Pike sent a small ripple through the gathered and hidden elves. The night sky above the gathered tribe was starting lighten as the Day Star told the Abode it would appear very soon and the day would begin. The Wolfriders and the Howling Rock tribe had been traveling through the night on the last part of the journey back to Father Tree when they came across a lone figure on the trail. Everyone knew who it was the moment they saw him, even in the low light thrown by the two moons above these elves knew the large form of their missing friend. His long spear in one hand he looked like a statue standing on the trail as they approached. Yun immediately spurred her wolf to trot up quickly and jumped down into the arms of the elf with a wide smile.

“You’ve come back Kyun!”

“Yes Yun, I came back.” He smiled looking down at her. It felt good to be held the large elf thought as the small maiden asked the question everyone behind them wanted to know.

“You’re staying, with us, aren’t you?”

“I can only ask to come back Yun, the elders and the chiefs will decide if I can be with tribe, not you or I.”

The excitement of seeing him again quickly fell into a somber mood as Yun turned to see Cutter getting off his wolf friend and Ember staring down from hers. The small elf started to talk, plea for her friend, but a hand came up from her chief and all talk ceased.

“No Yun, no pleading for Kyun, not right now.” Ember said sliding down from her wolf friend.

“We have to talk with him first, and only him, before we make a decision.” Cutter offered walking up to stand by the large elf. He was as thick as Treestump the wolf chief noted as Yun spoke one last time.

“He’s no threat Cutter, to us or anyone.”

“Then he has nothing to worry for, let’s move off the trail and find a spot to talk, eh Kyun?” Cutter asked and the large elf only nodded and then followed.

Yun held his hand as long as she could before he let go to fall in behind Cutter and she heard the others doing the same. She sighed and followed hoping what was about to unfold in the council would be good. And now, watching the ‘talk’, from the dark of the shadows Yun felt her stomach knot.


The cart bumped to the right sharply and hard.  The sudden and harsh movement made Dart’s head hurt even more, which should have been impossible from the after effects of drinking too much Dreambnerry wine and then getting hit. The humans had walked right up on him without so much as a look because his eyes were closed due to napping, because of the said wine and his head throbbing. Before the young archer could fight back or even try to run hands that felt like rough stone had pulled him down from the branch he had lain on and thrown him to the ground. The bindings were put on his hands and feet after two or three blows were struck to his already hurting head and then he was thrown in the cart and moving toward somewhere as the humans around him laughed and spoke.

“What prize do you think the little spirit will bring us?” One asked with an evil laugh and from the words Dart realized this was not going to end well for him.

“He is the third one of three, do not expect much for this one.” Another human answered.

“But we should get something, extra meat from kills maybe, if the chief uses him at the night ceremony in two days?”

They have other elves? Dart kept his head down, acting as if he were dead, as the cart he was in took another hard bounce. He couldn’t see faces so voices became identifying marks as his mind spun on what the humans were saying. These other elves, were they the tribe coming home? What if they were, then tribe was attacked and needed help, if it was Cutter and the others returning. It would explain why the humans were so close to Father Tree, hunting here for ‘Little Spirits’.

“What do you think Terak, what prize will the chief give us for the Little Spirit?” A different human asked with a yell.

“I do not care for prizes Lyall so I do not care what the Little Spirit brings any of you if we get back in two days.” The human called Terak retorted coldly.

“The only thing Terak cares for is finding some lost stone so he can sit next to our chief and get a woman.” One of the other humans laughed but the others didn’t join in.

Dart lay still except for when the cart jerked from the trail listening to every word. There was no sound now, no talking between the humans, just the sounds of the forest around the trail. The young archer heard the cart creak from a sudden shift followed quickly by the sound of a hard slap to what he assumed would be a face. He knew he was right when he heard a whimper, probably the human who had the poor sense of making fun of this Terak. Whatever happy mood from the humans were in was dead now as the human who led this party growled.

“Do not speak unless someone speaks to you and never say my name again or I will kill you, understand?”

“Yes Terak,”

Everything went silent again as the cart kept moving along the trail. Then this Terak gave one final order from somewhere behind them Dart realized. “The rest of you keep your eyes open and your mouths shut. We came looking for the Stone, not Little Spirits, so look out for it!”

Then someone was stomping by the young archer, heading for the front of the party and the cart. As he lay there Dart heard a human mumble how he would never go on another hunt with Terak and the one he was talking with whispered back that Terak was going to be the head of all hunting parties and it was better to be on his good side than on his bad or you might never have another bite of meat.

Dart, are you hurt?

It was Redlance, he had run after the humans and him. He was out there in the woods Dart realized, following and staying hidden, but if he was here? My head hurts but I am good. Is Newstar with you?

I’m here my love. We’re going to get you away from the humans!

How did you find me so fast?

Newstar found where they took you. The cart your in leaves a trail even Mender could follow and the humans all have torches throwing light everywhere so we saw them before we saw you. Redlance said before Newstar was sending again almost cutting him off.

It doesn’t matter, we’re going to get you away from those humans now.

Just wait Newstar. the treeshaper sent with a swiftness meant to calm the weaver, there are eight humans down there. We have to wait for the moment we can try to get to Dart before we save him.

And one of them is marking the trail to find his way back to Father Tree. I think he’s carving symbols into the trees or something?

I found all the marks and removed them. Now we have to think of a plan to get you out and away from the five-fingers.  Redlance stated which the weaver then followed.

We can try and distract the humans some way so we can get to Dart.

Dart sat quietly listening to the send, a sudden confliction taking hold. He was torn between two actions, take the chance at rescue or stay tied up and see if these other elves were the Wolfriders and Howling Rock tribe. It only took a moment for his decision to be made.

Don’t come for me, not now at least.

Dart, what are you thinking?

The send from Redlance was a question and a demand all at once. He senses something is out of sorts Dart thought as the cart jerked again.


“Why did you take so long to come back? You’ve been gone a whole turn of the season, so why now?”

The question from Treestump was a good one deserving of the truth, and Kyun had chosen to tell the truth. He wanted a home, a tribe, and to be free of Kavali he had to tell what had transpired in his past. “I think your are close to your home and I want to see it.”

“That’s all you want, to see Father Tree?” Clearbrook asked next with two parts to her inquiry. “You can see him without coming to speak with us and then be on your way.”

“Yes, I could have gazed on the old oak as you call it, but I think that would not be enough to quiet my soul.”

“No it wouldn’t,” Cutter finally spoke up, “because you didn’t’ come to us to just gaze on Father Tree. You want to join us, be a Wolfrider.”

“Yes,” Kyun agreed nodding his head, “I no longer wish to travel my path alone. I want a purpose, a tribe, I want...somewhere I can rest and be a part of something.”

The remark quieted the group of elders while out in the shadows watching and listening intently the rest of the newly combined tribe sat, well most sat while one paced.

“Why do Leetah and Moonshade get to sit with the Elders?” Yun asked nervously, obviously agitated.

“Because they are both Elders Yun.” Nightfall sighed shaking her head as she rub Pool’s back. The huntress took little offense to the question about her healer and tanner. It was more than easy to see why Yun was acting this way and why and over who.

“Calm down Yun, everything is going to be fine.” Krim spoke up trying to reassure her fellow Go-Back. It almost worked as the silver haired elf turned to everyone watching her.
“Do you think so?”

“Oh yes, Kyun saved our Scouter. Cutter just wants to make sure Kyun is sure about coming to Father Tree with us.” Dewshine smiled sweetly adding her energy to the pot of reassurance everyone started to build.

Tyleet nodded in affirmation when Yun looked to her as well as Pike who had to add his opinion. “I think Cutter will let him come along, unless he decides not to let him come, but I’m sure Treestump will stick up for Kyun, unless he decides not too…”

The last trailed off from old Pike which sent Yun into an even more worried state. “Ah, you see, I’m thinking the same.”

“How is that possible, thinking like Pike?” Mender asked looking to Tier with a shocked expression and in return the elf only shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, now I’m scared, another one of us thinking like Pike.” Krim gasped with a scared look.

“Stop teasing her everyone. It will all be fine Yun, trust in your feelings for Kyun.” Nightfall said ending Pike’s jest. She smiled warmly hoping it would calm Yun but feeling it probably wouldn’t.

The silver haired elf only nodded slightly then went back to pacing, Yes, very little effect Nightfall told herself as she kept scratching Pool’s back.

Back in the council the elders of the tribe listened to Kyun, heard his words but more importantly watched his body movements closely. One could tell a lot from watching someone answer questions, the way they hold themselves to how they use their hands to making simple eye contact. It was all taken in and processed in the minds of the oldest, and somewhat, wisest among the tribe.

“Why were you helping Kavali?” Ember asked sitting on a stump, leaning forward on her spear at the same time, watching Kyun closely.

The question took a moment or longer to answer. Kyun had prepared for it, had decided how he would answer, and yet it still took a hard swallow before speaking. “I helped him end the life of my chief from our, my old tribe.”

So you have blood on your hands, elf blood? Strongbow sent and Kyun sighed heavily but never faltered in responding, turning to the stoic archer and looking him the eye.

“Yes, but I did not know Kavali was going to end my chief’s life. I only thought he meant to hurt him enough so the mouse could embarrass himself.”

“Embarrass how?” Moonshade asked keeping up the stream of questions, one after the other.

“Much like Tyleet, Kavali wanted to be with the mate of our chief so much he was willing to risk everything, including death if we were caught. He had told me he only wanted to make our chief sick, enough so the mouse could go to her and pledge his love. Foolish I know, which is why I knew it would never work. Yet when he poisoned him, when I saw our chief die, I knew I had no right to my life or to be part a tribe again. All I was left with was nothing and no one, and even then the mouse would not let me be.”

“What hold did he have on you?” Cutter asked this time.

The large elf turned to him and locked eyes, but in no way was it confrontational.  “When I was young Kavali saved my life while hunting and because of the beliefs of the tribe I owed him my life. After we escaped into the night, after he had killed my chief and his mate, I wanted to break from him but he held the right to my life, and refused to let me go.”

“You could have slipped away one night or day, why stay with him after what he had done?” Treestump inquired.

Again, Kyun knew the question would be asked, and again he had decided how to answer and he looked to the oldest of the Wolfriders. “I tried once, but I found being with the evil that was Kavali was easier then being alone in the Abode. A voice, even as vile as Kavali’s, can break through a loneliness.”

“But you saved Scouter, why did you come to his aid and not Kavali?” Moonshade stepped in asking.

“Because being alone, losing a second tribe is painful but can be bearable. To be part of a second death of an innocent elf is not and on that hill with the Xanth coming for Scouter I decided not to live under Kavali’s rule any longer. I know I have blood on my hands, for what I have done, and I would not choose that path ever again because of it.”

The elders were quiet again. All looking at the large form of Kyun while contemplating. Treestump and Clearbrook and Moonshade and Strongbow, all four sat or stood quietly thinking hard on the words of the elf asking for a place in the tribe. Moments passed, Ember and her father Cutter sat quietly thinking leaving Kyun to stand and wait for their decision, which was slowly driving the large elf crazed, but then one voice had yet to be heard and she stood up breaking the mood of the council.

Leetah stood and walked over to Kyun stopping once she was right next to him. “Give me your hand Kyun, please.”

The large elf stood stoic for a moment lost in the healer’s eyes, those deep green pools that seemed to just draw him in, but then he did just as asked while out in the shadows Yun stopped pacing instantly. She froze as Kyun let Leetah take his hand and roll it over, looking down at the palm and tracing a line in the flesh. Then, turning her attention back to him, Leetah locked eyes with Kyun and the large elf suddenly felt safe of all things. “Would you hurt Cutter or Ember? Would you hurt me or any of us?”

The reaction was quick, swift, as Kyun shook his head with a pained look. It was if the very thought was the same poison that killed the chief from his old tribe. “No, I will never take the life of another elf ever, not for any gain.”

“Would you defend us though, this tribe you seek refuge in, even if it means taking the life of an elf?” Treestump asked with a squint of his eyes.

“We know the answer to that question Treestump.” Moonshade offered from where she sat.

“Yes we do,” Leetah smiled while looking at the large elf. She had her answers, knew her decision, as her lifemate spoke up.

“When you saved Scouter over Kavali, you chose this tribe over your past. You defended us in a way by choosing the life of one of our tribe over another.”

The wolf chief was right Kyun thought as Leetah let go of his hand before walking back to stand by her lifemate. He defended this tribe even though he wasn’t a part of it truly. He chose to save Scouter and let Kavali die, one life for another, even though at the time he didn’t see it this way. He was just happy to be free of the mouse and his evil. Yes, he would take another life if it came to that, for this band of elves he wanted to be part of so desperately’

“So, what does this mean?” He asked dumb-founded.

“It means you can stay and ride with us to Father Tree if you want`, and if no one can find a reason to make us think otherwise you have a tribe again Kyun.”

The large elf just stood dumbfounded as the words from Clearbrook sunk in. He had a tribe again, something to be with, a part of, and yes defend when needed. Out in the shadows Yun gasped, partly in shock and partly in excitement as the other around either howled or laughed. The small silver haired elf turned to look at the huntress who smiled back with a ‘I told you not to worry’ look.


What do mean you don’t want us to leave you with the humans? Newstar sent with a fair amount of panic in the communication. She slipped over a fallen tree barely making a sound and stirring nothing. For a silent stalker the weaver was very capable Redlance thought.

They have two other elves Newstar. We can’t leave them for whatever this ‘ceremony’ is. Dart replied still playing as if he was unconscious in the cart, which was till bouncing around making his head hurt just a bit worse.

Redlance didn’t send in a response to the young elf’s statement as he quietly followed along behind the humans using the bushes and trees to hide. He was busy thinking, trying to see all the pieces in this puzzle before he finally jumped into this gamble. Did they say anything about these elves? Where did they find them, anything like that?

No, just that they have two other elves and in two days we will part of a night ceremony.

The treeshaper took a moment to respond again. He knew what this ceremony. These humans hadn’t changed so much from the ones from so long ago. These humans were nothing like the ones who lived closer to the large towers the Djun built, castles or something like that, no, these humans were more like the ones from before the treeshaper went into wrapstuff. They believed in old ways, and that meant Dart and these other elves were to be killed in the name of some old God and their bodies burnt.

Do not ask us to leave you in the hands of those humans Dart.

I know it is hard my love, but those other elves, they might be part of the tribe coming home to Father Tree.

The remark broke Redlance’s train of thought and he sent to Dart while moving with the morbid caravan, hiding in the shadows. These elves are not part of our tribe Dart. Our tribe is coming home from a different direction so these elves are form some other tribe.

Oh, then maybe the elves are Go-Backs or Sun Villagers?

No, the sun Villagers are with Skywise somewhere far from here and the only Go-Backs left are either with us or buried.

The young archer was quiet for a moment before the treeshaper sent again. It is your decision Dart, we can help you slip away before the humans reach where they are going but if they reach this place and there are too many-

Please Dart, my soul, do not ask us to sit back when you need help.

The send was silent for a moment then Dart let the pair know what he wanted. Do not come for me till we know if we can or can’t help these other elves.

It was short and from the emotion both Redlance and Newstar knew there was no talking the young archer out of his decision. He knew the risks, if this place the humans were going to was full of other humans then there was little two small elves could do to free him. This was a move the treeshaper had already thought of, the moment Dart mentioned there were other elves his mind was going over what could occur. The chances of this working were so small and yet, how could one like Dart or himself leave two souls to die. He had almost lost his life once so long ago to humans like these, burned and broken and yet saved by his precious chief. No, he could not leave two others to suffer that fate.

And neither could the weaver as she responded. Please be careful!

I will my love. I promise, if I need you I will send to you both. Dart responded letting his love flow to her.

We will stay close Dart, let us know if the humans say anything else.

And with the last the treeshaper and weaver followed Dart and the humans closely, easily keeping up while staying hidden among the shadows and foliage of the forest. Dart rode in the cart keeping perfectly still and listening, that was till something slammed into the wall of the cart by his head. He jerked from the sudden sound and his eyes locked onto a visage that made his blood run cold. A marred and disfigured face stared at him, one colorless white eye held in it seemed by flesh that covered it in pieces. The human only walked and stared at him while behind one of the others laughed and said he knew the Little Spirit wasn’t sleeping.

Then the marred face tossed a skin into him before stepping away. The pouch made a sloshing sound and Dart assumed it was water, knew it was water, but there was a little voice telling him it just might be some thing worse.

In the end he took the skin and sipped from it, drinking the liquid wasn’t easy being gagged and the cart bouncing and all. Still, he did drink from the skin and it was water not poison.

Time seemed to pass slow, almost crawling, as Redlance could only watch from his hidden spot in a tree overlooking the cart Dart was lying in. The humans kept moving forward through the forest the first part of the night, the shadows thrown from their torches allowing him and Newstar to follow closely, till just before the mid of the two moons procession through the dark sky when the hunters all stopped. Well, all but one wanted to stop the tracker noted. This Terak, the one who had slapped the young hunter in his party, wanted to keep moving to the consternation of the others till finally all seven said enough. They were tired and done with the search for this Stone of Light, it was too dark to see anything now. With a growl Terak order the party to camp and with a grumble all the humans fell to sleep without a bite to eat or even a fire.

A perfect chance to get Dart out of this trouble the treeshaper thought, or what would have been a perfect chance. The young archer was still refusing to be rescued, and Redlance could not fault him for his stance. There were two other elves who were probably facing the same fate he should have faced many, many seasons back and he would have if not for Cutter saving him. Now, seeing things from the other side, he couldn’t leave those elves to die just like his precious chief could not leave him to be killed by the humans who had captured him.

“What is this ‘Stone of Light’ the humans are looking for?” Newstar whispered after swallowing a berry. He should have told the weaver to only send, but the treeshaper liked the sound of her voice at the moment.

“I do not know, but they are right where we would need to go.” Redlance answered before eating his own berry with a sigh. And there was the other reason they couldn’t help Dart. The humans had set a watch and one of them stood right next to the cart leaning against a tree, just two or three long paces from Dart. There was no way to get to the young archer now or even later.

“Should we try to contact Cutter?” The weaver asked.

“The tribe is still too far away for us to send to them so unless Suntop sends to us we are alone for now.” Redlance answered watching the human by the cart.

“Then all we can do is wait.” The weaver sighed dejectedly.

“We keep an eye on Dart and hopefully these humans get to where they are going quickly.”

With nothing else to discuss and nothing else to do the pair of elves sat quietly in the limbs of the tree and one kept watch till the day star began to rise. When the first rays broke through the canopy of the forest and began to lighten the area Newstar stirred awake and looked over to the treeshaper.

Is Dart good?

Yes, though good does not mean much for where he is.

The weaver could only agree and shifted in the tree to get an eye on the humans who were also starting to wake as well. Oh how she wanted him away from them this group of five-fingers and yet she also understood why Dart was staying where he was. If her archer could help these other elves then he would do just that as would any of the hunters and warriors of her tribe of Wolfriders.

Will the humans feed him?

I would not think so, but one might give Dart a bite of food out of pity, maybe.

Again the weaver had to agree and that made heart sink. He’s going to be hungry Newstar thought, so very hungry. Thankfully her thoughts were cut off as the humans began to move, all up now. The cart gave a groan as two of the humans took hold of the small pole by the front part and began to churn their legs propelling the cart forward. They watched as Dart sat in the back being bounced around before Redlance turned to Newstar.

“Alright, let’s follow but at a safer distance. Its light and these humans may have sharp eyes.”

Newstar only nodded then fell in behind the treeshaper as the pair started off following the cart and their archer.


The gag tasted terrible, which made drinking water a chore. Dart had to force himself to take a drink as two of the humans watched. When he was done he put the skin down and leaned up against the cart wall. The two humans looked to each other and mumbled something, probably a remark about him Dart thought, when the one with the marred face suddenly appeared.

“What are you two looking at?” He growled.

The cart gave a creak as Dart watched the two humans just shake their heads in confusion. “We are looking for the Stone of Light as you told us to.”

“No, you were watching the Little Spirit and NOT LOOKING FOR THE STONE!”

The farther the cart pulled away from the marred human the better Dart felt. This five-finger was filled with anger and bad intention the archer thought. He looked up to the trees wondering if his love and the treeshaper were nearby, probably and hopefully not he told himself. Redlance more than likely had them hidden at a safe distance, watching and following and that consoled the archer because his love would be safe from the humans for now. Wherever this cart ended up on its travels, he also hoped that she would remain safely away from these five-fingers, especially the marred one.

And just as the thought passed through Dart’s mind he saw the human walking up to him. For a second the archer felt a bit of panic, the look of anger on the marred face was frightful. Then he tossed something he was holding is his hand to the elf before storming by and past the cart. Dart looked down to a hunk of bread then back over his shoulder to where the human went. What was this he thought? Why were they giving him a bite of bread? The marred one couldn’t feel sorry or compassion for him Dart thought, it just wasn’t possible. That five-finger wasn’t capable of those feelings the archer was sure. Still, it was bread and he was really hungry, so he tore the bread apart and shoved the pieces past the gag so he could kind of chew the morsels.


The sound of sleep rolled through the family as they all lay under the boughs of a large conifer. Moonshade and Leetah had put out the furs while Nightfall and Strongbow tied back the shorter limbs which made the small like hut they were huddled in. All in this family were resting after a long nights ride, finding peace from the trail in the arms of each other, love flowing to each other across their lock-send.

All except one.

Cutter looked up to see his archer sitting by the small opening to their sleep spot gazing out to the forest in obvious thought. For the briefest of moments he thought he staring at his treeshaper but then sadly the wolf chief realized it wasn’t Redlance. His treeshaper was still back at Father Tree, just less than half a turn of the moon. Cutter smiled and rose carefully from the group and slid up to the archer quietly. Strongbow though heard the approach of his chief and turned with a warm smile.

I’m sorry my chief if I woke you.

It’s fine my archer, but I do wonder why your up. It was a long night, for all of us.

Strongbow shook his head. I will be fine for tonight’s ride my chief. One more night closer to returning home.

One night closer to seeing the den

One night closer to hearing the soft wheeze that puts me to sleep. One more night closer to returning home. Strongbow added with a sigh and a distant look into the morning sky.

So he’s missing our treeshaper Cutter thought. They all were, this family, missing him so much which was tempered by how close they were to seeing him again. They would be home here again shortly, but time seemed to just creep along making the wait close to maddening. And it was made harder now after agreeing to not sending to the three at Father Tree so as to surprise them. They had slightly lied to their treeshaper. The returning tribe was actually just a few nights away from Father Tree, maybe even less if they traveled fast.

I miss the talks by the den entrance, those soft words which guide with a nudge. How he can soothe a pain with a smile and a talk.

The archer smiled and nodded while staring into Cutter’s eyes. Moonshade wants to move into our treeshaper’s Den with all of you, she hates being away from this family for even a day now.

And you? Is that why your up?

I hate our den now as well. It feels cold inside, the furs itch me to no end, and there is no wheeze or soft words to council. And now, in just a handful of nights we’ll return to a den neither of us wants to be in and that is why I am up.

The confession was like hearing Leetah’s words all over again when the small tribe of Wolfriders had returned to Father Tree. The den he chose, and he had to be the one to choose because their healer wanted nothing but to live with her huntress and treeshaper and refused to look at any den, was never a home to him or a place to find sleep and rest in.

Then ask our treeshaper for what you want most, tell him you want to come to his furs and heart. Ask him, tell him that you and our shy one wish to take one more step to this family and its ‘Way’. Cutter offered trying only to help his archer.

Strongbow looked at his chief for a moment before replying. I was going to once we get back to Father Tree, ask to take that step, but only if it will not cause a rift with you or Leetah.

Oh, this had to be Aroree’s influence. His tanner and archer had tried to be lovemates with the Glider but it had gone so awkwardly bad both the Wolfriders just retreated away from the tribe seeking solace in themselves, in their ‘Way’ of rules and absolutes. The Glider had wanted so much so fast, treeing to even the giving of soulnames, that both Moonshade and Strongbow had fled from her in fear of losing themselves. Now they were afraid of having to relive a nightmare like that all over again. So, with a slow touch, Cutter leaned over taking his archer’s neck in a loving embrace and whispering low. “We have been waiting for the night you would ask to come and stay with us my archer, patiently with furs ready for you both so we can grow our family and our bond with your love.”

“Thank you my chief, now I feel like I am truly returning home.” Strongbow whispered. The pair sat in the quiet for a moment longer before getting up and sliding back into the furs with their loved ones.



With a bright fiery burst the Day Star disappeared below the horizon sending the Abode into a deep night, a chance for all to rest, and for those pulling a cart down a forest trail the end to a long day.

Or it should have been.

This night was just like the last, Terak pushing the group of humans along in the dark with harsh words searching for this Stone of Light. The only difference between the night before and tonight was the band of humans had ran out of forest. The trees stopped abruptly and nothing but open plains now lay before the five-fingered ones bathed in twin moonlight.

“We need to rest Terak. We are all tired.” A human said as the marred one stood looking at the swaying grass of the plain with pure disdain.

“We have not found the Stone of Light Chulash. There will be no rest until we do.” Terak  responded coldly.

“We are not going to find it Terak, and this day was our last to look for it. We have to return for the nightly ceremony tomorrow as our Chief ordered.” Chulash retorted.

The last from Chulash bit into Terak. He had demanded, guaranteed his Chief he would find the Stone of Light that the holy man talked about.  He would find it when no one else could and he would bring it back to his Chief and take its power if for nothing but spite, but that was not going to happen now because these men with him were not true men he thought as Chulash spoke again.

“There is no more time Terak, and no Stone of Light. We will barely make it back and only if we leave as the sun rises.”

“No Chulash,” Terak growled turning to him, “we will head back as our Chief has ordered but not because I could not find the Stone of Light. I return because the hunters I took along were not true hunters.”

The lone eye of Terak locked with the ones form Chulash and the smaller man just shook his head. “Why do you believe in the Stone so much Terak? It is just a story the old man tells to little ones to make them laugh, it is not real.”

“Oh, it is real Chulash, and when I find it the old holy man will give me what I am owed!”

And with the last spit from Terak’s lips he walked away from the group of humans he had lead these last days. Chulash watched with a bit of shock, but just a bit. He knew just like everyone else in the tribe that Terak was not right in his head and it seemed every day on this journey it was proven, over and over.

Over on the cart Dart watched the whole encounter play out. The marred one, Terak, was obviously no leader but now the young archer was thinking he was as crazed as Two-Spears, or what Treestump always said about him. Terak could watch each and every one of these humans die and he would not shed a single tear, so why did all of them follow him? Probably fear, mostly, but it couldn’t be that simple, right?

Dart, are you good?

Yes, I’m good. I think we’re heading back to where ever they call home. The small one called Chulash says they have to return by the end of the coming day to make some ceremony. The young archer stated as he answered the treeshaper.

Then you need to be ready to move when I say so. We will only have one chance to do this and get away without a fight.

As soon as I know about the other elves I’ll let you know.

The send was quiet for a moment before the weaver’s emotion touched Dart’s mind. And what if you don’t see these elves? What if there are too many humans around to save them Dart? Have you thought that you may not find them until its too late to do anything?

Yes, the one advantage if one wanted to call it that of having to sit in this cart was to think and for some reason every thought told the young archer they could save these elves. Yes, but it won’t come to that. I know we can help them my love. The three of us can keep them from being hurt, just trust me please.

Again the send was quiet before treeshaper touched the weaver and Dart’s mind. Then we’ll wait till we hear from you about the other elves, but do not ask me to choose them over you Dart. I will not have your mother and sire lose another cub and suffer that pain again, do you understand?  

I understand Redlance, go rest as I think I will do the same. Dart answered shutting  down the send. He knew what the treeshaper meant, that if it came to it he would pull the young archer out the humans grasp and leave the other elves to fend for themselves. These others weren’t family to the treeshaper and Redlance would die saving one of precious tribe, do whatever was necessary including sacrificing himself. And Newstar, she’d fight to the very end to free him, just as he would do for her. So, Dart had to find the elves because if he didn’t then both would die in this ceremony and then the treeshaper trying to save him.

Five lives gambled now, nothing to worry about Dart thought taking a drink from a skin of water tossed into the cart.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, to the village we go...



The humans and their cart rolled out in the morning at first light and now Redlance, Newstar, and Scamper faced a true dilemma.  There were no more tress, no brush, and nothing to hide behind but grass that was mid-leg high to the humans. And with it being day there were no dark shadows or darkness to conceal them. The only thing they could rely on was distance and tired five-fingers. Redlance turned to the weaver and told her they would have to follow at a greater distance now there was no place to hide, and they could not risk being seen, but they might be able to stay close enough to keep the cart just in sight if they were quick.

When she asked how they could do that, and the treeshaper knew she would ask because that was Newstar’s ‘Way’, he smiled and explained. The five-fingers are tired from getting very little sleep these last two nights, and with pulling that heavy cart, they would be slow to see anything and even slower in reacting to it. All these humans wanted was to get to wherever they were going, probably home, and then away from this Terak. This gave them an edge and if they were small enough and quick enough they could stay close to the cart and Dart.

The weaver only nodded in agreement, as did Scamper. The treeshaper nodded back to both and then told Newstar to pick all the berry bushes clean around them and fill their pockets and tunics. Food would be scarce to nothing once they were out on the open plains and he would like to not have to keep them fed all the time. When she had packed her leather with berries and nuts Newstar ran out of the cover the forest right behind the treeshaper with Scamper behind, out onto the plain following the track of the five-fingers and their cart.


The Day Star was bright this morning, and Dart had to cover his eyes as the Cart ambled along across the plains. The ride was much smoother, no sudden jerks or shifts, as the ground the wheels rolled on was free of rocks and roots. Occasionally the cart would jump or shift, but not enough to throw Dart around. So, he sat back and listened, but the humans were not so talkative this morning. They were extremely tired though with yawns popping out from all the hunters, one right after the other, all except Terak of course. The man didn’t yawn and he wasn’t smiling and he was still looking around searching for the Stone of Light. He has no feelings for anyone here Dart thought, he has no friends, and more than likely he actually hates each and every human around him. Then the young archer’s eyes caught a small glimpse of something in the grass.

Redlance, is that you?

A moment passed before a response came back. Yes, I was just making sure you were good.

I’m fine, a little thirsty, but good. Don’t get too close, most of the humans may be tired but the marred one is still keeping an eye out for the Stone.

We will stay back, out of sight. Let us know if you need us, understand?

I will, thank you Redlance.

For what?

For believing in me, for letting us help these other elves.

Another moment passed before the treeshaper responded. Your chief now Dart, we will do as you say, but if I see something I do not like I will come and get you.

I know, so mother and father don’t loose another cub. Dart replied warmly.

And Newstar doesn’t loose her precious love archer, don’t forget her.

Just then the send was joined by Newstar and the treeshaper let his mind rest. He let the two have the rest of morning exchanging sends and love. He wasn’t sure, but the treeshaper had a feeling tonight was going to be wilder than any of them could have expected or wanted.

And his intuition was more than on the mark, right to the center of the target.

The band of hunters and the cart kept moving all day, just stopping long enough to change the two humans pulling it for a fresh pair. It was then Redlance made a startling realization, where were the no-humps? The tall zwoot like creatures (a bad comparison the treeshaper thought but it was all he had to go with) were everywhere back when they fought the Djun, but the animals became more and more scarce as the tribe moved away from those humans and even disappeared all together when they reached Father Tree. Maybe these humans didn’t have no-humps, maybe they had no beasts to ride? The treeshaper kept his mind occupied with the question as he followed the cart, Newstar and Scamper just off his side by a step or two. The trio kept out sight, by luck and skill, all through the day till the Day Star began to set and thankfully the landscape grew darker. There were more places to hide now, deepening shadows to blend into and both Wolfriders used that to their advantage.

And then the humans stopped and Redlance noticed they were standing where the plains started to drop in a slow lazy descent into a bowl like valley. At the bottom of the bowl, just beyond the edge of the end of the slope, a wall sprang up made of tall large round timber, trees cut and buried into the ground before being lashed to one another forming a large square around a rather modest village. It was a stout wall, opposing, at least to some one half the size of a five-finger. Redlance could see the gate right in front where the humans came and went through, and on the other side of this ‘stout’ wall were many long buildings also made of lashed timbers and thatched roofs, what they called huts, though none looked like the ones from Leetah’s Sun Village. All the huts were staggered along the wall in no kind of order forming little pathways here and there, and also leaving the center open for a very large building which the treeshaper assumed was the home of the chief and a very large fire pit in front of it.

This isn’t that big of a village, not too many humans. Newstar sent kneeling by Redlance.

There’s enough to make one think twice about what we’re trying to do.

And there were just enough pf them the treeshaper noted. The tribe of humans was a small one living here, it wasn’t close in the number or size of what he had seen when they fought the Djun, in those large towers. Still, there were more five-fingers than elves from the Wolfriders and Howling Rock combined and all of them were out this night. Torches lit the area this night in dull illumination and the treeshaper thought it had to be for this ‘ceremony’ the Marred One had been ordered to return for. On any other night this village was probably as quiet as the Sun Village, dark with only one or two humans walking about.

Tonight, though, it was different. Because of this ceremony, all the humans were up and torches were everywhere. Places to hide would be small and rare, but then the shadows would also be deep making it easier to not to be seen. It was a quandary the treeshaper was thinking about when the cart began to move and the five-fingers began to drop into the bowl.

What do we do now?

The same we have done all day, follow the cart. The treeshaper replied.

How, the weaver asked watching the cart descend slowly down the slope, its going into the village.

And that is where we are going Newstar, are you sure you want to follow me down there? Redlance asked turning to her.

The weaver looked at the village for a moment with trepidation. They were about to ‘enter the bear’s den’, a phrase Dart’s father always used and before now she barely understood. Yes, going into the den of a something that could kill you with a single swipe of its claws made her think it was ridiculous to do just that, but now she understood the phrase for what it truly meant. And just how silly was it for her to realize that fact now. All day long she hadn’t thought of what they would have to do to save Dart, Newstar just knew they had to. Now, here at this point, she grasped the situation, and decided on what she would do.

I’ll follow you in.

The cart was halfway down the slope now so there was no time left to discuss if she was sure about her decision the treeshaper noted, what this was going to require. He only nodded, told Scamper to stay and wait, and then started off down the slope staying out the light cast by all the torches. Newstar rubbed the wolf to reassure him they would be coming back shortly, then she followed staying on Redlance’s side doing everything he did.




Dart couldn’t see where the cart was going exactly, not until he twisted around and took a long look at the tall wall the cart was about to pass through. The humans marched through the gate in the wall and instantly there was a murmur, the five-fingers gathered there saw him sitting in the back of the cart and reacted with gasps and whispers. Another one someone hissed, where are they coming from another asked thinking their words were unheard due to being whispered. Dart had sharp ears though, not as sharp as Tyleet’s, but good enough to hear every word being spoken, and with each one he started to think this plan of his wasn’t as smart as it sounded back on the plains.

Burn them on the fire another whispered, burn all three so their evil magic won’t hurt us. With the yellow glow from all the torches being held or stuck on poles, the scene was beyond frightening to the small elf.

Yes, this may have been a huge mistake Dart was beginning to think as the cart rolled through the village and the humans kept whispering. He wondered if Redlance was out there somewhere in what dark shadows there were, if he was inside the walls of the village, and then he saw something flash out on the edge of the yellow hued light and he knew the treeshaper had kept his promise of staying close. Now he felt just a bit better, but just a bit.




The pair of Wolfriders moved quickly darting toward the wall, staying as low as they could using the high grass to hide. This was going to be a hard task Redlance thought, the wall looked to have no hand hold what-so-ever as he ran down it searching for something to grab onto. He also thought this had to be quick, up and over as fast as possible, because there are humans all around and if one of them saw him or Newstar-.

Then, out of the semi-dark, a hole appeared in the wall. A large spot where one or two of the lashed tree trunks were missing. The gap was more than large enough for him and Newstar to go through and Redlance didn’t hesitate to scamper through it and into the village.

On the other side of the opening two corners from opposite huts appeared and Redlance immediately slipped into the dark shadow of the one of the left. He said a small prayer to
Timmorn for the luck no one was by the hole in the wall at the time. He saw Newstar slip in behind him and go for the other corner just as his ears picked up the sound of approaching feet followed by low voices.

“Terak caught another Little Spirit while out looking for the Stone.” A high voice spoke,  what sounded like a lifebearer human.

“Fool,” a second lifebearer spoke up just as the pair came into view passing between the large huts, “he should be hunting for the coming winter, getting us meat we need and not stones! Does he expect us to eat rocks when we have so little?”

“He says if he finds the Stone it will give him special powers and he can save the village, but Undvath and the Shaman hold him back.”

“And who is the bigger fool of the three, the one who looks for a stone or the one who lets the one waste time looking for a stone or the one who told the other two about the worthless stone?”

They were busy speaking with each other, gossiping just like Shenshen would do, and would just pass them by Redlance thought staying perfectly still, but Newstar wasn’t as confident, probably because this was her first time trying to sneak into a human village. She took a step back out of fear and right into something, a wooden rack maybe. All the weaver knew was bumping into the rack was no where as loud as the clay pot that fell from it. breaking once it hit the ground with a loud shatter sound.

All at once the pair of human lifebearers stopped as Redlance sighed. He wasn’t mad. He knew something like this would probably happen and hated being right about it.

Sorry, Newstar sent just as the first human called out with a shaky voice stepping over by the huts, getting closer to the pair.

“Who’s there? I said Who’s There?!”

Do not move, stay still

“Its some animal, probably a rat. Leave it be or it will tear your face off.”

The treeshaper picked up a loose rock just behind him and with a toss threw it at the gap hitting   the lashed tree with a loud crack. The noise echoed slightly and it had the intended effect on the frightened five-fingers. The two human lifebearers stepped back as the second one spoke up.

“Oh yes, that’s a rat, and a large from the sound of it.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, we’ll just leave it be for now!” The first lifebearer added before turning and running back to her friend. Both scurried off as the treeshaper motioned for the weaver to follow. She did and both slipped along the wall in the dark as the cart came into view between the huts.

Where are they taking Dart? Newstar asked with a worried send.

To that small hut all the way in the back of the village I think?

Why, are the other elves there?

I don’t know but where ever he goes we do. Redlance answered just he noticed a small open area where some no-humps were being kept in. They do have beast to ride, then why were those humans pulling a cart?

The treeshaper kept the question bouncing around in his head as he watched the cart come to a stop by the center of the village, by the large fire pit and waited.




The scarred five-finger led the procession through the village walking out front with his chest up and his eyes locked in front of him. He could hear the others whisper about the Little Spirit in their weak ways, afraid of it, cowering from it. How one could be so scared of something so small Terak wondered. The Little Spirit was just as frail and weak as them, they didn’t even have to chase this one. It was in a tree sleeping and never moved or ran away as the hunters approached and caught it, weak and frail all and everyone around me Terak kept thinking as the wheels of the cart squealed behind him.

The human villagers were massing now, gathering round the cart walking with it, following it as it moved along till the mob reached the center of the village. Terak came to a stop by the large rock lined fire pit and looked around with his usual disdain at all who had the unfortunate luck to meet his one-eyed gaze. Almost all shrank from him, looking away to avoid his malevolence, all but one. A young hunter at the back, Caliban, looked back with just as much hate for Terak as he for all these sheep around him. The two were locked in a silent battle of wills, eye to eye literally, trying to make the other surrender when the marred one heard the approach of feet and the villagers suddenly looked hopeful.

It was the old holy man, had to be with the way these fools were acting now Terak thought, groveling fools one and all. He turned and just as his instincts told him, there was the old holy man walking toward them. The villagers parted to let him pass, and he was dressed in his usual old style buckskins and moccasins, frays of cord hanging here and there. Objects with some meaning only he understood dangled from the holy man’s wrists and ears and hair. As the Shaman approached Terak exhaled low like growling wolf, his teeth grinding together.

“I was told you have caught another Little Spirit.” The Shaman asked walking up to the back of the cart.

“You were told? That was quick.” Chulash asked and answered looking at the other hunters with a small amount of shock.

“Yes it was,” the Shaman sighed ignoring the hunter before seeing Dart tied and gagged in the back of the cart and a sad expression came across his face for a moment. The young archer saw it, felt the anxiety that was building in his chest from all the humans running around the cart staring at him lessen, and then the expression changed in an instant as the old man spoke with a grin. “I will need to prepare him like other two in my hut. Where did you catch this one?”
“He was sleeping in-?” A man named Hallad from the group of hunters started to answer when a loud hiss from Terak stopped him.

“Where we found him is our secret and no one else needs to know.” The scarred hunter remarked coldly while snarling almost.

“Why are there so many Little Spirits coming so close to the village now? Are they looking for something, maybe they seek the Stone of Light like Terak does?” Someone asked in a fear filled voice.

The Shaman shook his head and sighed, smiling at Dart as he did. “No, Little Spirits do not care to be a part of our lives or the stone’s, which has been the right way for them to live. This Little Spirit here is not like the two caught outside the walls just before the hunters left so I think he may not be with them or their kind. I still need to prepare him though, so please take him to my hut so I can get him ready.”

“The Little Spirits and how they live does not matter. Why were the hunters allowed to leave five days ago only to come back with an empty cart? Where is the food for us?” Another voice demanded from the crowd. It drew another instant growl and harsh look from Terak which quieted the mass of people.

“Because I go where I want, when I want! I do not answer to you or have to feed you!”

“Wait, what do we get for bringing the Little Spirit back?” The one human from other night who had voiced loudly the hunters should get something for finding the Little Spirit and bringing it to the village asked as two of the hunters moved toward the Little Spirit. The sound in his voice this time though was tinged with just a bit of desperation and fit the look on the human’s face Dart thought.

“You get little as we have little to give.” A strong voice ordered and all the villagers turned to it, drawn to it almost. It was the their chief and as the large man walked up one could feel his strength roll off him like a scent. To Dart it was just like Cutter, something one could sense more than describe, and yet this feeling was different with the human. The Wolfrider chief was ‘commanding’ and you were drawn to him, if the young archer had to put a words to it where this human chief felt like a lion from the Sun Village warning you with a loud growl, do not challenge me because you will loose everything if you do. This sense from the human chief was more dominating than Cutter and not in a good way which is why all the other humans gave the large man space.

The chief stopped by the cart as the Shaman spoke up. “Good eve Chief Undvath.”

There were no pleasant exchanges of words coming though as the old man had proffered. The chief stared at Dart with cold eyes before turning to back to speak in an even colder tone to the old man. “Will burning these Little Spirits on the fires bring us favor with Gorath?”

The old man waited a long moment choosing silence before answering. “As I have told you before brave chief, what ever favor you wish to gain will not come from sacrificing innocents to the Great God Gorath.”

The pair stood quietly eyeing each other before, the larger human squaring his body to the old man as if getting ready to fight. And yet, his first words were an order to the hunters ignoring all advice from the holy man. “Take the Little Spirit and its things to the Shaman’s hut. It will need to be prepared for the fire.”

As ordered two of the hunters grabbed Dart along with his bow and quiver of arrows. They didn’t untie him so the humans just dragged him by his arms heading off toward a lone hut in the back of the village, a smaller version of the large ones. While they took Dart away the large chief never took his eyes off the Shaman or turned away.

“Then what are we to do holy one? What are we to eat when the winter comes, eh? Our crops are barely enough to feed us now and our arrows and spears fell no beast so there is no meat. We need the favor of Gorath are we will die.” Undvath asked after breathing in deeply before speaking, his chest expanding with all the air he drew in.

“Stop asking for help from your Gorath, he is not answering your prayers this night or any other.” A voice even colder then the chief spoke up, and the words sent a stir of gasps through the crowd. No one ever speaks ill of the Gods, especially not in days as bleak as these days were now. Well, one of them did, and his marred face should have warned him not to. It was punishment for defying the God Gorath, to hunt the sacred White Wolf for its pelt for nothing more than hubris was profane, and Terak should have learned his place in the order of things long ago.

He did not though and his soul only darkened from that day onward.

“Watch where you step Terak,” was all Chief Undvath replied with a snarl.

The crowd of villagers stepped back, some voluntarily to ensure their safety if blows came to pass and others because of being pushed by the ones seeking safety. Terak and Undvath didn’t move from where they stood, eyeing each other with looks that would kill. Then the marred hunter stepped forward and spoke low. “The Stone of Light is the only thing that will save our village and you know this Chief Undvath.”

“I need to go and see to preparing the Little Spirits Chief Undvath.” The Shaman stated, breaking into the verbal fight, before turning to leave and then being stopped with a harsh accusal from Terak.

“I would have found the Stone by now if you would have given me the shard to carry, to point me in its direction.”

The Shaman looked to answer the marred human, but a raised hand from the chief stopped him. Then with a wave from Undvath the old man was dismissed and he took the chance of being sent away quickly by doing just that, walking away. Terak watched the holy man leave with a disgusted look before being pulled to stare at the chief by the large man’s words.

“I told him to protect the shard Terak. He is not to give it to anyone, you most of all.”

“The piece will lead me to its bigger brother Chief Undvath, it will show me the way I know.” Terak stated standing his ground with a growl.

The chief only shook his head before answering. “The vision again Terak, you still believe this Stone of Light will make you the greatest hunter who has ever lived?”

“Yes, it will, and it will save everyone here.”

“No Terak,” Undvath said shaking his head again, “it was just a dream made from stories you heard the Shaman tell the youngest of us. I should have said no to you five days ago when you asked to go search for it when we found the first two Little Spirits, but heed my words now. Do not continue to chase down this trail or you will not like where it ends.”

“I will find the Stone of Light and I will bring it back. I have seen it. I have seen what the days ahead hold for me.” Terak hissed breathing heavily.

Undvath cocked his head to the side as his hand slowly dropped to the knife on his belt. “You said much the same about the White Wolf once. You dreamed of hunting and killing it, sitting at the fires draped in its wondrous pelt while being praised by everyone, but what happened when you found the Wolf, eh hunter? It left its mark on you and tell me, what praise is there for the one who bears the mark, eh?”

The last from the chief, a verbal slap to his pride, sent a bolt of rage rolling through Terak. He stiffened, his hands clenching into fist as he stared back at Undvath with fire in his eyes. They were just moments from killing one another the villagers gathered around thought, a blink of an eye away from bloodshed, but then Terak only spun and stormed away from the confrontation pushing people out of his way.

All at once the tensions in the crowd fell flat, the villagers gathered round sighing in relief before moving on to other necessary things. There was to be a ceremony tonight and no one was allowed to miss it. Everyone except one who walked up to stand by his chief while eyeing the marred human walking away.

“Do you think the Stone really talked to Terak in a vision? It seems strange to show him his ‘future’ but not where to find this ‘future’.”” The young hunter Caliban asked.

“Terak matters little to me while he is searching for the Stone, it keeps him out of the village and away from me, which is why I let him go out these last days. The quiet was nice to have.”

“Its is good then the old man keeps the shard, keeps the hated one there away for you. What if he finds the Stone by accident though, does that worry you?”

“No, I know he will come for my head if he ever finds the Stone, that is no question. It is waiting for him to find the Stone that is tiring me out, having him around just makes my head hurt.” Undvath remarked, answered, as he turned toward Caliban finally.

The young hunter looked confused for a moment, his mind chewing on what his chief had said. Then he noticed Undvath was looking back to where the old holy man had walked, back to the Shaman’s hut. “Why do you allow Terak to stay if he is such a problem?”

“He has always been a problem, but the reason I allowed him stay is because he provided for us, that was till this night. Keep an eye on Terak, let me know if he leaves out from the village.” Undvath ordered. The young hunter watched his chief continue to take a long look toward the Shaman’s hut then with a snap go back to his domicile with long strides.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, a new protector chosen?



The humans carried Dart along by carrying him by his arms, his feet never really touching the ground at any point as they walked. He could only go limp and stay still as the pair went between the large huts  toward the back of the village, right up against the large wall. Somewhere a no-hump whinnied and the young archer strangely began to wonder why the humans were pulling the cart instead of a no-hump. The Sun Villagers were smart enough at least to use Zwoots to pull carts and do other labors. Stop it Dart, he told himself sternly, keep your head in the Now. You have to find these other elves before your tossed on to a fire and burnt alive.


The five-fingers came up to a hut smaller than all the others and neither stopped by the entrance or waited as per the custom Dart thought. You knocked on the entrance to the hut in the Sun Village or the bole Hole at Father Tree, it was just-


Stop it Dart! Stop thinking and get ready.


The room the humans stepped into was lit by only two candles, the shadows were deep and dark. The edges of the hut were barely visible, and since the Sun outside had barely set throwing darkness everywhere this hut was unusually dark. The humans carried the young archer to center of the hut then dropped him with a plop to the ground causing him to roll onto his hip. The one carrying his bow and arrows tossed both onto a pile of furs before turning to the other.


“Are the other two still gagged” He asked.


Dart wasn’t so deep in thought so as to miss the question and he rolled over quickly to see the other five-finger looking into a small cage barely visible in the dark room. For a moment he couldn’t see anything because the human was blocking what the cage was keeping locked away, but then he moved and Dart caught sight of the pair. One was small just his size, maybe a little shorter, while the other smaller one was Suntop’s height and being held by the taller one. They were both elves with slender bodies and long pointed ears just like me Dart thought.


Only both were lifebearers like Newstar and both were dressed in leathers that looked nothing like the kind the Wolfriders wear. They looked more like the skins of animals he had never seen, prepared differently than his mother did with the Wolfriders leathers.

“Yes, both are still gagged” The human answered turning to leave but not before adding an ominous view of the future. “When we burn all three on the fires Gorath will end these dark days we are in.”


“I pray he does, or we will not survive the coming winter.” The other five-finger responded before both were out the door to the hut.


Yet, both humans were barely out of the hut before Redlance and Newstar were emerging from the deep shadows from inside the domicile. They were like ghosts just appearing in a quiet rush, Newstar going for Dart to help him get freed while the treeshaper made for the cage and the elves. Both lifebearers, who had looked frightened and apprehensive just moments before, now moved to the cage front and pulling the gags out of their mouths.


Can you send? Redlance asked while starting to deduce how to open the cage.


Yes, we can send, both of us. The taller and older of the pair replied. The energy from her send was hectic but calm Redlance noted. She had brown hair like his Nightfall only darker, and instead of curls there were braids everywhere among the straight strands, on the side and top. It all flowed back being held in place by a leather cord.


Good, let me get you out. How are you Dart? The treeshaper asked as he tried to find the latch or lock or whatever held the elves inside the hated box.


I’m good, how do we get them out?  The young archer answered just as he stepped up and knelt by treeshaper. Newstar took the other side behind Redlance and sent with as calm energy as she could.


I’m Newstar and this is Dart and Redlance. What are your names? When were you taken?


I’m Behitha and this is Ayashe. We were taken five days ago I think. The taller one with the long brown hair answered.


Five days? Why keep them caged so long? Dart started to think about it as Redlance looked up and Newstar questioned him. What is it treeshaper?


The door is locked by some piece of metal. I think we-


“You will need the key to open the cage, luckily I have it right here.” A deep voice stated and the three elves free of the cage spun around in a half circle. The two in the cage lost  sight of the front of the hut for a moment as the three in front turned and stood to engage the voice, but the pair inside the cage knew the voice too well. He had been their captor and in someways their caretaker these last five very long days and nights.


It was the old man from before, in the center of the village by the large fire pit, the one they called Shaman. He stood still and watched with a warm smile as the elves broke into a protective stance. The one they just brought in pulled a knife from the belt of the one with the bright red hair and braids and then shifted over to his female companion, who also had brandished a small knife. The Shaman only kept smiling, and with measured movement, reached into a pocket on his tunic and produced a small key for the lock on the cage.


And he stood perfectly still struck with wonder as the red hair Little Spirit needed no key. The old man observed with keen eyes as the Little Spirit stepped to the side of the box never breaking eye contact with him. He watched keenly as the red hair grabbed the box in one hand and almost instantly the wooden container began to glow. The Shaman felt pure astonishment as the wood that made the cage began to age, grow older with each breath he took until it was warped and brittle. The two Little Spirits inside waited no longer than it took to blink before breaking free, the older one pushing her way out of what once was a cage but now just kindling, leading her smaller companion with an arm wrapped around her.


Get behind Dart and Newstar Behitha, run if I say so. The treeshaper ordered sternly.


The older elf only nodded as she and her young charge swiftly got behind Dart. Redlance  stood for a moment eyeing the old man and Newstar began to wonder what the pair were doing or about to do. They had Dart free and the other two elves as well, it was time to leave and quickly at that she thought silently.


“Can you do that with any kind wood?” The Shaman asked breaking free of his shock while squatting down so he could be at eye level with the Little Spirits.


“I can talk with trees, plants, and even the grass under your feet. I can ask it to grow in size and even grow old or back to a seedling.” Redlance answered stepping forward, stepping into a conversation with the old man, and it couldn’t have been at a worse time as the weaver thought with a silent yelp.


What are you doing Redlance? Dart asked for them both looking from the old man to the treeshaper and back nervously.


“You talk with trees? Oh that is amazing. I use to dance around one a long time ago, a very special one in a forest not far from here. I drew it on a piece of leather I have somewhere around here. I use to wonder, if it could ask it a question, what would it tell me of what it had seen for so many winters?”


“How can you understand me? How can you speak like me?” The treeshaper asked realizing for the first time the old man talked just like the elves. There had been only a few humans who could talk like the elves Redlance thought, but why had it taken him this long to grasp the fact the old man was doing it worried the treeshaper a little.


“Oh that is a long story Little Spirit, much too long to tell for the short time we have.” The Shaman answered cryptically.


“Why did you keep the other elves alive for five days? No tribe of five-finger I know of does this?” Redlance asked rapid fire as Newstar sent to him with a little bit of fear.


What are we doing Redlance? We can’t stay here.


Yes, please, we have to run away! The smaller elf Ayashe sent and her energy was full of fear, which Redlance could easily understand. Being locked away, gagged the whole time, could be a little fear inducing.


And yet, for some reason he was drawn to the old man like the shade thrown by Father Tree on a green growing day. Some feeling he couldn’t understand or describe kept pulling at him, forcing him to take one more step closer, well within arms reach of the old man as an answer came.


“I kept them alive until you came for them, it wasn’t so hard to convince Undvath to wait so everyone would be at his ceremony, or use Terak’s lust to convince him to search for the stone making the chief wait for his return. It is easy to play one against the other. Terak believes too easily in old stories and that is his undoing as well as the chief’s. It will be all their undoing in this village, those who follow one or the other.” The Shaman sighed with a sad grin as Redlance stopped in front of him, a brow furrowed with contemplation.


Wait, what did he mean by that? He knew someone was coming to save the other elves or did he say he knew ‘I’ was coming to save the other elves? Because the words, the way they were spoken, and this feeling of being pulled in muddled the treeshaper’s thinking. Yet he was sure of one thing, solidly sure.


Stay still everyone, I can’t explain it but we’re not in danger right now. Redlance sent hoping to calm Ayashe and the others as he spoke. “How did you know ‘I’ was coming to save them?”


If the treeshaper was expecting an answer than he was handed one he was not prepared for. Redlance stood looking into the old man’s eyes, pulled into them just like Leetah’s, so much so he was lost in what the old man did and said next. The treeshaper saw a five-fingered hand come up, in the palm a long plain white stone sat, and then something went off in his brain, a jolt from a memory. In his mind eye Redlance could see the large Stone buried halfway in the ground in that circular glen, the one the Wolfriders found when they journeyed to return to Father Tree. The Stone had been left alone for so long, hidden away from the Abode by the ones who used to honor it.


“I have walked this world for a long time Little Spirit, longer than I should have been allowed too. I have seen things of wonder and things from nightmares. I know too there are more of you than the five here so it was easy to know other Little Spirits would come for the pair in the cage.”


Redlance thought for a moment, staring at the stone, while the others behind him were lost in confusion and fear. What is he doing Newstar thought to herself while keeping the knife in her hand pointed up at the old man.


“Where did you get that stone piece from?” Redlance asked eyeing shard.


“Why do you ask? Have you come across a stone like this one here? A bigger one maybe” The Shaman responded quickly. Dart suddenly felt like the five-finger and the treeshaper were playing some kind of game, a test of wits, and yes, it was at the worst moment possible.


“The Scarred One, he thinks the stone has magic in it, does it? Is that why you can speak like me?”


“I cannot say Little Spirit, the shard is just what it is, stone and nothing more to most who touch it. To some who are special though, they can feel the energy the Great Spirit gave it when the stone came to the Abode, but even that I am afraid is dying just like this village.” The Shaman answered holding his hand out for the Little Spirit to touch the shard.


The treeshaper stared at the shard of stone for a moment, just a heartbeat, and then he reached out and took the piece out of the Shaman’s hand. Almost at once the images in his head came to life taking over his body and just like that morning when they found the Stone Redlance could see humans all dressed in colorful leathers and feathers and decorations. They were all joyful and happy dancing round that large Stone in the glen, jumping and leaping and spinning in the air just the way the Sun Villagers did at the Festival of Flood and Flowers.



In a small opening, in a clearing in a forest far away from the hut this night, a solitary large stone sat buried halfway into the ground keeping a lonely vigil. It was wide at its base, four long sides meeting at sharp corners to form a diamond where it met the ground, and from there it rose skyward toward the opening above its head, rising to a point like a marker directing one’s eyes to the heavens above. This special stone had been moved, with great care and pain by devoted people, drug on logs and straw from the land where it had fallen from the night sky down to this world to this very unique and significant spot.


It was if this small glen called to these people carrying this heavy stone, pulled them to this very spot through dreams and visions.


And they came with the stone, carefully placing their now sacred idol in the ground right in the path of the bright star as it crossed the sky during the day, the sun passing the pointed crown at it highest point. These devoted people then built a village, a life right nearby their precious stone, and this life was good. They prayed and praised and gave all their spiritual energy to their stone. They would come to it at mid-day everyday and thank it for the bounty it brought them. They danced round it on those special days the holy man called Manaor came, 30 stones tossed into a jug was the count, one for each day that passed till Manaor was here again.


Then, when the holy man had twelve jugs, each filled with thirty stones, he would call for the great Festival of Awakening. The people would celebrate and dance around their stone, worshiping it with all their love. Only one day equaled the Festival of Awakening in celebration, the longest day of all, the Day of Brightest Light.


Life was good to these devoted people, till it wasn’t. All things must come to an end and one night all the people who had worshiped the stone, the descendants of the ones who had brought it to this special place, left. They fled from some great evil, left their stone behind, hidden away from any who would come looking for it. And here it sat, alone for so very, very, very long until one morning a band of Little Spirits found the stone, and one among them touched it in reverence bringing the light back to the glen...even though he did not know this that morning.


The dark of the glen, the clearing illuminated only by star light and moon, came to life suddenly with a bright flash. All at once, the stone came to life for a brief moment scaring the animals and bugs nearby sending them running.


It was time, the end of it all was finally coming.



So lost in the vision was the treeshaper he barely felt the send from his young archer. Redlance? Treeshaper, are you there?


“What happened?” Redlance asked suddenly with his own whisper, lost still. The images of the dancing humans, where did they come from? Where did the images go? For a moment the treeshaper was not in the ‘Now’, no, he was trying to get his bearings again as the world around him came into focus.


“What did you do to him?” He heard Newstar demand of the old man, who only shook his head while answering.


“I did nothing Little Spirit, but sometimes the shard shows things to those it sees as special.”


“So it does have magic in it?” Dart hissed at the Shaman, but the anger was drawn down as the treeshaper spoke.


“No, there is no magic in the Stone, not the kind of magic we know. And you old man, your not from this tribe of five-fingers are you?”


The Shaman sighed and stood up keeping his eyes locked to Redlance. “I am not a part of this tribe, no. I was born in another many, many winters back. I can see and talk with the ones who have left this world and so I was called to be a holy man, and when this tribe attacked and killed the ones I love...I was spared and imprisoned like the two you have freed for that reason.”


How old are you? The treeshaper thought silently. And this shard, it wasn’t magic but something in it talked with him, like he did with Father Tree. A beloved dead maybe?  How can a rock talk to me though? Redlance’s muddled mind thought. He never touched the large stone in the meadow, it was the trees and the signs hanging from them that told Redlance what the clearing was used for long ago. So, would this ‘talking’ have happened if he had touched the bigger stone? Would it have ‘talked’ with me?


It didn’t matter because the old man broke his train of garbled thought. “There is no more time to tell stories of my past Little Spirit. Just believe when I say that the stone shard you hold has no magic in it, but it can talk to ones who it wishes too.”


“Yes, we have to leave before the others come back.” Newstar whispered in agreement as the treeshaper went to hand the shard back.


The Shaman though shook his head and tucked his hands behind his back. “Oh no, I can not take the shard back now Little Spirit. It has chosen a new one to be its holder.”


“Wait, what does that mean, chosen?” Dart exclaimed with surprise, and yet the treeshaper had a better question.


“Why am I the new holder when the Scarred One says he talked with the stone too?”



The fire this night would be big, the largest the fire pit had ever tried to contain Undvath thought as he watched men after men bring in the large logs as fuel for the fire. They would need the bonfire to be as big as they could get it, not only to ensure Gorath would see the fire from his keep high in the night sky but to also ensure the three Little Spirits were  completely destroyed, no bone or bit left. If the fire wasn’t big enough, hot enough, to destroy everything and a piece of a Little Spirit survived then the village could be cursed by its ghost as revenge.


This is why Undvath kept watch over the building of the fire, There could be no mistakes, this was too important to risk to anyone else he thought turning to one of the woman filling a bowl with flowers on a table by his side.


“Is the Shaman finished preparing the Little Spirits for the ceremony?”


The woman only shook her head stating she didn’t know. If she had been more focused, more attentive, then she would have noticed four small shadows darting from the corner of one hut to hide behind another. Instead she only looked to her chief as he grumbled and then gave an order.


“We will give him some more time but not much. Make sure everyone is here, at the fire, ready to pray their all to Gorath. We need his blessing and will not get it if we do not show our love.”


The woman only nodded and walked away as Undvath went back to watching the men setup the fire pit.




“The shard did not talk with Terak, that is why he is not the one who cares for the shard now. He had a dream after holding it, what he says is a vision, but it was no true ‘talk’. He has no soul with which the shard could talk to.”


The answer from the Shaman made Redlance think, stop and ponder for a long moment. If the stone was his now, what did it want of him? And again, how does a rock ‘talk’ with you? A rock talking to him, that was impossible, right? But what of Eukar and the stoneshapers the Trolls kept prisoner and what of Door and Brace from the Blue Mountain? Maybe they talked with rocks and stone the way he did with trees and plants? Redlance’s mind was racing as fast it could with this new revelation, only to be stopped by the Shaman.


“The answers you seek must wait. You have no time to think about the Stone Little Spirit, because Undvath will send his men to come for the other Little Spirits to sacrifice to Gorath at any moment. You have to flee, now.”


Yes, please, we have to get Ayashe away from here.  Behitha pleaded.


There are so many questions Redlance thought, too many to be asked like the old man said. He turned to Dart and spoke, ordered, “get your bow and arrows and take everyone out of here. There’s a hole in the wall, Newstar knows where it is, let her take you to it.”


“What, your staying?” Dart fired back with wide eyes.


“I will follow, but you have to go now. Get your bow and arrows and go, now!” Redlance demanded. Again Dart only stood eyeing the treeshaper like he was crazed, but then Behitha was moving going to the fur pile and grabbing the bow and quiver and sword laying there. There was another sword in a leather sheath by Dart’s weapons, roughly the same size as his, and she grabbed it as well before coming back handing the young archer his weapons.


“You want us to leave you?” Newstar asked with horror in her face.


“He will be along Little Spirit, I promise. Oh yes, please, take the knife as well.” The Shaman offered but the weaver wasn’t fully believing in him at the moment.


“If you do not go now then all of this was for nothing, all that we did in following you, it was all for nothing, and that is not how you wanted this to end, right?” Redlance demanded hoping the cub would listen to his words, see beyond them to the intention he meant.


And thankfully he did because Dart took his things and put all his tools in place. He turned and took Newstar’s hand. “Take us to the hole my love, we have to go now.”


The request was enough it seemed as Newstar looked to the treeshaper one last time before taking Dart’s hand in hers and heading for the door out of the hut. The group froze there letting the young archer take a peek outside to ensure no one was around before motioning for everyone to follow. A last send touched the treeshaper’s mind as the four disappeared.


We’ll be out in the grass waiting for you.


I won’t be long, get the others to safety Dart, you are the chief now.


Yes treeshaper, I’ll get everyone to safety.


Redlance turned back to the Shaman who smiled warmly, as if a great weight had been lifted from his weary shoulders. You are a true puzzle five-finger the treeshaper thought. The old man was never going to let the other humans hurt Dart or the two elves the treeshaper realized before speaking, asking what he already knew.


“How did Behitha and Ayashe get caught? I think the young one couldn’t outrun the humans once they were found.”


“Yes,” the Shaman answered, “they were caught east of here toward the rising sun, out on the grass fields of the plain. They tried to outrun the hunters but, like you said, the smaller one tired quickly and wasn’t able to escape. The older one refused to leave her and tried to fight off the hunters but…”


The last bit from the old man trailed off into the air. Redlance didn’t need to know the rest, a bad situation was growing worse with each breath it seemed and there was only one way out. “I need you tell the other humans when they come for Dart and Behitha and Ayashe that I freed them and took the shard. Tell them I’m going to smash their precious stone, break it into bits and pieces.”


With a raised eyebrow the Shaman started to comprehend what the Little Spirit was up to, and it was a most dangerous game. “You want them to chase after you to let the others get away?”


“It will give Ayashe a chance to get away, maybe enough of one that she and the others can make the trees of the forest and hide.” The treeshaper explained taking the shard and tucking into his britches.


“The hunters will be ruthless in coming for you. Undvath will unleash Terak to get the shard back, and he is an an evil you have not faced I am sure,”


The treeshaper looked up with concern, but not for himself. “When the other five-fingers learn I took the stone they will blame you before coming for me. They will hurt you I think.”


“Yes, I know Little Spirit, and if that is what I must bear to have you all free of the fate of the fire pit then that is what I will bear.”


I was right, and I am not happy about it at all Redlance thought. “Then I hope the best for you old man, and may I never see you again.”


The Shaman only nodded as Redlance turned and headed for the door, stopping just at the entrance to the hut just Newstar and the others did. The old man watched as the Little Spirit peeked out into the night and he thought this would be the last time he would ever lay eyes on these special beings. It was a little sad, knowing with the rising sun-


Then the Little Spirit turned back to him suddenly and it shocked the Shaman somewhat. “What is it?” he asked quickly.


“Why are there no no-humps?” The treeshaper asked.


The question surprised the Shaman making him blink. “A what?”


“A no-hump, its a beast that pulls carts. Why do the humans pull the carts and not a no-hump” Redlance explained.


“Why are you curious about that, now?”


“Just tell me why so I can stop trying to understand why there are none.” Redlance demanded knowing he would just think on the question till his head hurt.


The old man chuckled feeling a connection to the Little Spirit because he was the same, insatiably curious. “A horse, it is what we call a no-hump, bit Undvath when he was young and ever since the chief has been afraid the animals thinking a God named Hellath sent them to kill him. He only keeps enough to work the fields and no more.”


The answer made little sense to Redlance, a High One sending an animal to kill another was ludicrous, but it was an answer and it put his mind to rest about the missing no-humps.  “That will do old man, good luck to you.”


And in a flash the Little Spirit was gone, silently disappearing out the door without peeking this time.


It is done, now there is nothing to do but wait for the end the Shaman thought. He also thought what remarkable creatures these Little Spirits were and it was only right they should live while the ones around him met their end.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, there is no try, only do...




The four small shadows made it to the hole in the village wall without a glance from any human inside the barricade, dashing out the egress as silent as mice. Dart took Newstar’s hand in his and ran along side her as Behitha did the same with Ayashe. The young archer wondered how long the treeshaper was going to take speaking with the old man, and even more to the point, why was he talking at all? He was more than certain there was about to be a horde of humans coming after them. Dart had wanted adventure, anything to break the boredom of staying at Father Tree, and it seems he got more than he wished for. He ran on looking back every few steps to make sure they didn’t loose the two elves following, and thankfully they hadn’t. In a few moments the four elves made the top of the hill where Scamper popped up from his hiding spot and ran to Dart, who had decided here would be a good place to wait for Redlance.

“We can stop here, wait for Redlance, and catch our breath.” He whispered coming to a kneel as he stopped just before his wolf friend licked him excitedly. Newstar followed him as well as Behitha and then Ayashe.

“Do you think he will be long?” Newstar asked breathing deep.

“Why is he even staying alone in the hut?” Behitha asked breathing heavy as well.

“I do not know,” Dart whispered answering both questions with a single response while pushing Scamper away, “but we are not leaving him behind so we sit and wait and listen for anyone coming.”

The new elf Behitha only nodded as did Newstar before the four hunkered down and waited for Redlance to come to them.


The bright stars and twin moons, which had been a constant companion for the elves while making the journey back to Father Tree, were now lost to them as the thick forest canopy overhead blocked any sight of either. This was the Holt, the very woods where their home was kept. All the old Wolfriders could feel it, that sense of returning so strong it stirred up emotions deep and strong. They knew these trees and trails like both were loved ones, and in a sense both were as they were pulled almost instantly in a direction that would guide them to Father Tree. It was more than instinct, more than just memory, it was part of their soul Treestump would say. This was home to all the Wolfriders and it could never be taken from them.

We are almost back to Father Tree every Wolfrider thought, and this was almost true of the other elves as well, except one.
 
Kyun turned from side to side while riding behind Yun, looking all around in a mix of amazement and fear at all the new sights. He had lived all his long life on the plains avoiding the forest when he came across the walls of forbidding trees when he could. Even at Howling Rock he was able to stay just in the edges of the small forests that dotted the rocky landscape. Now though, he was riding deeper into and past the very things he had been weary of for so long, it was a trying experience to say the least.

“Are you scared Kyun?” Someone asked and the large elf spun back to see Krim smiling at him playfully.

“I have never been this far into the forest before. When I was with my old tribe we never left the plains and I just followed that rule once I was cast out, until I found the new tribe at Howling Rock. Are these noises always present?” He asked as a bird called out shrilly and somewhere something snorted loudly.

“Oh yes, but its the things that don’t make a sound that you need to worry about.” Krim answered, her eyes going a little wide and a little wild with a matching grin.

Kyun inhaled deeply and clutched his spear tighter before whispering, “like what?”

Now it was Pike’s turn to jump into the fray, so to speak, and add just a bit of ‘flavor’ to the game. “Well, you know there’s the bears that can sneak up on you, the snakes which can crawl into your sleep furs while you rest, but do you know about the terrible giant flying bats?”

“Giant Flying Bats?” Kyun said loudly recoiling just a bit in horror. Pike heard a human call the flying animals ‘bats’ once and the name sounded menacing, which he liked and used to full affect while carrying on.

“Terrible things, bad animals that bite you over and over and make you sick.” Pike stated with wile eyes to match his lifemate Krim’s.

The night’s travel had been uneventful so far for the all the elves making the long journey, almost boring one might say, so teasing was the choice of enjoyment for most. The feeling was light, an easy chuckle with no barb to hurt, and it would have gone on for longer if not for one riding to the large elf’s aid. “Leave him be spearbearer, no more teasing our new tribesman please.”

The request from the matriarch of the tribe put an end to the poking of Kyun, Clearbrook bringing her bond wolf alongside Yun as she smiled at Pike, the elf nodding. “Oh Kyun can take a little teasing, he’ll need to if he’s going to stay with us.”

“Yes, he will, but what if he pokes back just as hard?” Clearbrook asked in return.

“If he doesn’t I can,” Yun smiled menacingly but with a playful glint.

“Uh-oh lifemate, she can bite hard I hear.” Krim chuckled as Pike mockingly locked hard eyes with Go-Back.

“Can she now?” The spearbearer asked looking at Yun with a raised eyebrow, challenging the young Go-Back playfully.


Clearbrook chuckled at the pair, the looks they gave each other, and wondered if Yun could hold her own against Pike. The Wolfrider could be a bit aggressive with his jests at times, which is why she drifted back on her bond wolf to make sure Kyun was good with it. She looked up to the front of the travelling caravan of wolves and elves to see the thick forest beginning to break. The trees started to thin out, the wall of the conifers seeming to break open allowing eyes to see farther into the forest around them, and the sound of a stream, touched her sharp ears and the matriarch began to hope for a quick stop and a rest.

And then the trail they followed opened into a small glade abruptly with a brook running through one side leaving a wide open bank on other. The perfect place to stop and rest and Clearbook was happy to see her chief and her lifemate had stopped and were taking a rest. They were still two nights at least from Father Tree she determined, no need to push the tired tribe, and yet most would have gone all night and into the next day to get back to their homes and dens she knew. The matriarch guided her wolf up to her lifemate Treestump and slid off the animal’s back landing on the ground with a small hop. Her long white braid swinging off her shoulder as she took two long strides to her lifemate’s side and his arm in her hands, leaning up against him.

“Are we stopping for a rest?” She asked hopefully.

Treestump smiled looking deep into the eyes of his love and sighed wistfully, “we are, but for how long only Cutter knows.”

“May it be longer than a few moments, my back aches from all the riding.” The matriarch remarked stretching a bit.

Her mate did not miss the chance to hint at what he wished to do. “I’ll happily rub that sore backside for you my love.”

Clearbrook only smiled ruefully and whispered as she dragged Treestump by the arm toward their chief. “Later you old wolf, and we can do more than rub my sore back.”


Each passing moment seemed like a lifetime to the four elves sitting on the hillside, and that is a very bad thing for a being who lives thousands of seasons. They sat quietly hunkered down in the high grass with sweat beading on exposed skin as well as that protected by leathers, even though the night air was cool. Dart felt his heart beat like a drum, loud and fast, and he knew Newstar was feeling the same because her eyes were large and fixed. Where was Redlance? The young archer started to think leaving the treeshaper behind was a bad idea, even though it was his idea. Why did you leave him back there Dart chided himself in his mind. I’m going to have to go back down there and get him he told himself, and the young archer was just about to do that when they all saw a shadow appear out of the hole in the wall and begin to run to toward them using the deep shadows to stay out of sight.

“Its him, I see him there.” Ayashe whispered with relief.

“Yes, its him finally, thank Timmorn.” Newstar replied with a whisper.


“How long are we staying here Father?”

The question from Ember was on every ones mind, the night was close to ending and all were tired or exhausted. Even the wolves had little taste for more traveling as they left as soon as their riders were off, heading off to find places to rest and sleep. The tribe looked to their chief and waited for an answer, hoping they could do as the wolves and find some rest.

“I don’t know, we still have some night left, we could get closer to Father Tree and home before the day star comes up.” Cutter remarked scratching his head.

The answer sent a wave of unenthused responses through the tribe, from sighs to complete groans, and all of it loud enough to notice. Little Chitter even sighed and put her head against her sire’s neck in frustrated exhaustion. Treestump was just going to say maybe it was best to stay here for the day and rest, no one wanted to continue on, especially him, only a sweet voice spoke up first.

“Please beloved, may we just stay here and rest for the day?” Leetah sighed from his side where she leaned on him tiredly just like Clearbrook did with Treestump.

“Are you no longer eager to get back to our family’s den and furs? I thought you couldn’t wait to get back to our treeshaper.” Cutter smiled with a tease.

“Oh I am more than ready to be home and in his embrace, but I am also tired and sore like Clearbrook and a day of rest is needed.”

“Yes my love, I need to his embrace like nothing else, but we will be home soon enough so can we stop for the day and rest weary bones?” Nightfall asked reaching over and taking her chief’s hand.

The deep brown eyes, which had always captivated the wolf chief and pulled him into the huntress's soul, told him she was truly tired. As much as she needed her soulmate’s touch, and all of the family did, her body was done for the night and no amount of need was going to make it go any farther.

“Then here we rest, get our things and let’s find places to sleep away the day my tribe.”

A low and tired but happy sigh went through the tribe.


Redlance reached the top of the small rise in a controlled rush, going right to the gathered group hiding among the high grass. His sharp eyes spotted them sitting, waiting for him, so the treeshaper made a straight line for group stopping and kneeling in one motion when he arrived.

“Is everyone alright?”

“We are fine, but why did you stay behind?” Newstar asked quickly after answering his question.

“I wanted to ask the old man a question or two, about the stone I have suddenly been chosen to protect.” Redlance replied before looking over his shoulder at the human village. No one was at edges by the gates, not a soul, and no one was screaming about the little spirits being gone which meant they had a few moment or two before all the quiet came to an end.

“We need to go, get back to Father Tree and the safety of the forest.” Dart stated looking at the human village as well now. The night sky was dark still, but the young archer knew the sun would be rising soon. They had to be moving back to the forest right now in hopes of getting away from the human hunters which were certainly to come after them when they found the elves gone.

He watched his elder closely and knew Redlance was thinking the same, or almost the same as he found out when the treeshaper spoke still eyeing the village closely. “I know, and that is why I asked the old man about how Behitha and Ayashe were caught, which is also why I told him to tell the hunters I took their stone.”

“What, why would you do that?” Ayashe gasped. Dart turned to Newstar with a look of surprise and shock as well. What was their elder thinking?

The sound of fear in the small elf’s voice caught the treeshaper’s ear and he turned quickly to her from watching the village, smiling trying to calm her with his next words. “I know what happened Ayashe, how you and Behitha were taken by the humans. The old man told me how you tired trying to get away from the hunters and were captured and Behitha refused to leave your side.”

“It was my fault I know, I’m sorry-” Ayashe broke in shaking her head. She might have given up right there if not for the treeshaper’s quick move to kneel down in front of her and her elder Behitha speaking up to cut her off.

“It was not you fault Ayashe! I will not leave you behind to be killed!” The strong warrior in Behitha hissed with so much strength not a soul could miss it.

“No, you have too, you have to leave me to-” Ayashe continued with a stream of words before Dart stopped her just as quick.

“We are not leaving anyone behind, well, not from here on!” The young archer demanded before shrugging his shoulders to the grin Newstar gave him. Yes, he forgot about leaving the treeshaper behind just a few moments ago.  

With the pause in Ayashe’s words Redlance took over. He reached out and took the young maiden’s hand in his and smiled even more hoping to calm her and gain her trust. “I know your not strong enough to outrun the humans little one, but if I can give you enough of a lead in heading toward the tress and the forest than you and Behitha can hide with Newstar and Dart. You can even ride Scamper, Dart’s wolf friend when you tire. And when those humans come for me and not you then that will give all of you enough of a start to get away.”

“He’s going to let the humans chase him on purpose?” The weaver whispered low looking at her lovemate while continuing. “But that’s a terrible idea.” Scamper even whined low almost in agreement with Newstar.

“No, its not actually,” Dart whispered back, the hunter in him quickly grasping the move. He began to send to his love, an idea that he needed her to know of.

“Yes, that’s a terrible idea.” Ayashe cried shaking her head, but then she felt the treeshaper’s hand squeeze hers and a warmth come from it which made her stop speaking and listen.

“The idea is not a good one I know, but it will work and you’ll be safe. We cannot fight off the hunters who will be coming for us in the open here in the grass, and know what I am doing will only slow the hunters till the Day Star rises. Once they can see the trail better they will come back and chase after you. But if you four can get to the forest before they catch up then you can hide and fight them if need be on your ground, not theirs. All you need is enough time to get a lead on them and you can make the forest, I know.”

“No, I can’t-”

“Ayashe, stop and breathe and listen. I understand little one, your scared and trusting me right now is hard, but know this, just like Behitha and Dart and Newstar, I promise I will not let the humans hurt you Ayashe. All I ask in return is for you put a little faith in us, can you do that? Just a small bit of trust in me, please?”

The small elf stared in the green eyes of the treeshaper and oddly she felt safe. For whatever reason that small bit of faith sprouted in her heart and she nodded as she whispered. “We can hide in the forest and be safe, you promise?”

“Oh yes, my forest will keep you hidden and safe I promise.”

“Your forest?” Behitha whispered.

“My forest, I take care of all I can see and in return it will care for you.” The treeshaper answered with a directness never taking his eyes away from Ayashe’s. His words held a strength that made Behitha feel stronger, more confident they could get away from the hunters.
 
The change in the small maiden’s demeanor, the fear giving way to a shaky optimism, was easy to see as well as she brought her breathing under control. “The wolf will let me ride him?”

“Scamper will protect you and carry you, I promise.” Dart smiled feeling that same shaky optimism.

“Well then, if your forest will protect us, I’ll trust you if you promise me I will see you again. I need to thank you still for saving us, Behitha and me.”

“I promise Ayashe. As soon as I lead these hunters away I will make for Father Tree.” The treeshaper nodded before standing up. “Now, you four need to get going-”

Redlance didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence as the young archer broke in. “The three of them.”

The treeshaper started to sigh and was ready to counter Dart’s plan, which he knew had the two of them leading the hunters away. Yes, this was a crazed idea and dangerous, but it was the only choice and the young archer had to see that. He had to protect the others. Only the treeshaper failed to see Dart and Newstar had already secretly discussed this new plan through sends and settled on it both and both were decided to its course.

“Do not argue please Redlance, you will need Dart’s help I know it!” Newstar demanded.

“I will I think,” the treeshaper agreed before continuing on, “can you get Behitha and Ayashe back to the Father Tree?”

“I will try-”

“No, you have to do more than try my weaver. You have to get back to the forest and the trees Newstar. You cannot fail in this. You have to embrace the wolf in you now, you have to be fierce and strong the way I know you can be. The way I know you are Newstar, so you can keep all three of you alive and ahead of the hunters.”

The words from Redlance were true and she knew it, which is why the weaver only nodded. “We will get back to Father Tree, I promise.”

This was not what Redlance wanted and had not even thought of, splitting up like this. He was sure Newstar could get back to the forest with Behitha and Ayashe, and with Dart by her side it was assured she wouldn’t get hurt in doing so. Now, that assurance was all but gone as he only could nod to her.

“Good, now get moving and do not stop till you make the trees of the forest.”  

He turned back to watch the village as Dart looked to Newstar. “You can make the forest, I know you can.”

“I know I can, as long as you and Redlance promise you will not try and fight the humans. You promise me you lead them away then come back and find us.”

The young archer smiled and nodded before kissing his lovemate deeply. “I promise, I will return to you and Father Tree as soon as the humans are lost in some hole somewhere.”

The small jest didn’t illicit as laugh or a smile from the weaver. She only kissed her love back deeply one last time before turning to Ayashe. “We have to run, are you ready?”

A simple small nod was all the young maiden could muster as Behitha looked to Dart. “Do you need your bow?”

“No,” Dart shook his head while patting his sword pommel, “I’ll be good with my sword. Redlance made that bow for me so it will keep you safe as it shoots true.”

“Thank you Dart, for all that you have done.” The elder lifebearer said getting the quiver in place on her back with what few arrows it had before picking up the sword the old man had bestowed on them as they fled his hut. “Here then, take this other sword.”

“You can thank us by getting back to Father Tree alive.” The young archer replied as he took the strange sword in his hand, looked at it for a moment, then shook his head. “I already have a sword, why would I need another one?”

“I’ve never used a sword, just my knife and a bow.” Behitha responded with a shake of her head, so Dart turned to Newstar who only shook her and spoke.

“You know I don’t know how to use a sword, just you and Redlance know how to use one.”

That was right, silly of him to think other wise Dart silently scolded himself as he patted the treeshaper’s shoulder. When Redlance only grunted the archer handed him the sword, the treeshaper absently grasping the weapon with his hand as he was still watching the village below. When he did look at it Redlance blinked then turned to Dart with a surprised expression.

“Where did this come from?”

“It was in the old man’s hut, Behitha grabbed it when she was getting my things.” Dart answered, which only drew another question.

“Why am I holding it? Someone else can use it.”

“There is no else, Behitha and Newstar can’t use it and I have my own already.”

The treeshaper looked at the group for a moment, holding the sword like it was a strange piece of wood or something, before turning back to watch the village. “Stones and swords, why can’t I get a gift I can actually use.”

They all let out a small laugh finally, some of the tension easing, but then before anyone could respond or before Ayashe was truly ready or Newstar had thought of a plan, the treeshaper stood up and moved over by them. “We have no more time to say our goodbyes. You have to leave now and get as much distance between the village and you three as you possibly can.”

He was right Newstar thought, they had to flee now or the chances of getting chased down by the hunters was too large to overcome. She quickly kissed Dart and then Redlance on the cheek before turning and taking Ayashe’s hand.

“Come, we have to run now, it’s a long way to the forest.”

The young maiden only nodded like her head fell loose from her shoulders as Dart took hold of Scamper’s face and maw with his hands. “Go with Newstar, keep her and Ayashe and Behitha safe. Let the little one ride you when she gets tired, do this for me Scamper.”

The wolf gave a small whine as three elf maidens started to flee running in the direction toward the forest that was still a day out. Dart shook his head and looked Scamper deep in the wolf’s eyes. “They need you to fight for them Scamper, to be the protector you are. Now go, please, keep my love from being caught by the humans.”

Another small whimper sounded form the wolf, just a hint, before it spun and started off after the three elves who were now slowly slipping from view. Dart stood still watching the group until they disappeared from sight, and Redlance spoke while standing up and fixing his new sword across his back like a quiver. “We need to cover their tracks and then wait till the humans find you and the others gone.”

The young archer nodded and then with the treeshaper’s help started work on covering the tracks left from Newstar and the others departure. “We will get back to Father Tree, won’t we Redlance?” He suddenly asked.

“I am getting home Dart, have no doubt of that. I will see my family again and so will you because nothing will stop me from getting us both back to Father Tree and the ones we love. I will not be taken by humans again and I told you, I will not let your mother and father lose another cub.”

A pledge, that’s what the treeshaper just said the archer realized. This was more than a promise Dart thought as he stared at his elder, this was more than a few words to placate and ease a worried soul. Redlance was getting home and nothing or no one was going to stop him from doing so the young archer thought. It’s a little scary the young archer kept thinking, to see the usually passive treeshaper making a statement like that. Then a loud yell went up from the village below, and then another and another.

“They know we’re gone now.” Dart whispered.

“They do, and that means we have to leave. Are you ready to run Dart?”

“I am, all the way back to Father Tree if we have to.”

“Good, because that is what we will have to do I think.”

No more words touched the air between the two. Redlance stood still for a moment before turning to run and with a weird jumping step he started toward the rising sun. Dart knew why he was making the weird movement, it was to confuse the hunters coming for them, make it look like a group of more than two headed out. It would help in giving the others a bigger lead so the archer followed his elder and did the same and soon the pair were gone.


The guards had come looking for the little spirits for the ceremony and just as the old man knew would happen when the men found them gone they ran out screaming. He was standing by what was left of the wooden cage the two little spirits had been locked in for the last few days. He sighed looking down at a piece of leather, cured to be rough so as to take and hold the thick colored water he use to make when he drew pictures on the walls of the caves he lived in before he was captured by this tribe. Outside more screams could be heard, the villagers dashing round like scared mice yelling for the warriors and guards to find the little spirits now loose in their home.

He paid no attention to any of it. His gaze stayed fixed to the leather scrap in his hand and what was drawn on it.

The image he had drawn so long ago, the picture of a large tree he used to dance underneath so many season ago, was from a forest not so far from here and only days from the field where he helped move a large stone to which fell from the sky one night. The shard the little spirit now carried came from that very stone, the same one that one night after a dance round it chose him as a protector and the shard came to him. Now, it was time for it all to end, as all must, and for him to return to the ground beneath his feet.

Old, so very old, the stone from the sky...the large special tree in the forest not far from here...myself…

The old man heard footsteps approaching, heavy and quick, and knew what was coming. He folded the leather scrap over once and twice before sliding it into the folds of his top just as Undvath stormed into his hut, his cage for these long last seasons. The chief was incensed, rage filled, and as he looked down to the broken cage then back up the Shaman only smiled.

“The little spirits took the stone shard Undvath as they escaped, and they have no intention of returning it. I think they will be better bearers for it than I was or you could be.”

“What? The Little Spirits are gone? The fire pit, the prayer to Gorath, what happens now?” The chief gasped as his eyes went wide.

“Your sacrifice of the little ones will not happen this night, and I think any night from this one on. Your time is at at end Undvath and no prayer to Gorath or any God will help you now.”

Those were his last words.

Undvath had not come unarmed. In his right hand he held the shaft of a small hand axe, the metal blade stolen from another tribe from the days when this tribe was great and fierce. Now, they were nothing like those old times this dying village, but the axe was still strong and sharp and Undvath unleashed it on the Shaman with one swing.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, help comes in all ways...



The day star burned bright as it rose over the horizon bathing the high grass and surrounding landscape in its light, and on any other morning Newstar would have been enraptured by its brilliance and show. This morning though the rise of the sun was as unwelcome as a human finding its way to Father Tree, which is what had exactly had happened and why she was running for her life at the moment. If it wasn’t for the five fingers stumbling onto a sleeping Dart and taking him prisoner then her quiet life of weaving wouldn’t have been disturbed.

Stop! Stop thinking of what could have been and focus on the Now!

The voice in her head snapped the weaver out of the trance she was in Newstar did what it ordered, focused and looked around. She was in the lead of a group of three elves, running toward the forest and back to Father Tree in a fast trot.

Check on the others, leave no one behind!

Newstar looked over her right shoulder, just as the voice said to do, and there on her shoulder Behitha ran along side, step for step. The weaver turned her head expecting to see the smaller Ayashe, and the younger, smaller elf was there, only she looked to be struggling with her gait. Steps were getting shorter and more off balance, like she was losing control of where she was putting each foot.

She can’t keep this up, we need to stop.

The voice was right, and Newstar came to a stop just as Behitha spoke up while doing the same. “Ayashe needs to rest, or better, ride the wolf till she has rested.”

“Agreed,” Newstar nodded as the young elf came to a stop and bent over at the waist trying to catch her breath, “Scamper, we need you!”

As the large wolf trotted up Behitha looked back over the direction they had run, trying to see if there was anyone in pursuit. “I don’t think the humans are following us, or they’re so far back I can’t see them.”

“Good, then we have a lead on them, let’s try and keep it. Help me get Ayashe onto Scamper.” Newstar stated grasping the young elf maiden by the waist.

“The wolf won’t bite me me, will he?”

“No, he won’t Ayashe, unless you bite him and then he has every right to fight back.” Behitha joked as she helped the weaver put the elf onto the Wolf’s back.

“That’s not funny Behitha!” Ayashe snapped as she sat down on Scamper feeling wolf’s side expand and compress with each breath.
“Everything will be fine Ayashe, just lean forward and hold Scamper’s fur here and clinch with your legs to hold on.” Newstar directed showing the young elf where to grab the wolf. Then she took a step forward and look Scamper in the eyes. “Be careful with her Scamper, now go and let’s get to the forest and Father Tree.”

The wolf only whined a bit and then started off in a trot with a visibly nervous Ayashe clinging and holding on for dear life to his back. The weaver turned to the elder elf and looked back to where they had come. “If we are lucky we can make the forest by mid-day ahead of anyone following.”

“Do you think Redlance and Dart are good?” Behitha suddenly asked with concern for the other two elves out there somewhere on the plains.

“I hope they are fine, I need for them to be, but now I am just focused on getting back to the forest and the safety of the trees.” The weaver replied before turning and starting off after Scamper.

The elder elf maiden looked back one last time and whispered before following the weaver, bow gripped tightly in her hand.

“Please you two, be safe and get back to us.”


“How could you miss this Hallad? We may never get the stone back now!”

The morning greeted another group, and just like the elf maidens, it was not welcomed and for very different reasons. The human hunters now stood in a circle sort of looking angry, a little lost, and very sweaty in their heavy buckskins as they had run most of the night following what they thought was the trail left by the group of Little Spirits the tracker Hallad had found at he top of the hill. They had all rushed to get their weapons and gathered what handful of supplies they could in the short time Terak gave them before running out the gate of the village. Some carried crude metal axes like Undvath, but only three of the eight, as the rest carried clubs made of bone or wood. Terak, he carried two clubs strapped to his back, long shafts of hard wood carved at the ends in round balls. On his hips were the long leather strips with weights tied to the ends he used to bring down the prey he hunted. Terak could throw one with such speed and precision he cold tie up the legs of a deer before it had a chance to run, and that gave the marred one the time to use his clubs to end the life of what he had caught.

This was his plan for the Little Spirits, once he caught up to them. Only now, in the light, the tracks they had been following and catching up to disappeared, or more to the point, dropped in number which meant just one thing.

“Tracking in the dark is not easy Chulash, if you want you can take the lead and see how well you do!” The taller blond man with thick mane of hair and beard to match yelled back.

The trail was not the right one it seemed, some Little Spirit had led them on a false chase, and the eight hunters only found this out when there was enough light to discern the trail better. So, there were two groups of Little Spirits, must have been the hunters had to consider.

“My child can track better than you do Hallad!” The human named Pelan spat, frustrated that this would not be a quick hunt. He missed his woman, their bed, and a nice leg of meat. He had barely been back long enough to enjoy any of the three when he was being ordered to go out and hunt again.

“Then maybe we should have brought him along and not you Pelan, fool of a man.” Hallad hissed gripping his knife in a tight fist. The group was just a blink away from clashing when a growl broke in letting everyone know there was a true wolf leading the group.

“Your all whining whelps, fools who play at being men and hunters.”

Every eye turned to the tallest among them, the marred and hated hunter. He looked out at the plains in the direction they were heading for a moment then back to where they had come, back to where the village would be before speaking again. “No one else should speak unless they wish to be cut to the bone and be bled out.”

The other seven hunters looked around nervously, anxiously, all except one. Caliban watched closely as Terak berated and threatened the others and him.  The young hunter should have felt a touch of danger, of concern, but he didn’t and that may end up being my downfall Caliban thought. The notion though was lost as the memory of the night before came back, when the hunters were sent out by Terak to find the stone.


The first scream went out like an alarm, only it wasn’t meant to warn a soul. A lone woman who had followed Undvath to the Shaman’s hut and then waited outside as ordered was instantly shocked and terrified upon his exit, seeing the bloody axe in one hand and the crimson red stains on his leather top. Before she could stop she was screaming in horror alerting everyone in the village, all except Caliban of course. He had walked with Undvath to the old man’s hut as well and upon seeing the axe he knew something more had happened then killing the old man

And the woman’s scream was only a precursor though, because Undvath was screaming a moment later as well, calling for anyone and everyone to search the village. The Little Spirits had escaped and now the ceremony was in danger of being lost as well. Find these Spirits the chief screamed, find them now or face the wrath of Undvath and then Gorath when you meet him in the afterlife the chief bellowed. The villagers began to run like mad, from here to there and in circles sometimes, all scurrying like rats searching for the Little Spirits Caliban thought.

And when the moment could not get any worse, it did. Out of the shadows, walking along slowly like a large cat stalking a victim, knocking down any poor soul who happened to get close, Terak approached chewing on a leg bone of some animal. He looked at Undvath with his one good eye as he walked up, then past, and up to the entrance to the old man’s hut. He stood there quietly for a long moment, obviously savoring what was coming.

”You killed a holy man, that is bad thing to do for someone as low as me, but even worse for you Chief Undvath.”

”He let the Little Spirits escape, knowing what they meant for the village and its needs. He let them go knowing that without the ceremony we might all die!” Undvath growled like a bear.

”Well, we will find out now if I was right or if you were about praying to Gorath all these long nights. No we will see if killing a holy man with bad intentions brings a punishment.”

Undvath spun and looked at Terak for the first time, the axe still in his hand Caliban noted, and for a moment the young hunter thought the blade might taste more blood this night. Only question was whose would it drink, Undvath or Terak? And then the chief used a better weapon, a more blunt but painful one. “The Little Spirits took the stone Terak, escaped with when the old man gave it to them?

The last struck the marred one like a strike from a bone club, and it told Caliban why Undvath had struck the old man a death blow. Terak’s demeanor and stance changed almost at once, like night and day. His swagger and the pointed hard shell nature that he wore as easily as buckskins was gone as he stopped moving all together and stared at the chief with a shocked and fearful look. Undvath took instant advantage of the break in Terak’s will, the usual callous hunter now appearing just a bit weak.

”That’s right Terak, it is gone from the village. Your precious stone shard, the thing you want most, need so badly, is no longer within your reach.”

Whatever advantage the news of the stone’s theft brought for Undvath slipped away just as wuick as it appeared. Terak gathered himself, the hard outer shell now back in place as his expression turned to one of anger and rancor. He walked over stood just a breath away from Undvath, eyeing the chief with his one good eye coldly.

”They stole my stone?”

”It is not your stone Terak, but mine!” Undvath hissed pushing back on Terak with his own anger and rancor, stepping into the hunter’s personal space threateningly.

”It will be once I find the ones who took it from me.”

”Yes it will be Terak, all yours if you can find the Little Spirits and return them alive to me. Do this and the stone will be yours outright, a gift from me for helping to save the village.”

Caliban stood quietly watching everything play out and wondering how Undvath could trust Terak. The marred one surely had no intention of giving the stone shard back once, if, he could get his hands on it from the Little Spirit who had stolen it. Yet, what choice did Undvath have. The hunters not named Terak were meager and weak at best, not a one could stand with the marred one when it came to stalking and hunting. And thinking on Terak, why would he want to save the village? No one here would even admit to liking him, admit to hating him in a heartbeat, but no one wanted Terak around in the smallest bit. Then the marred one spoke and his true intentions were revealed,

”The stone will be mine and I will be called ‘Terak, Chief of Hunters’ by all in the village.”

Ah, there it is. Most men, and some women, chase power giving up all they are and could be for just a taste. Terak was no different Caliban could see, no different at all he thought as Undvath waited no longer than it took to take a breath to respond. “Alive Terak, the Little Spirits must be alive for the ceremony. You will take Caliban with you, everywhere you go, and no cart to pull this time. You do all this, you bring me ALL of them back alive and I will call you whatever you want.”

The pair stood eyeing each other for a moment longer before Terak broke the stare and walked past the chief with a smug grin. “I will get my hunters and find these Little Spirits for you this night. Caliban can take Ljot’s place, he is too old to be a hunter for me anymore.”

Caliban thought silently about how the marred one was actually going to find these Little Spirits as he watched Terak walk away. Hopefully they left a trail-. The thought ceased in the young hunter’s mind as he noticed Undvath motion with a head nod to him to approach. As Caliban walked up the chief whispered low to him. “When the chance comes, kill Terak and leave him for the birds and mice to feed on, understood.”

”Yes Chief Undvath, as you wish.”
 

“What do we do now Terak, Chief of Hunters?” The mocking sound sound in Caliban’s voice was more than easy to notice, and it made most of the hunters wonder if he was crazed or foolish or both.

The marred one never looked in the direction of the young hunter, only back to the village and then in the direction the trail had led them. He pulled out a few nuts he had kept in a pouch slung over his shoulder and ate one letting the question hang in the air. He would answer Caliban, only he would do it when he was ready and wanting too and not before. The marred one noted the hunters, these ‘men’ who played at being hunters, all stood quietly and with not much patience waiting for his response, just as it should be he thought. I am Chief of the Hunters, all will see my power and my superiority when this done Terak told himself before Chulash spoke up with a weak voice.

“What are we doing Terak?”

“The two Little Spirits that were caught right before we left to look for the Stone, they were women right?” Terak asked suddenly.

“I think so, we didn’t-” Hallad started to say when the Marred One cut him off.

“And the last one we caught, he was a man like us, right?”

Chulash just shrugged his shoulder now completely lost in the conversation. “Are Little Spirits like us, men and women? I don’t know-”

“I don’t-” Hallad started to add and was cut off again.

“The women ran back to the forest, back to where we found their man sleeping in the tree. He made this trail to lure us away from his women’s escape, to give them a lead.” Terak finally answered ignoring the tracker in his group.

“But there are two sets of tracks on this trail and there were just three we took.” Chulash offered looking from hunter to hunter for validation, but none moved or spoke. At this point any kind of assertion of Chulash being right might get one clubbed to death they all thought.

Terak, refusing to answer, started forward suddenly, like an animal charging the prey had been stalking and waiting for the right time to pounce. The move was so abrupt the hunters around Chulash jumped and quickly stepped away from the small hunter as he only swallowed hard, the shock of the moment overriding any other thought in his brain. This is it, he’s going to finally kill Chulash for being nothing more than being Chulash Caliban thought, but then the Marred One stepped past the frozen hunter and right up to one of the others, nose to very nose.

“Are you a true hunter Lyall? Are you loyal to me or Undvath?”

The question from the Marred One went without an answer at first, because the young hunter was frozen with fear at the moment. So Terak hissed and gave the young man’s brain a quick shove with another harsh question.

“Why do you not speak?”

“Because you said not too, or we would be cut to the bone and bled out.”

The answer was perfect Caliban thought, a retort like no other. It was the truth for one, but it also showed just how Chulash and Pelan and Hallad were truly fools who couldn’t follow directions. The three of them had been talking non-stop this whole time. The answer was even good enough to impress Terak, the Marred One smiling with one corner of his mouth in some evil grin. If you weren’t afraid of him before then you most certainly would be after seeing that smiling face Caliban thought, well everyone but me.

“Good answer Lyall, which is why I am sending you and Bror and Loke to find these women and bring them back to Undvath. They do not have my stone, so they will burn in the fire pit as our chief wishes. Do this for me Lyall and when I am Chief of the Hunters I will reward you.”

“You will?”

“Yes, I will, and do not doubt me ever again Lyall.”

“No, never again.”

“You can find your way back to the place where we found the man Spirit sleeping, right?” Terak asked spinning in place and walking away before the young hunter could answer.

“Yes, we will find it again. I left marks on trees to follow.”

“Good, If you see anyone from the village out past the gate do not say anything to them. No one can know where you go or why or they will tell Undvath. Now go and do not come back without the Little Spirits!” Terak ordered as he stopped before Caliban eyeing the young man coldly.

The two stood exchanging cold emotionless stares while Lyall and his new group took off back the way the hunters had just come, running almost in a full sprint to catch the Little Spirits. The other hunters though barely saw this as they were locked onto the silent struggle between Terak and Caliban, neither giving ground to other in this clash of wills, though the young hunter seemed less than worried as to how it would come out. He looked at the taller Marred One with a distant eye, as if thinking on something else while Terak glared with disdain at the young hunter. Then, when Chulash thought they would surely be standing in the same spot when mid-day came, Caliban grinned just a touch and spoke bringing the contest to an end.

“How do you know the man Little Spirit took the stone and not the women? And how are you so sure Chief of Hunters?”

There it was again, the mocking. What are you doing Hallad wondered of Caliban as Terak spoke. “The men Spirits do not wish for me to hunt their women because they know I will catch them and take them back, that is how I know one of them carries my stone, either the one we caught before or his kind who followed us back to the village and freed all three.”

“Ah, that may be true Terak, one Little Spirit who followed you all the way back to the village without you seeing him. I wonder how close he got to you, huh? Close enough to hear all of you, smell you?”

“It is true, but I do not worry how close this Little Spirit got to us because this I promise. I will catch them both and get back my stone before I kill the one who stole from me. Until then, stay with us Caliban or get left behind, I do not care which. Only stay out of my way, this day and for all time.” Terak hissed one last time.

Then, with a nod to Hallad silently ordering the tracker to do just that and track, he and the other three hunters began to run and follow the trail of the Little Spirits. Caliban watched for a moment then began to run after the group, all the while thinking the time to end Terak was getting closer and closer and closer with each step.


Her head popped up from the long rolled up bear fur, looking around quickly. Nightfall had helped her family lay out the furs for the day’s rest under a large conifer and had closed her eyes eager for the sleep her body needed, only it had been just a few moments when something or someone whispered a word in her ears. Her eyes were wide and open now, looking around to see what made the noise when a soft send touched her mind.

What is it my huntress? Did you hear something?

The send from her beloved chief was followed by a hug as he pulled her tighter into his chest and his head popped up as well. They were both on their sides, her back against him with his arm around her in a protective hold as he sent. If Nightfall had wished to keep the disturbance in her family down to a small incident, well that was not going to happen. At once Moonshade rolled onto her back from where she was laying next to Leetah with half-open eyes.

Is something wrong? She sent, tinged with concern.

No, no, go back to sleep my shy one. Nightfall answered lovingly while rubbing her tanner’s shoulder softly.

What’s wrong? Leetah suddenly asked popping her head up from the rolled up bear fur just like the others. She was lying on her back with Chitter asleep on her chest, the cub choosing her own soft spot to fall asleep on. Cutter suddenly had the image of a den of rabbits all looking out of the entrance at different times, only each face was one of theirs.

No, no, no, go back to sleep please! The huntress giggled and Cutter wondered if she had the same image in her mind now.

Who’s hurt? Strongbow sent this time looking up from the fur hump his head was resting on as he held Leetah and Chitter from his side. Now it was impossible for the wolf chief to hold his laughter back as everyone was awake, except for one, and on cue she woke.

“Do we have to get up already?” Chitter whispered half-asleep and really not wanting to get up. She looked up from Leetah’s bosom with a very large frown and eyes barely open.

“No little one, go back to sleep. Everyone just go back to sleep.” Nightfall said with a sigh and shake of her head sending her long brown tresses waving. Cutter hugged her tighter as Leetah and Strongbow took the command to heart and laid back down, even little Chitter laid down and fell back into sleep almost immediately.

The tanner was the only one who disobeyed and rolled over to face her huntress and touch her forehead to hers letting her love for Nightfall and her family flow across the lock send. I will sleep as long as you do my strong one.

Cutter reached across both and pulled the tanner into his huntress as Nightfall wrapped an arm around Moonshade as well while sending and letting her love back to everyone. I’m just a breath away from slumber, now that I can hold you while being held by my family.

The huntress felt an arm slide by hers and hug Cutter as the tanner only purred before slipping back into her own sleep. The wolf chief followed just a moment later feeling his weary body give in and slumber with a deep exhale. The only left awake was Nightfall, and she was slowly letting herself take those final steps to a deep rest, the only thing keeping her up was a single thought.

What was it she heard that woke her? It was a voice she knew, but who’s she did not and that was truly bothering her. And what it said, something like ‘Beware of-’, but be weary of what? In the end sleep won out and she fell back into the dark of s deep rest as the questions just went unanswered.  




The mark cut into the bole of the tree glowed for a moment then quickly began to fade, the lines filling in with fresh bark till nothing remained of the sign.

The humans would not find their way back so Easily Atok thought.

As he ‘healed’ the tree Atok communed with it to check on the arriving elves, to make sure they were not in any danger. He wanted to make sure the vileness of the invading humans had not come to them as they drew closer to their home. And now with this last act, all the humans marks and signs were gone, this being the last one. Then the abrupt sound of rocks moving and the sudden rush of wind signaled the arrival of his visitors. One he had not seen for some time and the other, well, they were not going to be so eager to accept his request. So, Atok sighed and turned sweeping away from the trunk of the tree swiftly. The Old God stepped out past the boughs and limbs, back to the open air of the forest where his ‘siblings’ were waiting.

Esmelda was standing just off to his right, aloof and uncaring as she always looked and acted. Atok already knew she would say no to him, at first, as he nodded to her. “Hello Esmelda of the Sky, thank you for coming.”

Small dust devils spun around her feet as she only nodded back, choosing to remain quiet.  A loose gown made of fine blue silk shimmered in the morning light and swayed around her, the same gown she always chose to be seen in the old god thought.

Atok then turned to his left and there, standing as tall him with strong muscles ripping across his bare chest and stomach, was his other sibling. Only a pair breeches covered the man, and if one looked at him closely, you could see his skin looked as hard as the rocks on the ground. “Hello Udros of the Land, thank you for coming.”

“It has been a long time Atok since we set eyes on one another, you look the same.” The old god replied before shaking his head sending his long blonde hair twirling. Udros was vain Atok thought, remembered actually, which is one of the reasons he had stopped calling to his ‘brother’.

“Yes, well I have been busy Udros,-”

“Busy with your little elves Atok of the Forest?

Yes, this was not going to be easy in the least. “I have been looking after them as you know, which is why I asked to meet with you. We are missing one of us though?”

“Thrya of the Water no longer answers to anyone Atok. We have called to her and only received silence.” Udros responded with a shake of her head.

The old God nodded, what he had suspected now confirmed. When he called to Esmelda and Udros he had also sought out Thrya, but no response came from her. Only a silence, which seemed to echo in Atok’s mind. “How long has Thrya been gone?”

“We do not know when she left us Atok of the Forest. We have all been ‘busy’.” Esmelda answered with no emotions, even though there should have been with the barb at the end. The group stood in silence, letting everything stated between them process in their minds. It wasn’t awkward or strange, the three barely talked to each other, even when they were four and meeting like this so, so long ago. Atok breathed in and finally spoke after another moment choosing to move forward. Thrya was no longer among them, they did not notice she was gone, and that was that, nothing else but to move on.

“I need your help in protecting the elves. The humans have found them and now they seek to kill them.”

The meeting went silent again, but not as long this time as Esmelda shook her head. “And why would we help your elves Atok of the Forest?”

“Because we are dying Esmelda, as all things must, like you have said to me in the past. We are no longer prayed too or given gifts. We are forgotten by the humans who use to ask for our boons. Soon we will no longer walk this world, gone like smoke on the wind.” Atok answered. It wasn’t a plea or an imploration, just a quiet state of the facts which were now so much more important.

“So?” Udros asked crossing his arms over his chest. “Why would that convince me to help you? And what help can we give? We are not allowed to intervene or shape the lives of the ones who dwell on this realm”

“I do not wish to follow Thrya’s path knowing there were ones I could have helped and did not. I think you two are the same, or you were so very long ago. Yes, we cannot take sides, but that does not mean we have to sit back and watch, and I remember when we did not. We use to help the humans who asked us too knowing we broke our rule, making the ground fertile to grow food or plants to grow from the vine to heal or bring rain to the forests. We even use to help weaker ones fight when others came to hurt them. No more these days though, we use to be more to these humans, but they no longer need us and have put us aside. Now, there is one last tribe who needs our help, one last chance to be remembered, one last chance to protect like Thrya would have done.”

Esmelda and Udros stood in silence eyeing the Old God for a moment before looking to each other. Atok wasn’t sure if they would help him, only that they wouldn’t waste too much time discussing why they should help. Then both looked back to the Old God and Udros spoke.

“It would be good to be remembered one last time, would it not Esmelda?”

She responded after a moment, with a raised eyebrow and cold voice. “I will not kill humans for the elves Atok of the Forest, but I will help where I see I can..”

Well, this was easier than he had anticipated Atok thought as he only nodded in acceptance of the terms.




Do you think the humans are still following our trail?

The bright morning sun found the last pair of elves running at a quick pace, but not a full out run. Redlance had kept them moving swiftly with the forest off to their right and the plains to the left the rest of the night making sure to leave a trail easy to follow. Hopefully the humans had a tracker that could the archer thought or all this was for nothing. Dart had a base idea as to what his elder had planned, lead the hunters away from Newstar and the others far enough to give them a lead on getting back to the Holt.

He just how wondered how far they were going to go to do that.

If the old man told them I have their stone then the one called Terak will not give up following us. He wants it like all humans wants what they cannot have. The treeshaper responded.

Dart was going to ask just how far they were going to run when Redlance began to slow and then come to a stop. He looked around, up to the last of the fading night sky, and shook his head before speaking. “I think we’re at the right spot to turn in, or I hope we are.”

“What spot, where?” Dart gasped catching his breath.

“The big water, the ‘lake’ is what it’s called right?”

The archer nodded with a smile. The treeshaper still wasn’t accustomed to using newer words for some things which was both funny and endearing. “Yes, the lake, but are we that close? Its a half night’s ride on wolves to get there from Father Tree. We have to be farther than the lake, right?”

“We are, but we need be on the side we rarely go, only I think I took us too far.” Redlance stated kneeling down.

“Why do you want to be on the other side? We don’t hunt there because of-” Dart was saying before it finally hit his mind what the treeshaper had planned. The archer smiled as he knelt as well, “your going to the bears take care of them.”

Redlance shook his head and looked around trying to make sure of where he was. “Only the ones who refuse to turn back, hopefully just the scarred one.”

Now it was becoming very clear what his elder had planned and that made Dart more comfortable, or at least somewhat assured. There was a new question though and the curious wolf in the archer would not let it go. “Are you hoping the bears will go for the humans and not us?”

“No,” the treeshaper looked back at Dart and smiled, “I’m going to lure them to the humans with something I’m going to make.”

“What?”

“I can explain once we get to the trees and wait for the humans.”

The answer made Dart blink with surprise. “Wait for the humans?”

“Yes, we need to keep the hunters as close to us as possible Dart. We can’t let them lose us, not till the day star falls tonight, understand?”

The archer only nodded, then his eyes caught sight of something in the high grass just ahead of them. He squinted to try and get a glimpse of it in the growing light when the treeshaper whispered. “Its a lone wolf, big brown one, found us just as the grass told me he was there.”

“Really? I never scented or sensed him.”

“We shouldn’t have sensed him. He’s hunting so he’s staying low and stalking. He’ll be out of sight till he no longer wants to be.” Redlance answered.

“Well he come for us?” Dart asked with a high pitch.

“I do not know, so I’m going to let him stay where he is and we are going to the forest. We’ll find water and something to eat when we get there, good?”

The archer only nodded looking at the spot where he could just barely make out something. Then the treeshaper stood up, stomped the ground to make a visible track, before turning and jogging toward the forest in a straight line.  Dart followed, even making a track, but as he followed he looked back once to the spot where the wolf should have been. He still couldn’t see the beast but he was sure it was close by so he just ran and caught up to Redlance.

After a quick moment, as both elves began to disappear, a large brown wolf popped up from where it was laying down and watching. He had sensed and then heard both elves just as they appeared, strange scents on the wind followed as he watched them both carefully. A part of him, the hunter instinct told one of these would fill his belly and being bigger he had the advantage. A deeper part of the wolf though spoke to him in whispers and it old him these were two small beings were not food, not to be hunted. He let out a small whimper of confusion before trotting after the elves. His belly was empty and hurt, but these small beings were not food and the whispers told him to trust and help them. Feed or help, eat or aid?

What is a hungry wolf to do?

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, watch your step...




The three human hunters had run full out, as fast as their legs would carry them, all morning in hopes of catching up to the fleeing Little Spirits. Lyall kept the three moving at close to a sprint and in just an hour they had doubled back and found where the Little Spirits has broken into two groups, both groups heading in separate directions.

Or so he thought it had been just an hour, and it was easy to understand why with being driven to catch the Little Spirits or face Terak, but the time had actually been much longer.

The Sun was just at mid-day when the three hunters came up on the wall trees of the forest. Lyall drew up, slowing down to a trot before stopping completely just a few steps short of the tree line. What was this he thought? They were at the forest already, but where were the women Little Spirits? Had they somehow passed them Lyall thought kneeling as Bror and Loke took the break in running to bend at the waist and fight the need to be sick from exertion. The lead hunter looked at the trail ignoring the gasping of his companions and came to a soul numbing conclusion.

“They made the forest, all of them and the wolf.” He whispered before standing up, starring at the trees just in front of him.

“What?” Bror asked regaining his full height and pinching his side hoping to relieve the pain there. “How did they make the trees so fast?”

“Because Hallad is the worst tracker in the village and we followed him on a false trail.” Loke responded with a snap while doing the same as his friend, pinching his side to get rid of a cramp. “So that makes us fools twice over!”

Both of his companions were younger, which meant both were quicker to react badly to mistakes and lose focus. So Lyall spun and tried to get both to stop whining and be strong hunters. “Stop crying like babes! We missed catching the Little Spirits but we can still follow them and their wolf!”

“Wait, they have a wolf?” Loke exclaimed with a high pitched yelp. “How do you know they have a wolf?”

“Wait, there are three now?” Bror popped off with the same high pitched yelp. The question brought a moment of stunned silence from the leader of the trio before he sighed.

“I cannot believe you two lived through birth, but the wolf is not the least of your worries now.” Lyall hissed losing his patience with the pair.

Loke looked to Bror who only looked back before asking in a concerned voice. “What else is there to worry about?”

“Which one of you is going to tell Terak you both let the Little Spirits go because you were scared? Which one will risk their neck when you tell him that, huh?” Lyall explained and then waited for an answer. One did not come though so he stepped closer to the two and spoke the truth. “I will not be the one because I am going to catch the Little Spirits, kill their wolf for its fur, and then drag all three back to the village. I will get my reward from Terak, but what of you two, are you following me into the forest or are you going to talk to the scarred one?”

“We’ll follow you into the forest.” Bror stated with a quick nod.

“Yes, we will follow you, into the forest after the Little Spirits.” Loke added with the same loose neck nod.

“Good decision you eejits, now stay close.” Lyall ordered before turning and heading toward the forest with confident strides.

He had every intention to catch these Little Spirits, because if he did not Terak would surely gut him like a dead deer.



The berries were small but tasted so sweet and perfect that Ayashe stuffed her mouth full, to the point her cheeks puffed out a touch and she looked like one of the many squirrels which inhabited the trees all around them. The sight made Newstar smile and Behitha chuckle, and that made the small elf a feel a little awkward for a moment. She swallowed the berries and then smiled, purple stained teeth showing prominently. “Sorry, but I’m really hungry.”

“Go, eat and do not think of us.” Behitha remarked smiling before dropping two berries in her mouth.

Newstar only nodded holding a giggle in as Ayashe looked to her. She also gave a small silent ‘Thank You’ to the High Ones for finding the berry bush which was now feeding them. The sweet berries had saved them assuredly the weaver thought, but it also caused them to stop and that was not a good thing, by two folds. The humans were certainly coming for them now, and catching up, but the true problem with stopping was the fact weariness was setting in. The weaver could already feel it taking hold as she stood by the bush eating one berry after another. Tired muscles and aching feet begged for a rest, screamed for a respite, but she knew better. Newstar knew the hunters were behind them now, the humans had closed the distance and were slipping into the forest searching for them. They couldn’t stop, not for a nap or any kind of rest, just like the treeshaper said they had to get to Father Tree and safety.

“Do you think we can rest a little longer?” A small voice asked and the weaver looked down to Ayashe who looked to her with a hopeful expression. The little lifebearer wanted a rest as well Newstar noted, and she knew better than to say anything other than no to the question, but she only sighed and nodded.

“Yes, but not much longer, the hunters have almost caught up by now for sure.”

“Agreed, they can’t be far behind now.” Behitha remarked in agreement before putting two berries in her mouth again.

“Good, I can eat more.” Ayashe smiled making both of her elders chuckle as the little lifebearer gobbled up three more berries before speaking again after swallowing. “I wish we could slow the humans down somehow, take a longer rest.”

The sudden quiet, mixed with a heightened sense of being cautious, made little Ayashe stop cold, a berry in her finders freezing halfway to her mouth. She looked up to see Newstar looking to Behitha and her elder looking back at the weaver. Both stared at each other as if they knew what the other was thinking and that worried Ayashe even more. “What, what did I say?”

“I think I know how to slow the humans down-” Behitha stated with a nod.

“A trap in the right spot would slow them-” Newstar added nodding as well.

“We just need to dig a hole and cut some branches.” Behitha ordered turning to look all around.

“There’s a spot down this trail, it’ll be fine for a trap, that is if I’m right in remembering where we are.” The weaver said starting to look around as well.

Ayashe finished eating her berry watching as both of her companions went in their separate directions but working off the same plan, or what she assumed was the same idea. Truthfully, she just wanted to eat a few more berries in quiet while watching Newstar and Behitha race around.


“How long are you going to look for marks on trees Lyall?”  Loke asked standing in the middle of the trail watching the one he followed with a confused look.

“Is this where we came out of the woods? I thought it was farther that way.” Bror inquired while pointing to the North.

The three hunters had entered the forest following the trail of three small feet with ease. The Little Spirits were not even trying to conceal their tracks, at first, because after just a few long strides into the forest along the trail all those easy to see tracks just disappeared, like smoke on the wind. One moment the three men were moving and the next they came to a dead stop. Where did they go Lyall asked his companions and only got shoulder shrugs in response. Then he spotted a tree that looked familiar, or at least somewhat familiar from his memory, and now they all stood around as Lyall checked each trunk of each tree around for the mark he left behind.

Only there were no marks on the tree. He knew this cause he went round and round each trunk countless times searching for the mark at first and then ANY marking at all. He was sure this had to be one of the tress he scrawled his mark into, had to be, even though the fact this wasn’t one of the trees was becoming more and more evident. And the eejit Bror remarking how this was not the spot they exited the woods from the morning before only agitated Lyall more and more, and that’s because the young hunter was right. There was no trail from the cart they had pulled for all those days, no marks in the soft ground to tell them this was the spot they came out that morning. This was not the spot they left the woods from and that infuriated Lyall even more.

“Lyall, the Little Spirits are getting away-”

“I KNOW THE LITTLE SPIRITS ARE GETTING AWAY YOU FOOL!” Lyall bellowed with an anger he had never shown before at Loke.

The forest snapped to a sudden quiet, so much so the wind even ceased to move a limb or a leaf from the trees. Lyall stood glaring at the pair of young hunters with a chest that heaved with anger for each and every breath it took. Is this how Terak feels Lyall thought, to be dragged down by the eejits and soft-heads around him? Lyall excluded himself from those eejits and soft-heads of course. No wonder the scarred one is like he is the lead hunter thought stepping forward and watching his two companions inch back as he growled.

“It does not matter if they get farther away. We know where they are going and we will find them there just like the other one.”

Bror looked to Loke for a moment before turning back to Lyall. “The tree where we found the man Little Spirit sleeping? How do we find our way back there without the marks?”

“Because I memorized the way eejit, and I will lead us back, now stop asking questions and follow me, quietly,” Lyall growled feeling his patience finally expended in dealing with the pair he was forced to bring along.

Loke and Bror watched as their ‘Leader’ stalked away in anger and disgust. This was not what they wanted when they followed Lyall, but then they were not given much of a choice. It was follow him or face Terak, which this morning seemed like an easy choice but now maybe not so much. Loke looked to Bror and nodded before sighing and following. There was no choice now, so just keep up and hope for the best, whatever that ended up being.

The pair took up spots behind Lyall and stayed right there as the lead hunter moved along the trail pushing tree limbs and bushes out of his way. The light of the sun grew dimmer from the thick canopy above them blocking most of the streaming light, and also the day was quickly slipping away. Night would be here soon Loke thought, hopefully Lyall truly knew where he was going.

The trio moved along swiftly and purpose, that was still one of them ran afoul of a nasty trap and screamed so loud it echoed across the forest.


The sudden scream made Ayashe jump a little, and she would have slipped off the large tree limb she was sitting on with Behitha if not for her elder holding her in place. All the animals and birds which were making noise went quiet and the forest went silent as well as the echoes faded from the abrupt scream. A moment passed in the eerie silence, the feel of it pressing in, when a second scream broke though the quiet making all three jump this time. The echo of it barely rolling through the leaves of the tress before a third scream and then another came sweeping at the trio of lifebearers.

I didn’t think they were this close. Newstar sent from the smaller branch just above Behitha and Ayashe where she sat.

Took longer to make the trap then we thought it seems. Behitha responded.

The three sat in listening patiently, waiting for another scream to cross the forest and them, but not a sound broke the quiet. Only after a moment or two did the animals and birds and bugs of the trees begin to talk again with clicks and buzzes and whistles. They feel safe Newstar thought, the life of the forest so we can-

Do we have to go?

The question from the young lifebearer brought the weaver’s attention to her and away from the trees and the denizens of the forest. She looked down into the young elf’s eyes and smiled as Behitha sent to them. No, we can stay for a little longer. Whoever is following us now has other things than us to worry about.

Maybe whoever is left will leave us be. Ayashe added.

We can hope little one, we can hope. Behitha end her send with before leaning up against the tree and sighing.

Ayashe smiled with a small nod before leaning into her elder and closing her eyes. Behitha smiled back then looked to Newstar who was also smiling. Yes, we can rest a little more the weaver thought before turning back to look out into the forest from the branch. Where are you my love, she thought quietly? Are you and the treeshaper safe?

Please, for me be safe. For your family Redlance, be safe.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, when adversaries meet...



What are they doing?

The question from Dart went unanswered at first as Redlance was focused on watching the five humans standing in the clearing below him. He was kneeling on a large bough of a stout conifer hidden high up by all the green sprigs and seedling cones of the tree. Dart was just a step or two away and even with Death Season coming there was enough coverage to conceal both wolfriders easily. They had taken up the their spots and waited for the hunters to come, and just before mid-day they arrived, some looking tired and haggard from the chase, -but not the marred one.  No, he looked as if he was ready to fight, the treeshaper noted while eating a berry slowly, the scene of the hunters just standing in the open area of the forest spinning in his mind.

Yes, what are they up to now the treeshaper thought to himself, wondering just like Dart about what was going to come.



“What are we doing Terak?”

The whisper from Chulash went unanswered as Terak was too focused on the feeling which was running through his body at the moment. The Scarred One had brought his hunters into the woods not more than a few moments ago following a more than obvious trail of two sets of small feet. Another try at something, Terak thought as he jogged along, but what he couldn’t be sure of. The two Little Spirits were leading them somewhere that was assured, but to what end and purpose? Well, that was out of Terak’s mental grasp, and it seemed only the hunter in him cared. The rest only wanted his stone back and so he would follow these tracks until the moment the shard was in his hands once more, to the very end of time if need be.

Then the hunters stepped into the small clearing, a break in the flow of trees where a rough circle of open sky let the sun beam down light to the ground, and that’s when Terak brought the group of hunters to a complete stop with a raised hand. Something had triggered his hunter’s instinct, what he did not know, but a feeling swept over him telling Terak to stop so that’s what he did, and there he stood in the middle of the small clearing looking around with careful eyes. He searched the trees, scanned each branch, looking for what he felt was out there without actually seeing them.

“Terak, what are you-” Hallad had begun to ask when a hiss from the scarred one stopped his words as quick as they had come to a stop in the clearing.

And there they stood, all the hunters except one, wondering why they were standing around now.



He can sense us, me and Dart. The marred one knows we’re here somehow, he just doesn’t know where exactly Redlance thought. The treeshaper watched just as careful in return noting where each human hunter was and how they moved. He kept track of each one thinking only the marred one was the one who had sensed something because the other four were plainly confused. They looked to each other with dazed faces and shrugged shoulders stumped as to what was going on.
These humans are not very good at hunting, no wonder the village was in in need of a sacrifice the treeshaper thought more. He chewed another berry watching the marred one exclusively now. He was the one I need to keep my eyes on, he’s the true threat here and not the others.

The marred one, he can sense something is out of place. Maybe he can see us? Dart asked on their send, concern slipping in as they ‘talked’.

He can’t see us Dart, and yet he knows we are here up in the trees. Just stay where we are and see what he gives us?

Gives us?

Redlance turned to the archer and smiled. Every good hunter looks for a sign from what he stalks to tell him where to go, what to do next. Well, the prey will do the same, listen for approaching feet or scents on the air to tell it what the hunter is doing or where they are. The marred one down there, he is doing that right now, waiting to see what we give him.

The archer smiled at the explanation taking it in and understanding instantly what his elder was alluding to. And we are doing the same, waiting to see what he does, ‘gives’ us. I never thought of it that way before.

I do have a good thought which sounds nice every turn of the Season or so. Redlance replied chewing on one more berry just as the marred one called out.



“Hail Little Spirits, where are you hiding? I know you are out there among the trees, staying in the shadows so we cannot find you, but know I am Terak and I want my stone back.”

His voice carried across the open clearing, rolling through the tress, and Terak knew he was right as he smiled wickedly. They were out there among the branches and the leaves watching, seeing what the hunters and he would do. So this was their plan, to just run and make the forest hoping the humans would not follow them? That was what a coward would do and it told the marred one just what he thought about these Little Spirits was true.

“I will make an offer to you scarred Little Spirits then, if you will not come out of hiding. If you return my stone to me I will make your deaths quick, how does that sound eh? The other ones, the women, they are being caught right now, you cannot escape us so why try.”

Chulash looked to Hallad with a shocked look. The Little Spirits were so close they could see them? That might not be for the best the hunter thought, and why was Terak striking a deal with them? Did he want that old rock that much that he would bargain with the-

“Is that wise Terak, threatening the Little Spirits? What if they call down some bad magic on us?” Chulash heard Pelan whisper. If the questions were meant to draw some kind of caution from the marred one then it failed as Terak only turned and glared at the hunter with so much malice it froze the blood of the Chulash, chilled him to the bone.



Is that all you have to ‘offer’ us oh five-finger?

The treeshaper looked hard at the marred one thinking just those words. No pleading, no bartering, just a threat that had no blind to hide behind. He has no respect or regard for anything or anyone Redlance thought more as his mind kept rolling on in silence. He thinks he can hunt us down and kill us like we are just small tusk hogs, nothing to worry or challenge him. His companions though, they have a fear of us he noted. Well, that is something we could use. Redlance swallowed one last berry then turned to Dart, stay here, I’ll be right back.

Where are you going?

The treeshaper just smiled, I’m going to answer him and his bargain.

The Redlance turned and started to move along the branch of the tree leaving a stunned archer behind. He was going to do WHAT Dart thought in shock?

With each careful step Redlance moved down the tree and closer to the ground and hunters. As he did nothing stirred, not a branch or a seed cone or leaf, more than what the wind pushed. The treeshaper was as quiet and slow as a treewee until he was where he wanted to be, within shouting distance of the humans but hidden deep in the boughs of a tree. It was the perfect spot to answer the marred one, which is what he did.



Terak has to be as close to a monster there is, or I will ever meet.

The thought rang in Caliban’s head like a small bell, the kind a small child would play with. Of course he had never looked in a mirror because if he had that thought would be ringing false. Caliban was ‘The Hand of the Chief’, a secret name only given to one man at a time and only men of a certain nature, those without virtue or morals. The Hand was called upon to take care of the tasks the chief of the village could not, or at least be associated with doing, like removing people who have no more use to the village but are far too dangerous to cast out.

People like Terak, who he stared at with a detached curiosity at the moment. Oh, he was going to kill the marred one, there was no doubt in that, but he was strangely fascinated by the man. If Caliban had the time, and any sort of inclination, he might have discovered he and Terak were not so different, in a ‘monster’ kind of way. Neither felt a single bit of empathy or compassion for anything or anyone, which made both well suited for the way they lived, and as for love? Oh that was as strange to both men as these Little Spirits were. How does one know of ‘love’ when one has never felt it for another or when one cannot feel it themselves?

The other hunters were busy being chilled by the sight of Terak’s crazed look, except Caliban of course, when words that sound which sounded oddly like a child singing to Caliban broke the silence of the clearing. “We do not accept your bargain five-finger, but we will give you our bargain in return.”

All at once the hunters gasped and looked around in scared snaps of their heads, each trying to find the source of the words but none finding one. Even Caliban was a little taken back by the sudden reply, his arms once folded across his chest in thought now down by his side, the right hand on the pommel of a long dagger on his belt. This was not what he thought was going to happen when they stopped in the clearing, and he was not prepared for the change in his assumption as Terak responded as only the marred one would.

“Ah, there we are, cowardly Little Spirits. What offer would I accept from one who hides in the trees, eh?”

“Your life, that Is what I bargain with. Leave us be five-finger or you will not be going home to your village, ever again.” The child like voice replied with its offer.

Caliban noted the counter sent a small shock through the hunters. The superstitious lot already were on edge, from being cowed by Terak and his anger to the fear of the ‘bad magic’ these Little Spirits might call down on them, every hunter was now lost to any kind of base logic. They were frightened deer, heats racing and the will to fight gone. How do you get your stone back now, marred one, Caliban thought silently as Terak shouted to the trees.

“I am not so weak like you Little Spirit, and I am no coward hiding in the trees. I am Terak, I am here for my stone, so come down and face me for I am not scarred of you.”

“I am small five-finger, but I am not weak. I know this because your stone told me, it chose me the old man said and not you. Your stone was never yours five-finger and now it never will be.”

The Little Spirit is moving Caliban thought, the voice changes now, comes from another direction. Its moving among the trees without disturbing anything, not a leaf or a branch. This is very curious he thought as Terak growled and yelled back, his anger starting to show on full display.

“You lie Little Spirit! The stone showed me what I am too become, what I am to be! It did not choose you, the old man gave it to you and know this Little Spirit, he is dead. Undvath killed him for giving you the stone and I am going to kill you for taking it from me!”

“It does not matter to us what happened to the old man. You hurt our kin, took them prisoner and meant to burn them alive with fire. Your punishment for that is your stone and know this as well, we know where its bigger brother is.”

“You lie,” Terak hissed low, whispering his anger at the words.

This Little Spirit is brave Caliban thought listening to it talk, but paying more attention to the marred hunter at the moment. “We do not lie five-finger, its bigger brother is just ahead by the lake.”

“You lie,” Terak whispered with even more anger, exhaling the emotion with a growl.

“It can hear you Terak, it hears everything we say.” Chulash whispered this time, but his words were fear filled as he looked around the clearing with wide eyes.

“This is not good Terak, not good at all. How does it know about the Stone of Light?” Hallad muttered just as scared.

“Because it was following us those nights after we caught the man Little Spirit. We talked about the Stone of Light all day and night while looking for it, and we led them back to the village.” Pelan said low feeling the fear grip him just a little tighter.

Good or bad, it did not matter to Caliban. He was curious now, where was all this talk was going and just who was going to keep following Terak. Not a man other than him had the want now to follow the Little Spirits deeper into the woods, none except Terak who was seething as the child like voice just kept poking at him.

“What gift will the Stone of Light give us when we return its smaller kin to it? What magic will it show us five-finger? Maybe it will give us what you say it was going to give you?”

The last poke was all the scarred hunter could take as he suddenly snapped and screamed at the trees bellowing like a crazed bear. “I WILL KILL YOU ALL! I WILL FIND ALL OF YOU LITTLE SPIRITS AND I WILL KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!”

Chulash and Pelan, Hallad and the other humans all backed away from Terak. They had seen his worst before, or what they thought was his worst, but this was beyond even those times. Terak’s face rippled with anger, his cheeks puffed in and out with each breath and his one eye glared with evil. He’s lost to the hate and rage now Caliban thought. There will be no turning back now, and as if on cue the Little Spirit called back setting the decision in stone.

“You will leave us be five-finger. We will not let you hurt us anymore, now go back to your village without your stone.”

“We need to go back Terak, like-” Chulash was saying before the scared one cut him off. In truth, Terak wasn’t paying him any attention.

“We are not going back to the village Little Spirit, but I will go back to the same tree where I found your kin and then I will live there. I will hunt you all, day and night, till I have killed all of you and my stone is back in my hand.”

The words of the marred one slid on the wind like a snake, malice and hate dripping of each one, but there was no response this time. The child like voice didn’t call back and poke at Terak, and that seemed to make him even angrier amazingly. He looked at the trees and gave one last yell, not in defiance but in disdain as he spit at the end and whispered. “I will catch you, all of you. This is I promise cowards.”



Redlance moved slowly through the trees making sure not to shake a limb and show where he was to the human hunters below. He made his way back away from the clearing and out of the growing shadows of the canopy of leaves he spotted Dart coming toward him.

Follow me Dart, keep silent and slow.

The young archer nodded and fell in behind the treeshaper as the pair slipped away from the humans and deeper into the forest. As they did both wolfriders stayed silent, for a little bit, till Dart no longer could and had to send. Do you think Newstar and the others are safe?

I think our weaver is a strong she-wolf, and Behitha is a strong warrior, so I am sure they made the trees and safety. Did what the scarred human say bother you?

I think what he said was out of anger and that means most of it is just zwoot dung, but what if the hunters following them are better then those below us?

Redlance stopped and turned to look at Dart, hoping the eye contact settled him. The humans coming for us are the better ones, and with the scarred one just behind us I know Newstar and the others are safe.

The young archer waited a moment, took in the words, then smiled and nodded. The motion made the treeshaper smile as well as Dart sent again. Your right, they are safe, but we have to worry about the scarred one. You poked him hard, he will not be going back home I think.

No he will not, but he’s stuck to our trail and that is what I was aiming for.

Another moment passed before Dart asked one last question, a truly awful one. He said he was going to go back to the tree they caught me in, that’s almost to Father Tree. Do you think he can find his way back?

The treeshaper reached into this tunic and puled out one more berry as he answered the question. I think he will search for us all his life, till the day he takes his last breath, and that means Father Tree and our tribe will always be in danger Dart. I will not let the scarred one hunt us, put our lives in danger. I will not let him hurt any of us, any wolfriders.

Dart sighed knowing full well what the treeshaper was saying, what his true intentions were, and as he was doing a search of his own feelings Redlance sent to him. What is coming Dart, what I will have to do if the humans keep after us, you do not have to be part of. You can head back to Father Tree and make sure Newstar is safe. This is my own decision and you can walk away if you need, I won’t think less of you for it.

I know Redlance, you mean to end the human’s life and any who follow him. You said as much before and I know why as well, they will always come for us, always till they are gone. Mother, father, Newstar, if we have to end this human and those who follow him to ensure their safety and ours then that is what must be done.

Its not an easy decision Dart I know, like I told you that day in the grove. There will be nights when you will have to make a choice that will not sit right with you, but the choice will be best for the tribe so we can live and be safe.

I know, Dart replied with a nod of his head, a small but strong affirmation, but how do we do this? We have only two swords against five humans, and that’s not good for us.

The treeshaper smiled and ate his berry, Remember, I’m going to have some friends to help with that.

Dart could only smile as he did suddenly remember what the treeshaper said about the bears which hunt round the lake. Whatever was coming, whatever was required, the young archer set his will to do it. He would do what was required to protect the ones he loved, his family and tribe, and he would do it without hesitation. After a moment the pair of elves started moving again, creeping along the branches and boughs of the trees while below a pair of eyes watched. The big brown wolf moved along just as quietly through the under brush and foliage on the ground, easily avoiding the humans who were in the clearing. It wasn’t sure why it was following the pair of small beings in the trees, but the wolf just knew to do so.

What else was a hungry wolf to do?

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, one night closer to home for some...




“Lyall, we have to go back for Bror.”
     
There it was again, that same silly impassioned plea from Loke, and just like before the hunter just ignored his younger cohort as he moved along the forest trail. Lyall was still looking for the symbols he had carved into the boles of the trees he had passed when exiting the forest the day prior, or was it the day after the last one? Truth be told, Lyall was tired and weary to his very bones which enveloped his brain in a fog he could not break. Every thought was a fight to bring to the surface, like dragging a large rock up a steep hill, and it was not helping to have the voice of Loke in his ear driving him crazy, mewling about Bror.

“Lyall, his foot,” Loke started again before finally having his patience snapped like a tree branch, “Lyall, Stop!”

“What, Loke, why do you keep crying about that fool Bror?!”

The young hunter strode up and looked his lead in the eyes, not with confrontation but a true look of concern. “Did you see his foot Lyall, what was left of it? Those spikes almost tore it off.”

“Yes Loke, I saw his foot, what do you wish I do about it?” Lyall retorted so quick it stunned Loke for just a second. The image of a screaming Bror lying on the forest trail, blood pooling under the stump of what was left of his foot flashed in Lyall’s mind. The Little Spirits had laid out a trap meant to maim one of them and the lead hunter just missed stepping in it by a foot length, but not poor Bror. All at once his leg dropped into a hole and Bror began screaming, only stopping when Lyall and Loke had to pull his foot out of the trap, past all the spikes.

“We left him Lyall, to die.”

“No Loke,” Lyall quickly retorted again as cold as a high wind in winter, “we kept following the Little Spirits while he went back to the village.”

“Listen to your words Lyall, we sent him back to the village alone but he won’t make it. He only has one foot, the animals will come for him at night.”

The plea from the young hunter was in vain though and he could see it in Lyall’s face. Loke had grown up looking at Lyall like an older brother. He followed the older hunter around the village when he could keep up and when Loke was old enough he joined Lyall’s hunters along with Bror his friend, even when the older hunter joined in Terak’s group the younger ones went along. They were warned Terak was a bad man, evil, and he would show them nothing but pain for their work and effort. Now, Loke wondered just how much of a fool he had been to look up to Lyall or join Terak, and how much of a betrayal it was to leave Bror behind. The thought was short lived though, self-preservation being the stronger of the two.

The last from Loke was all he could take, so Lyall stepped up almost nose to nose with the younger hunter. “Yes, the animals will come for him this night, but think of the animal that will come for you and I if we do not catch these Little Spirits. Think what Terak will do to us if we go back to the village with Bror and not the Little Spirits?”

And then, at that moment, Loke took in the words Lyall was saying and he felt his heart skip from the sudden fear. He fell quiet, which gave Lyall the chance to continue and the hunter did just that. “If we go back with empty hands Loke, then I can say without hesitation Bror will die better than we will.”

Yes, he just might the young hunter thought before nodding.

And just above them, hidden in the growing shadows of the leaves of a large bough, a pair of eyes watched the pair closely.    

 

The coming night would be a welcomed boon the tanner thought as she walked to her bond wolf while humming a tune. From the outside the tanner looked content and even happy, but inside her soul felt nervous and just a little anxious. They were so close to home now, to Father Tree, and when they finally arrived at the grand old oak the moment would be upon her and her soul mate. They were going to ask to move into their treeshaper’s den, to take one last step and bond this family even closer, and this step was a large one. Everything would change from then on, and that’s what made her soul just seem to float and leave her feeling a little light headed. Oh, she wasn’t thinking the changes would be all easy, Moonshade knew better than that, but she also wanted these changes and knew her loving archer did as well. And both would not be alone in seeing those changes through, not with this family.

As she stopped by her wolf friend, still humming happily, her nose caught a scent of jasmine on the changing breeze and Moonshade smiled. She knew her healer’s scent anywhere, it was sweet and intoxicating like dreamberry wine, and as she turned the tanner saw Leetah walking up. The humming stopped as Moonshade smiled broadly, just as the healer greeted her warmly.

“Oh, please don’t stop. What song were you humming?”

Leetah took one of her tanner’s hands in hers and leaned in nuzzling Moonshade’s cheek, which made the tanner smile more and lean into the caress while speaking low. “Oh, it was just something I made up but I will sing for you whenever you ask.”

The healer sighed and squeezed the soft hand. “I know you will, and we will have many a night to enjoy your voice.”

“Yes we will, but I would like to know just why our shy one is so happy?” The voice of the wolf chief asked as Cutter walked up with a broad smile as well.

“We are just one night from home my chief, that is why I am so happy.” Moonshade sighed  as Cutter took her other hand.

“One more night and this long road will be done, thank the High Ones. I will be too happy to sleep in our fur pile, maybe these dreams will finally stop.”

With the admission the conversation turned a little sour, frightful even as Leetah spoke up. “Your having dreams as well?”

“I think we all are.” Moonshade added with her own slight trepidation.

Cutter looked to both maidens, “are the dreams bad?”

The healer though just shook her head as did Moonshade while answering. “No, just oddly familiar images and a voice saying ‘beware’ but of what I do not know.”

“I haven’t been able to discern what it means either.” A lithe but strong voice called out and all three Wolfriders turned to see their huntress and archer walking up.

“You too, both?” Cutter asked and was not surprised when his stoic archer responded with a strong send.

Yes, it was a forest I know strangely with trails my feet have walked I think and someone saying ‘beware’ over and over. Is that what you three have seen in the dream.

Leetah and Moonshade nodded as Cutter put his hand on New Moon’s pommel, the usual stance he took when thinking on something, what their treeshaper called ‘chewing’ playfully. “Same, but I haven’t said anything past us. I am as lost as you all are with what it means.”

The family stood in quiet for a long moment, each trying to understand what these dreams they were having could mean. In the end though, any meaning escaped them and when Clearbrook showed up saying the evening meal was ready all five immediately put the conversation to the back of their minds. The meat from felled bucks filled bellies which only made thinking of odd dreams even less of a priority and as such not another word was said as the Wolfriders set out for home once more.

 

The two humans walked underneath them and never once looked up, and even if they did the pair would have seen nothing but leaves and tree branches. The trio of lifebearers were perfectly hid, perfectly still, and thus undetectable by the human hunters. This should have made the three elves up in the tree somewhat secure, as much as being hidden from the humans could be, but the fact they were somewhat safe did little to ease Newstar’s mind.  She was angry with herself, chided herself for losing what little advantage they had won with running for the forest the nights before.

Yes, the hunters were stronger and faster which meant they would have caught up to them eventually, but resting as long as they had did not help their escape. Newstar had only planned to stay for a bit among the boughs of the trees letting Ayashe rest, but before she could help it the weaver had fallen asleep and the two humans were on top of them, or below them would be the better description.

Why are they still chasing us? Ayashe asked in a silent send while watching the two humans below.

I think the scarred hunter scares them more than our trap did. They won’t go home to face him without us. Behitha answered.

Agreed, and my foolish mistake in letting us rest too long only made this worse. Newstar added, anger riff in her send.

No, do not be angry with yourself Newstar. Behitha responded quickly and when the weaver looked to her the older elf reminded her of Clearbrook instantly. The way she soothed with words only made Newstar calmer with each breath. We needed to rest, if not those humans would have caught us for sure. Now, at least we have a chance to stay out of their grasp because we have fresh bodies and they are worn and tired.

Yes, Newstar agreed with a nod, at least with fresh bodies and clear minds they could think of what to do more clearly. She turned back and watched the hunters for a moment longer and came to a sudden and frightful thought. The one leading the pair, he’s going right back to where the humans caught Dart. He’s going back to where this all started.

Are you sure? Behitha asked quickly with some concern.

Yes, Newstar replied with a sigh, Its not a straight path but its close enough to worry me. If he can find the tree they caught Dart in then he will certainly find Father Tree. And if he finds Father Tree...

The last died off slowly as the weaver let her words sink in. Maybe the other two elves realized this was only going to end in a confrontation now, a fight to the bitter end, or maybe only one did. Behitha looked to the quiver Dart had given her and there were only two arrows left. She had used the others in making the spikes in the trap for the humans, gambling on the hope that hurting one would send all three home. She hadn’t counted on the fear the other two had for Terak or the control it would have on the them though and it was a little shocking, as well as disheartening, to know they sacrificed one of their own to keep from facing him. She was trying to think of what to do when Newstar came up with a plan.

The hunters are taking the long way back to the tree. I know of a shorter way, faster, so we should get their before they do. We can setup another trap or something to maybe stop them, drive the pair away and back home.

The plan was good, if just a little short on one obvious fact Behitha thought. These two, they were not going home, so why would the weaver offer an idea to ‘drive’ the humans away? That became apparent when a small send touched their minds.

Are you sure we should fight them? They look like they could kill all three of us, or worse?

Ayashe was scared Newstar could see, and rightfully so, being young and not trained in any kind of fighting. The little lifebearer is kind of like me, the weaver thought while taking the young maiden’s hand in hers, kind of like me before I left the Sun Folk and came to stay with my tribe of Wolfriders. It was this past of hers that gave Newstar a touch of empathy and allowed her to reach out and bond with Ayashe in this critical moment.

We have to fight them Ayashe, they are not giving us any choice. A fight is never what I wanted, but like Redlance told me once, we must protect our home and our tribe even if that means a fight. Do you understand?
 
The small lifebearer looked to her for a long moment then turned to Behitha who only nodded and smiled. We will not fight them head on, but fight them we must little one. They intend to hurt us, take us back to that village, and I will not let that happen to you Ayashe. I promise this.-

So do I Ayashe, no one will harm you I promise.

It was a promise made in gesture only, both Newstar and Behitha knew this. They both knew and understood what a fight with the humans would and could mean. And now it was dawning on the young mind of Ayashe, just what it would take to be free of these hunters and what might come of breaking free of their pursuit.

If they won’t leave us be then we have to fight, even if that means we might get hurt.

There were no more words, none were needed. An ‘understanding’ had been achieved, be it ever so general. The human hunters were not going away so the three small elves would have to confront them, and the risk of that coming to an end no one wanted was possible but had to be accepted. So, with little to no noise, the three elves climbed down out of the tree and ran off into the foliage and under brush of the forest quickly disappearing. Newstar led them moving swiftly, and in the right direction hopefully, to the place where this nightmare began as the sun set and the woods grew dark.

You should have gone home the weaver thought to herself, you should have just gone home.



I’m not going to die alone...I’m not going to die alone…

The words repeated not once or twice but over and over with each limping step Bror took. Five words which echoed in his mind became a mantra almost pushing against the weakness that was overcoming him slowly. Breathing was getting harder, the muscle in his chest beat faster, and everything seemed to be growing darker in his eyes, though that was probably due to night fall coming.

I’m not going to die alone...I’m not going to die alone...

What was left of his right foot dripped blood, even wrapped heavily in a large ball of leather and whatever else that could be fashioned into a bandage. Bror knew that bloody drip was leaving a nice trail for any and every animal to follow and as if on cue something jumped through the bushes making a crashing sound.

It was very close, too close.

Then, the woods sopped and the plains opened up before him. Back on familiar ground, I’m back on ground I know Bror thought with little joy without stopping and stepping out into the grass. Yes, he was out of the forest, but home was still so very far away.

He was moving at a crawl which made it even farther to reach the walls of the village.

And whatever was following him, it wasn’t stopping at the edge of the trees. He looked around to see the grass just to his left being knocked down by something, what he couldn’t see though. It was stalking him, waiting for its chance to attack.

I’m not going to die alone...I’m not going to die alone...

Bror began to whisper the words, over and over, his will to live put into words to push on. To his left, whatever was following crept just a step closer.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, its all building to one final fight...



You…

Of all these fools you were the one I never thought would be the one to end…me…

In the shallow light of a growing dark cast by burning torches, Caliban stared back into a pair of pure shocked and horrified eyes with his own surprised look. In the background, somewhere off out of sight, the wolf howled and yowled warning the humans to stay away and the thunder from the approaching storm growled hard up in the dark sky. The enlarged orbs of the tracker Hallad, who was truly an awful tracker and even worse killer, stared back in fear as he gasped in short breaths. He’s never killed anyone before, probably not even an animal even though he’s supposed to be a hunter, the unseen ‘Hand’ of Undvath thought. And yet, here Caliban stood with the fool Hallad’s knife sticking out his right side, perfectly slipping in between the ribs and cutting into the soft organs behind the bones.

That wolf, it was the perfect distraction...never saw the knife...till it was too late...

Well, you have to respect the kill don’t you, even if it was… a lucky…one

I think I’m going to sleep now, I don’t feel this world has need of me any longer and I’m rather tired…

Undvath’s ‘Hand’, the shadow proxy of the chief, the who does what the chief cannot do in the light, took two shuffling steps back from the large stone figure which was Hallad at the moment. A small smile crept across Caliban’s face, twitched at the right corner for a fleeting moment, and then he just collapsed to the ground with a thud. His legs folded up beneath him, and everyone just stood quietly for another moment staring at the dying man all should have feared, but then Caliban paled to the true monster in this group.

“I think I killed him?” Hallad finally whispered low in horror and revulsion.

“I know you killed him, I just watched you do it!” Chulash whispered with the same horror while stepping back away from the scene.

“You did what you were told, nothing more you fools, and you did it badly Hallad.” Terak snarled, running into and through the frozen figure of Hallad. The tracker stumbled from the blow, caught his balance, and then turned to Chulash with a now lost expression. I have blood on my hands and Terak still has no want for me the look said with more shock and all the small hunter could do was stare back in return .

Terak walked up, the wolf howling and barking louder now as the other hunter in the group kept it cornered by the circle of trees in a rough thicket. The Marred One glared down into the dim and cold open eyes of Caliban and sneered while cursing. “You and Undvath thought to kill me, ME! I am Terak, Chief of all the Hunters, though and I will not die till my stone is in my hand again and Undvath’s skull hangs in my hut.”

We are cursed now, as absolute as the sun will rise in the morning Chulash thought. We have taken the life of Undvath's man and he will make us pay for that with our own lives. Then a childlike voice called out from the dark, this one different from the other one from before, and Chulash felt the first drop of rain hit his face..



What do we do?

The question from Dart, coming with a tinge of concern through his send, brought Redlance out of his thoughts and back to the Now. What were they going to do?

The approaching storm was a big one, from the deep sky growls and the wind which was growing, told the treeshaper soon he and Dart would be cold and wet from its rain. A perfect chance to slip away and escape, if that’s what they were intending to do. The pair had no intention of escaping though, the plan did not call for them to slip away in the night. The treeshaper’s tunic bulged slightly with an assortment of berries and mushrooms and other things, bits and parts of his plan. He intended to draw a number of bears just off the lake to attack the humans with a greasy salve that attracted the predators, to drive the hunters away and back to their village, and if High Ones willing rid everyone of the one called Terak, the Scarred One, for the better.

It wasn’t the best plan, but good enough for the short time the treeshaper had to make one, that was till just a few moments ago. The wolf appearing and trailing he and Dart was unexpected but not something he could not handle in his plans, as long as the wolf stayed out of their way.

The wolf was cornered now though, strangely, and looked to be stuck fast by a one torch wielding human. It could get away Redlance thought. The wolf was fast enough and cunning and it could easily get away from one human swinging a torch wildly, so why didn’t it?  The treeshaper didn’t know,  and there it was, so much for hoping the wolf would not get involved, and now that it had, the beast must have a plan of its own.

Redlance swallowed his last sweet berry eyeing the three hunters standing over the one lying dead on the ground while his mind churned over things. The treeshaper’s plan didn’t call for the humans to kill each other either, but that was easier to deal with then the trapped wolf, one leas hunter chasing them was a very good thing, much better then the trouble the wolf was going to cause. One hunter would soon be four, and that was not a good thing to deal with.  

We’re not going to leave the wolf to fight off four hunters, right?

Dart asked his question knowing the answer already, a small smile on his lips as the treeshaper sighed and nodded his head toward the hunters below. No Dart, we are not leaving brother wolf to the hands of the hunters, though it would have been nice if he could have told us he what he has planned.

The young archer only smiled more before responding. What are we going to do?

A small pop of rain landed on the treeshaper’s shoulder and he sighed, it was going to be a wet night. I do not know yet Dart, I am making this up as I go.

Right, maybe I could distract the hunters and you and the wolf could escape?

That might work, how are you going to distract the humans? Redlance asked looking back before slipping off the branch the pair were kneeling on.

The archer thought for a moment, obviously had no idea how to do what he wanted, so the treeshaper offered something. You can talk to them, the Marred One seems to be very talkative.

Talk to them? About what? Dart asked with dismay.

Anything that will grab their attention and keep it off the wolf and me, Redlance answered before silently dropping off the large branch and disappearing into the dark.

What could do that Dart wondered, but then the wolf yowled and he looked back to the trio below him. A thought later the perfect distraction came to the young archer.



“Good eve humans, I wanted to ask, why did you kill one of your own just now?”

The sudden words made Hallad gasp as well as Chulash, but Terak only looked up to the trees menacingly waiting and watching. “Its one of the Little Spirits-” Hallad suddenly whispered.

“But not the same one as before. It must be the one we captured but then escaped!” Chulash added breaking into the whispered conversation with his own observation and smile. Terak only sighed in frustration at the pair as the child like voice spoke up.

“Do you know I can hear you, every thing you say. I can hear it.”

Hallad smiled and nodded to Chulash suddenly, “that means the Little Spirit is close!”

The Marred One just sighed again as Chulash nodded back while thinking he would have the fool Chulash stab the bigger fool Hallad next, because if Terak had to listen to the tracker one more night-.

“Where do you think he is hiding, up in the trees?” Hallad whispered looking around.

Before Chulash could respond, thankfully, Terak growled hushing the pair behind him. He looked up into the trees and yelled out to any and all around him in anger. “I killed Caliban before he could kill me, at Undvath’s order.”

“Who is Undvath and why does he want to kill you?” The Little Spirit asked quickly.

“Because he fears me, because he knows I am the better man!” Terak shot back with his answer.

“Did the stone tell you this? Did the stone whisper saying you are better than Undvath?”

The question struck too close to the nerve for Terak, mocking his visions, his lips squeezing down to a slit and a deep growl emanating from his chest through his throat and out to the word. It was a clear sign to Dart he was treading dangerous ground with the human, and it was exactly what he wanted to do.



I know I asked for a distraction, but there’s no need to make the Scarred One any angrier Redlance thought as he stole through the underbrush. Still, he had to smile, the archer had picked the best spot on the human to shoot for and draw blood, hitting his mark perfectly. The treeshaper only took a few moments to get into place, a few foot steps from the wolf and the human with the torch, and from where he was now the scene made even less sense to him.

The wolf really wasn’t trapped or pinned against anything Redlance could see, like he thought, and actually the human looked like the one trapped. The human was swinging the torch wildly, jabbing and slashing whenever the wolf snapped at him and every move was slow, so much so the wolf was never in any threat which is why it didn’t sense what was about to happen.

“Where are you Terak? I can’t hold the wolf off anymore!” The human screamed over his shoulder.

And this was what the wolf didn’t see, that the other humans were coming. The treeshaper scanned and felt the ground around his feet till this fingers found what he was looking for. A rock just smaller than his fist, kind of flat and heavy, and just perfect enough for what he was about to do. If his Twen were here she’d have screamed at him to not do what he was going to, which was the smart thing to do Redlance thought as he squeezed the stone getting it in position in his hand to throw. Just get away and seek a safe hole to hide in. Yet his lifemate Nightfall wasn’t here, and these humans, they had no intention of leaving the elves alone or the wolf. He had no choice, he couldn’t leave knowing the threat these humans were to the tribe.

What happened next proved it, put it in stone.



The wailing scream from Pelan only made Terak more mad, so much so whatever he was going to say to this Little Spirit left his head. The words just went poof, gone like a smoke on the wind. Terak snarled a little more, growled a little deeper, and spun to go and fetch the other fool who was crying like a child but then then the voice proffered a bargain, one more time. The fact voice was now coming from just above the hunters, closer to the wolf and Pelan, was lost on Hallad and Chulash.

“No answer, not even if I were to give you back your stone?”

The remark stopped Terak in mid step, his intention of ‘saving’ Pelan lost in a new surge of anger, and he held not a bit of it in check as he looked up to the dark of the trees. “You do not have my stone other Little Spirit so do not bargain with what you do not have!”

Can he see me? Dart wondered if the Scarred One could as he looked down right into the crazed eye of the human before moving deftly and quickly back toward the wolf and the encounter the archer knew was coming. “I could, and would, give you the stone for you to leave us be, but if I did you would still hunt us I think. You would still try and kill us because that is all you know, anger and death.”

A sky growl rolled out across the forest, loud and large enough to shake everything from tree to human to elf. The full fury of the storm wasn’t here yet but it was already telling all those around it was a beast and to seek cover. Rain began to fall faster now, hitting like thrown pebbles with force, and Dart knew the true deluge was coming.  

“I know that when the sun comes up I will have taken the ears of the Little Spirit who took my stone and I will then set my eyes on you and the women Little Spirits.”

“No, you will never hurt my lovemate or my tribe. We will not let you.” Dart answered solemnly, almost vowed to the human.

Terak stared up at the trees where he thought the Little Spirit hid, which was closer then he realized, and began to respond with a vitriolic blast of angry words when Pelan let out a scream that was somewhere between a yell and a loud gurgle, like he was under water. The Scarred One reacted instantly running for the man, not to help him but to ensure the wolf didn’t escape their grasp.

Dart whirled just as Terak started to run, his instincts already moving his body toward the wolf and the treeshaper.

Something had gone wrong, really wrong, which wasn’t good for the wolf or Redlance he knew.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, an unexpected stop...



The storm was over and past them thankfully the wolf chief thought. The heavy pounding of sky growls and the endless fall of rain reminded Cutter of the storm the tribe had faced in that far away valley on their journey to Father Tree not so long ago. The beast that night tried to end them in that strange forest, he knew this as sure as he could feel New Moon on his hip, and this one tonight had tried the same.

And it failed to strike down or sway this tribe of Wolfriders from going home, just like the one before.

Cutter stood and listened as the storm and all its rain and sky growls moved on, right toward Father Tree. We almost made it back before you caught us storm, and I know our treeshaper will be seeking shelter in our den from you so go on and wail. This night you fell no one, and just got us wet is all.

“We were so close,” a familiar voice said from behind, “but at least we’re dry, sort of.”

The wolf chief turned to see his daughter walking up, and behind her the rest of the tribe was crawling out from under the trees they had taken shelter in from the storm. He wondered how his huntress was doing, if she was back in control. He knew she would be, Nightfall had never been and never would be the one who let her control go for long, and as soon as the storm was gone she would be getting her feet right back under her. No, it wasn’t his worry for his huntress that made him pause then speak up as Ember stopped by his side.

“Where is your top-knot?” He asked staring at the top of Ember’s head and all the fiery auburn locks. The gathering of hair, a tall bound tail on the crown of the head, a sign that marked her as a chief was gone. The look of shock on his face must have been more than noticeable as Ember reached over and took his hand in hers with a warm reassuring smile.

“There can only be one chief of the Wolfriders father, and that’s you. I will give up my knot for now, and learn what I need from you till I must wear it again.”

The words and the emotion in them, as well as the look from his precious cub, eased the shock and caution he was feeling and ended it. Cutter squeezed her hand in return and spoke with the same warm emotion. “I will gladly show and teach you everything I know my cub, so you can be an even greater chief than I am or could be.”

“Thank you father, for all you have given me and will teach me.”

All Cutter could do was smile, words would only ruin this moment with his daughter, so he only smiled till his nose picked up the scent of his lifemate approaching, her jasmine scent strong enough to alert him to her arrival. The wolf chief turned to greet her as she put an arm around him and her other hand on her daughter’s arm. “What are you two talking about?”

“How much I want to be done with this journey back to Father Tree.” Ember quickly stated with a small laugh.

“I agree, this needs to be done tonight.” Leetah sighed.

“You just want to see your treeshaper, hug him, the both of you.” Ember laughed turning and walking to go and look in on her lovemates Teir and Mender. As she did the healer took note of something missing and whispered to her beloved lifemate.

“Where is her top-knot?”

“She is setting it aside for now, but she is more than ready to take it back when needed.”

“That will not be for sometime I hope.” Leetah replied with a small smile.

“Oh, not any time soon, but for now let’s get riding. I need to see our treeshaper.” Cutter whispered nuzzling his lifemate’s cheek lovingly.

The healer only sighed lovingly while whispering back, “I miss him as well.”

Both then followed their daughter back to the tribe, hand in hand, arriving just as the large group was finishing up getting everything set to start moving again. They walked over to where their family was getting prepared, Moonshade and Strongbow with Chitter finishing their tasks and next to them their huntress. Nightfall looked up from checking her wolf friend as her lovemates approached and the site of them made her smile immediately. “We are ready to ride my loves. I have everything in place.”

“I see your eager to get to Father Tree just as we are.” Cutter laughed as Leetah let go of his hand and moved to her huntress side. The observation and remark made the Tanner and Archer laugh as well, the wolf chief noting both looked just as excited to get back to Father Tree.

“Are you better?” The Healer asked with just a small bit of concern. Leetah knew her love was more than ready to ride, the way Nightfall was moving so quickly told her so, which is why she had only the smallest bit of concern. The answer was more than evident, but better to make sure the Healer thought.

“Yes, thanks to my loving family holding me through the storm.” Nightfall smiled leaning in and nuzzling h er Healer’s cheek.

There is no thanks ever needed for us to do that my Huntress. No need ever.

“Yes, we will always be here for you and our family” The Tanner added with a bright loving smile while reaching over and rubbing Nightfall's back lovingly.

The display of affection for this group of elves living in a way no other group of Wolfriders ever had was not lost on the rest of the tribe. They could see the bond forged between them, and the way that bond grew every night with the family wasn’t missed by a soul. Clearbrook smiled and silently wondered just how deep that bond would go, if it would lead to a recognition between any two of the pair of them, and what that would mean for the tribe. Would it lead to others following that same path, other pairs grouping up and changing the way the fabled ‘eye-meets-eye’ has always worked. Then she sighed and left the thought where it was, no need to think about that now. The tribe was almost home, and amazingly she found herself also eager to get back.  Why, she wasn’t sure, except for the fact the matriarch was just ready to be off the trail and back at Father Tree.

“I think we’re all set, ready to ride for home my love?” Treestump asked.

“Yes I am,” she replied to her lifemate turning and hugging him hard, “a day in our den and furs will be a good end to this journey.”

“Yes it will,” the stout elf agreed before kissing her sweetly then whispering, “any day I get to hold you is a great day to me lifemate.”

Oh you old wolf Clearbrook thought as she kissed him back just as sweet if not sweeter. The oldest of the Wolfriders, the pair climbed up on their wolf friends and fell in behind the others. Soon the tribe was off and heading toward Father Tree once more, for the last time. They would not stop till they were home, standing by Father Tree, and their treeshaper thoroughly surprised.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, now that didn't go as planned...

Oh, yeah, Happy New Year too!


How could you have forgotten about Scamper?

The thought flashed through Newstar’s mind like all the skyfire from the giant storm they had just pushed through, fighting with rain and strong winds. Thank the High Ones it was over, and just as she and the others finally reached the clearing with the tree Dart was found in by the hunters just a few night ago. The trio of lifebearers had been running as fast as their tired and exhausted bodies could go, trying to reach the spot well ahead of the human hunters following them, and with the storm slamming into both parties, the elves were the first it looked like.

Newstar was in the lead, paying attention to the ground and trail making sure she didn’t fall and was still heading in the right direction when something flashed out of the corner of her eye. Through the dark, the weaver looked to her right then and with a flash she caught sight of the wolf running along side of them, it was Scamper. Newstar realized then the wolf had never left their side, choosing to stay hidden and keep his sharp eyes on them from the shadows. The wolf had done just as his friend Dart had asked, to keep his love safe. Still, her mind chided her for forgetting the wolf was with them.

You were busy with other tasks, like keeping ahead of the humans.

Her answer to the thought was quick and silent, Newstar had no time to say more as she knelt catching the wolf in her arms and hugging him hard when he trotted over. He had kept silent watch all this time, like any true companion and guardian.

“Thank you Scamper, for staying close and keeping watch.”

“I am done. I can’t go anymore.” The declaration from Ayashe broke the weaver from her embrace of the wolf to look at her. The poor lifebearer looked almost dead, soaking wet, and on the verge of just collapsing right there where she had stopped. Her leathers were dripping with rain water and a small shiver was beginning to show in her hands, enough of a sight to make Newstar almost cry, if she wasn’t in the same predicament. A cold sapped the heat from her skin bringing on a tremble of shivers to her now. The weaver was about to say something when Behitha spoke up first.

“We’re where we need to be little one, rest while you can.”

The weaver stood up and walked over with Scamper close on her hip. “Yes, take a quick rest Ayashe. We have some time before the humans arrive, but not much.”

“No we do not,” Behitha added looking around then to the tree in the cl rearing, “is that the tree we were looking for?”

“This is where the Humans found Dart, sleeping up on the lowest branch.” Newstar replied fighting to get her shaking under control.

The older lifebearer looked around and nodded to the trail which lead anyone on it right into the clearing and to the tree. “The last two hunters will be coming from that way I think, so one of us hidden up in the tree can surprise them both.”

“Agreed, and that should be you. Dart’s bow shoots true and you are better with it than I would ever be.” Newstar added, declared just like Ayashe a moment ago, who suddenly spoke actually.

“We’re really going to fight the humans, both of them? As small as we are, we’re going to fight them?””

“Yes Ayashe, this is what we need to do, have to do.” Behitha answered while looking at her younger friend with a warm yet serious expression. She knew her young friend was scared, but Ayashe needed to push that fear far away now. “We have to defend this Father Tree, to repay Newstar for helping us when were in trouble.”

“Yes, we can drive the hunters away, both of them, just like Redlance said too. We just have to take our fear and use it to help us do what needs to be done.” Newstar added, not sure where the words came from.

The little lifebearer stared at the weaver for a moment then simply nodded. “You’re afraid too?”

“Oh yes, I want nothing to do with being a fighter, but like the treeshaper told us we have to protect Father Tree. We have to protect our home, even if we are so scared we can barely think.”

“And Father Tree can be our home too?” Ayashe asked, as truthfully and as serious as she could. There was a big decision to be made and it all depended on how the weaver answered.

Newstar though never hesitated or faltered in giving that answer. “Father Tree will take you in as will the Wolfriders if you want. I’ll make sure of it.”

Ayashe was tired, almost to the point of collapse, and yet the response made her smile brightly with a new found energy. A new home, no more wandering on the plains like these last seasons Ayashe thought silently. No more cold days under heavy clouds or walking in the high grass bent over trying to hide from any and all eyes. No more being alone without a tribe or others like you. It meant a new way to live this long life, it was something worth fighting for Ayashe knew as she spoke up.

“Then we have to fight to protect him.”

“That we will, now just help me climb up that tree to a good spot.” Behitha stated with a wink.



For Pelan, as with most humans, he never realized or understood when the strange road to the end of his life began. In Pelan’s defense, he was never truly smart enough to have noticed. The hunter was a follower, never making his own path in this world, which is why he always hunted with Terak. He was timid and easy to do someones bidding when pressured, which is why Terak really had no feelings for Pelan except to bully and dominate and force him to do the menial tasks of the hunters, which is how the timid man ended up swinging a torch at the large brown wolf at this very moment. He might have lived longer if he had pushed back against Terak a little more, like he did with Hallad, might have seen the light of a new dawn one more time.

Alas, it was not to be, because this was how Pelan began to walk the road to his death, his inevitable end this night

So busy trying to keep the brown wolf back with his torch, Pelan never saw the Little Spirit come from the bushes with a quick step. Maybe it was the low light from the torch, or maybe his attention was all but held by the wolf and keeping it at bay, or maybe it was just the bad history of the hunter finally coming to call and requiring payment for all of his past bad deeds. Whatever, which ever, one it was that fate tried and judged Pelan with, he never saw the rock leave the Little Spirit’s hand.

He never brought a hand up to block the missile as it flew right for his throat.

There was no swift block with a raised arm or a deft flip of the hand to catch the rock in mid-air.

In the blink of an eye, the thrown rock crossed the small distance between the Little Spirit and the hunter and struck true with a loud pop. In an instant pain flooded Pelan’s brain followed quickly by the fact his mouth and throat filled with his own blood. The hunter reached up to grab the spot where the rock hit as he turned to see the small Spirit finally when the night lit up from a streak of skyfire illuminating everything around him like a hundred torches. The falling rain, growing in size and intensity, bounced all the light around even more making it easy for Pelan to lock eyes with the Little Spirit, orbs as green as this forest during the day looked back. They stood there for a moment longer, long enough to count to three, staring at each other before Pelan let out a bubbling scream.

“Go Brother! Run and Hide!” Redlance screamed. He turned to run away as well, but froze when he saw the wolf had no intention of fleeing. No, the wolf had every intention of attacking and that was exactly what Brown did, to the utter surprise of the treeshaper. “Wait, No Brown No, where are you going? You have to run the way!”

Pelan spun back to the large wolf, obviously slowed now from his injury, and watched with fresh terror as the animal ducked his stationary torch and went right for his leg and foot. He swung downward with a feeble miss of the flaming club in his hand just before new pain hit his brain like a blow from a heavy club. The world turned upside down, just as Pelan did the same, because the wolf bit into his ankle and yanked dragging the now screaming hunter down to the muddy ground, and as it did there was a loud snap, like wood breaking from the trunk of a tree, only it wasn’t wood making the sound.

It was Pelan’s ankle and leg, breaking from the force of the wolf’s attack.

“Run Brown, stop biting and Run!” Redlance yelled running back toward the wolf a step or two, and then freezing in place as the Scarred One appeared out of the dark. Oh, this has gone so bad the treeshaper thought as he stared back at the hunter just as a bigger streak of skyfire blasted the small clearing with harsh white light followed by a boom shaking the forest.

For a moment everyone was blind, the hunters and Redlance and the brown wolf, all except Dart and he took advantage of it. He ran on the large branches of the tree for a step or two then just leapt with abandon right at the back of the last hunter, who had stopped on the trail from being sightless. The archer dropped, flew if you looked at it a certain way, right into the human’s back. He balled up just before the impact, which saved him somewhat because striking the hunter was like going shoulder first into a tree. Dart hit the human, came to an abrupt stop, and then fell backwards from the blow onto the trail slightly dazed from the jarring effect of his ambush.

Hallad had stopped as hundreds of tiny little sparks danced in front of his eyes from the flash of skyfire. He never heard Dart coming for him due to being almost deaf from the booming thunder, but Hallad sure felt the elf hit him like a bag of rocks. All at once, before he could think, the hunter was thrown forward off the trail stumbling by Chulash and almost taking him out. Hallad actually hit the smaller hunter, not full on but more of a brush-by as he went off the trail unable to stop his forward momentum. Something, probably a root, snagged the pinwheeling hunter’s right foot and that’s what caused him to end his chaotic trip, by slamming face first into a tree boll with a crunch.

“You! Give Me My STONE!” Terak yelled just as his eye spotted the red-haired Little Spirit. The look of surprise, and a bit of fear, from the Spirit emboldened the hunter and he reacted with a snap of anger and excitement. He quickly threw a rock in his right hand, a stone meant for his sling but Terak had no time to prepare or use the weapon, so he just threw the rock with all his might and accuracy.

It might have been a killing blow, would have been, if it had struck the Little Spirit square in its head. The rock looked as if it might, till the brown wolf appeared out of nowhere, its rump popping up as it gave Pelan one finial yank viciously finishing its attack on him. The wolf had no intention of blocking the rock, never knew it was heading for the treeshaper. The intervention was just the effect of fighting in such a confined space, this small clearing squeezing the confrontation inward to the point where it was more chaos then actual combat. The rock struck the wolf a glancing blow, ricocheted of his side, and struck the treeshaper even as he tried to dodge away from the incoming missile. The strike was considerably less than what a direct hit would have been, but it was still enough to make Redlance gasp and grab the spot on his side where the pain was exploding from. He stumbled and almost fell, but the treeshaper kept on his feet somewhat, enough to see Terak scream with rage and start to run for him, that was till Brown leapt for him snapping with his maw.

As the treeshaper tried to get the wolf to stop attacking, Chulash watched as Hallad hit the tree and bounced off falling behind a large bush. His eyes were locked to the tracker as the human fell into the bushes, then something moved off to his right and the hunter turned to see the Little Spirit whose accidental capture started all of this ‘pain’ and he growled low. Chulash drew back his right arm, raising the club in it overhead, and then brought it down with all the force his small frame could muster meaning to cave in the skull of the Little Spirit, who was popping up from the ground quickly. In the Little Spirit’s right hand was a long dagger, it almost looked like a sword to the small being Chulash thought weirdly, and to his shock the Little Spirit brought the dagger up blocking his club.

Dart got his wits back in time to see the hunter coming for him, club raised and ready to kill. The archer pulled his sword up, rolled it so he held it like Cutter had shown him so many time with the blade down and pommel up, and then instinctively ducked behind it bracing for the blow he had no chance to dodge away from. The moment wooden club met metal sword/shield a loud ‘Clang’ rang out through the clearing. The strike also sent both hunter and archer spinning away from each other, both now hurting. Dart’s arm went numb after a bolt of pain as he let the force of the hit send him to his left, turning away from the hunter, and off into the bushes to hide. Chulash felt his wrist pop, pain roll up his arm in a larger wave, and that was enough of the fight for him. He turned away from the Little Spirit holding his wrist and screaming in pain, then before he could react the brown wolf was on him. The screams from Chulash turned from pain to terror and then back to pain as the animal attacked him.

Even as the rain was startling to come down heavier in sheets soaking any and everything, Redlance ignored the pelting and hammering from the drops. He saw Brown jump and snap at the Scarred One, not a real attack but a feint, just enough to draw the human’s attention before shooting away to rush his real target. The move worked as it made the Scarred One stop, long enough to raise his arm and step back defensively, and that gave the treeshaper enough time to slow the hunter down.

Terak stepped back from the aggression of the wolf, never fully retreating even as its maw snapped so close to his arm he could feel its breath. The Scarred One growled as the wolf just bounded away and then went for Chulash. Terak could have tried to stop the wolf from biting his fellow hunter, but why would he do that when the stone was so close. No, Terak just turned quickly to continue his pursuit of the red-haired Little Spirit, and was promptly hit it the face with a ball of mud, mixed with rocks, blinding him instantly. The dark of the night just went darker in an instant, he fought to keep his balance from the impact of the mud hitting him, but Terak’s ears still worked fine, and he could hear Chulash scream as the wolf bit into him even if he couldn’t see it.

The archer stopped long enough to look back, see the human he hit was flat on his back after hitting a tree and the one who hit him was busy being dragged down by the brown wolf, which had clamped its maw on the hunter’s arm and was chewing away. He looked over and saw the Scarred One take a ball of mud to the face blinding him and Dart knew his treeshaper was now getting away, disappearing into the forest after delivering a quick blow. Dart looked over one last time to see the wolf had let go of the hunter and was making its escape, finally. The archer took the cue and decided to get away as well, dropping low and slipping into the shadows of the night.

He swiped away the mud in two quick sweeps of his hands getting his sight back, but what Terak saw made his blood boil. Chulash was on his back holding a bloody arm, his own, and where Hallad was, well that was anyone’s guess because he wasn’t anywhere around here. And his stone, and the Little Spirit, well both were gone into the storm and the night. The Scarred One took a long, large breath filling his chest to its maximum before letting out a bellowing scream of rage that rivaled the booming thunder of the storm.

Redlance was deep into the dark of the shadows, making his way through the underbrush to a safe place to stop and think when he heard the Scarred One scream out in anger and frustration. A small smile formed on his lips as the treeshaper could see the human in his mind, screaming at the night, and the image made him smile a little more.

Where are you Redlance?

The send from Dart was a welcomed feeling, the archer was alive Redlance thought happily as he answered. I’m making my way toward the lake. I should come by you, if your where I think you are.

The send, and its energy, was a like a beacon to the elves and at the moment it was leading the treeshaper right to the archer. Soon, after a moment, Redlance spotted Dart and quickly met up with him in a thick stand of underbrush, noting the way the archer’s arm hung at his side.

Are you good Dart, what’s wrong with your arm?

The human tried to hit me with a club. I blocked it with my sword, but my arm won’t move.

Dart’s arm didn’t look bad, no cuts or obvious breaks of the bone, so maybe it was just something with the muscle and would heal. Redlance nodded to the archer’s hand, which amazingly still held Dart’s sword in a tight grasp.

At least you didn’t drop your sword when you got hit.

I know, the archer responded shaking his head, can you get it out of my hand so I can use it with my other one?

It took a moment, Redlance had to be careful not to break the archer’s fingers, but he got the three appendages to finally relinquish their hold on the sword. He handed it back to Dart just as the archer replied. Thanks, how are you? Did you get hit on your side?

How did he know I got hit on my side Redlance thought while looking down at his body. He noticed then he was rubbing the spot where the Scarred One’s thrown rock hit, without even thinking about it. He nodded and smiled, I’ll be fine, the rock barely scratched me.

Your lying, is what Dart wanted to say, but he knew there were more important matters that needed their attention. The brown wolf got away, and I think we better follow his lead.

We are, but in different directions Dart.

The remark made Dart raise an eyebrow, which looked funny with the rain water sliding down his face as he replied. What do you mean? We’re splitting up?

You need to start heading back to Father Tree Dart, get home and make sure Newstar and the others are there. They should be, unless something happened.

The archer took a moment to think on what Redlance wanted him to do, and instantly he felt an urge to tell the treeshaper no. He couldn’t leave him alone with the four hunters, even as hurt and tired as they would be. It was a bad idea, and the hesitation Dart felt did not go unnoticed.

You need to do this Dart. We can’t leave Newstar and the others alone, and your already hurt. You need to go back to Father Tree, now before something else happens.

He’s right, Dart’s mind told him, and yet the archer’s heart told him to stay. He couldn’t leave the treeshaper to try and stop the four humans, but then Redlance reached out and wrapped his hand around the back of the archer’s neck with a warm embrace.  

I will be good Dart, so do not let worry cloud sound judgment. I have no intentions of fighting these humans, just lead them away to meet our friends at the lake.

The bears by the lake, Dart had completely forgotten about the treeshaper’s plan. Now he truly had no reason to stay, not with an injured arm and no intention to fight the hunters. They wouldn’t have fought the hunters this time if not for having to save the brown wolf, and look at the thanks they got from him. The archer took a breath and nodded, pushing the feeling of abandoning the treeshaper away as he did and answered.

I’ll go back to Father Tree, to make sure Newstar is safe, but promise all you intend to do is lead the humans to the bears and nothing else.

I have no want to fight the Scarred One, but if he follows me to the bears then his fate is his doing. I won’t stop what comes after that.

Good, then be safe Redlance, and if you are not back at Father Tree in a night I will come back and find you.

Agreed, now go and slip away before the humans can get back on their feet. Redlance replied with a squeeze of his hand on the archer’s neck. It was meant to reassure the young elf’s apprehension, and it worked as Dart nodded with a smile.

And it was done, decision made even though it made the archer feel bad for doing what came next. Dart touched his forehead to the treeshaper’s, let his love for his tribe mate cross between them, and felt it returned easing the bad feeling in his soul. Then the archer leaned back, nodded one last time before turning, and then disappeared into the rainy night.

Redlance watched the young elf depart, drift away into the dark, and sighed. He rubbed his side where the rock hit, felt the tender skin and growing soreness of the bone, then slipped his hand down just a bit and felt all the things he had been gathering as he and Dart led the humans along. All the necessary bits he would need to make the paste that would attract the bears to the hunters, along with a few things to make it even stronger.

Come Scarred One, it’s time to end this game we’ve been playing the treeshaper thought as he moved closer to the humans to see what they were doing. Part of him hoped after the fight that the humans would move on, just go back to their village. A part, the smarter one he thought, told him that would never happen. He had the stone shard, still tucked in the folds of his pants, and as long as he had it the Scarred One would never stop following him. That is what I am going to use to make you follow me to meet the bears Scarred One, this stone you want so bad.



“Get up!”

The order, or maybe it was the angry growl mixed in with the words, that made Chulash suddenly feel his own growing frustration with this hunt. He stood up from the muddy ground and held up his bloody, chewed forearm for Terak to more easily see in the dark stormy night.

“Do not yell at me! I am hurt and its because of you!”

“Your a fool Chulash, nothing more, now where is Hallad?” Terak snapped back.

“I need help, please.” Pelan groaned from the ground, his voice half of what is should be due to the rock hitting his throat.

“Shut up and get up you even bigger fool!” Terak spat with seething rage.

“He can’t get up! The wolf broke his leg!” Chulash countered with surprising, and rising anger, at the ‘Chief of All Hunters’. Then from the dark Hallad appeared holding his bloody mouth and nose with one hand. Everyone turned to look at him, not welcoming looks but more of the same angry expressions. It was a bit disconcerting really, if not downright scary to the tracker.

“I think I heard something back-” Hallad started to say when Terak cut him off.

“Then go follow it! Get out of my sight!”

“Yes, go follow it, maybe you will find something for a change!” Chulash spat, his usual mouse-like nature now gone completely.

Hallad stepped back from both, the vitriol and looks from both were more than enough to make him feel like running away. He stepped back with a small nod, a surrender, before disappearing into the folds of the night to track the noise he had heard. It had to be one of the Little Spirits, the noise of a breaking branch was too loud to be an animal, or so Hallad thought. And in truth, he was glad to be done with this hunt, or so he thought because the more steps he took the more he wanted to catch whatever made the noise and show those igits back there he was a good tracker, maybe even a better hunter than they knew. Yes, Hallad would catch this Little Spirit, and those ‘fools’ back there would be the ones praising him and his skills.

“Please, I need help.” Pelan groaned low again through his hurt throat, and now he noticed he was having a hard time breathing. It was as if his neck was closing up and the way for air to enter his chest with it. His plea finally brought him what he needed, help, but with some animosity as well.

“Let me wrap my arm first then I will try and help you!” Chulash sneered while never looking to his injured hunter. No, his eyes were locked onto Terak’s, until a voice sounded above the tumult of rain.

“Are you done? Will you go back to your village now?”

It was the Little Spirit’s voice, the one who has my stone Terak thought as he turned to where the voice came from, or he thought it came from.

“I have not taken your life yet so I will not be going back to the village. I will only go back when I have my stone and your head in my hands!”

“Then come Scarred One, follow me and maybe I will let you see your stone one last time.”

The voice died out in the rain, but it rang in Terak’s mind like a bell. He was going to end this, that would assuredly happen, and he would savor every moment of it.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, working our way home...backwards.



“Where are they beloved?”

The question from his precious soulmate was the same one he had been asking himself from the moment the tribe arrived at Father Tree. Cutter couldn’t answer her question because he had no answer to his question yet. The tribe coming from Howling Rock had moments earlier leapt into the clearing around Father Tree howling and laughing, just as they planned, to surprise the three wolfriders left behind to guard their home. The surprise was supposed to be a lively end to the long journey home with a joyous howl and greeting marking the tribe coming together as one. It was also meant to show their love, Cutter’s family, for their beloved treeshaper.

Only when the tribe poured into the clearing the joyous howl died on their lips.

There was no Dart or Newstar, and to Cutter’s sudden and growing shock there was no Redlance either. The clearing around Father Tree was empty and that felt very off to the wolf chief.

“Where is father?” Tyleet asked looking to her mother. The huntress though was just as baffled as her chief.

“I don’t know my cub, he should be here waiting for us.”

And where are Dart and Newstar? Strongbow asked looking around for some, any, sign of the three elves they left behind.

“Everyone down, start looking around for them. Use your noses, find a scent if we need to.” Cutter ordered sliding down off of his bond wolf. He turned and helped Leetah drop to the ground before both moved off searching for the trio of missing elves.

What felt like a complete turn of the seasons seemed to roll by as Cutter examined the ground all around Father Tree for any track he could see, sniffed the air for any scent, and only found nothing. Every breath brought on more fear from not knowing where his treeshaper was, from not finding a single clue to tell him what was going on. The storm would have wiped away any scent or track his mind told him of them, and yet Cutter still looked on. Someone should find something, has to find something the wolf chief told himself as he went back to Father Tree from looking around the sweet berry bushes. Three elves do not just disappear into thin air he demanded silently as he spoke up.

“Has anyone found anything, a scent or track?” Cutter called out as the tribe gathered up by Father Tree after a moment.

“There’s nothing by our racks except a stack of furs. I think Newstar has been busy, but her scent is weak and nights old.” Moonshade explained while holding the hand of her cub who was weirdly quiet. Chitter was scared, her usual cascade of words gone due to the fear she was trying hold back.

“We haven’t found a track, no one has been around here since the storm and maybe well before that.” Pike answered slowly, the look on his face calm but inside he was worried for his brother and the others

“There’s nothing by the berry bushes either. All full, no one has picked at them.” Cutter chewed on the words, as if saying the very syllables hurt him.

“No scents anywhere, its like they just left and never came back.” Clearbrook stated, concern beginning to slip into her words and emotions.

Why would they leave, unless something forced them to run away. Strongbow sent, echoing what everyone was starting to think.

Ember shook her head quickly, “or if they were taken, captured.”

The sliver of unease each member of the tribe felt gained in force and pressure. They all knew Cutter had asked them to guard their home and they all knew all three were loyal to their chief. The only way the three would be gone, and had been for some time now, was if they were driven away or taken by someone. This was now an emergency and Cutter knew he had to take control and find out what had happened to his three kin.

“Suntop, find them, send for them as far as you can.”

The order, and part request, was of little challenge to the magic user. Suntop was so strong with sending he could reach across the breadth of the Abode, the whole realm, if needed and at this very moment that was needed. He only nodded to his father before reaching up with his right hand putting his fingertips to his temple. Suntop took a breath and readied for one of the strongest sends he had ever tried, reaching out as far as he could across the Abode.
     
Only a familiar energy swept over all the wolfriders minds before he could.

Dart, Redlance, are you here? Are you at Father Tree?

An audible gasp went up from the tribe, some shocked by the sudden touch of the send, and one spear bearer who looked sort of surprised as he whispered. “Whoa, that was fast Suntop. Your really good.”

“That wasn’t me,” the magic user whispered back

They all turned to see a set of shadows emerging from the dark of the forest and into the clearing as one of the group called out. “DART?”

It was the voice of the weaver, Newstar, but its usual melodic tone was now one of anxiety. Cutter trotted toward the approaching elf and called back, “Newstar, what happened? Where are Dart and Redlance?”

“Cutter? You’re Back!” The weaver screamed in return just as she came into view. Newstar looked haggard and worn, just as bad as the strange new elf she supported helping her walk and the smaller one to their side. The trio looked as if they had just fought a war with something, and that did not ease any of the wolfriders fears.

Clearbrook, being the closest with Treestump beside her, ran to the weaver as she came into view. “What happened Newstar? Where are the others?”

The matriarch though did not get an answer from Newstar as the weaver was already moving past her and on the way to Cutter. The unknown elf barely had time to shift from being helped by Newstar to Clearbrook and Treestump catching her to keep from falling down. The sudden change also caught the stout elf off-guard who let out a small ‘oof’ when the new elf landed in his arms.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” The new elf exclaimed obviously caught off guard by the sudden change of support.

“It’s fine, do you need a healer?” Clearbrook offered before turning to the others. “Leetah, we need you.”

Treestump smiled broadly and sighed, “well welcome to Father Tree, hope your trip getting here wasn’t too rough.”. The quip made the new elf chuckle as he and Clearbrook helped her and that made Treestump feel a little better.

“Kyun?!” The small unknown lifebearer next to them called out with shock as she looked to the large elf with the long dark hair, who just looked back just as shocked.

“Ayashe, is that really you?” He asked with a growing smile across his face. He stepped past Yun and moved in quick steps toward the small elf as she did the same.

“Mender, please take care of our new friend while I look at Newstar.” The healer ordered as she trotted over to the weaver who had come to a stop by Cutter. The young healer only nodded and quick stepped over to Clearbrook, the new elf, and Treestump who was helping her to stand.

“We have to find them both Cutter. They are out there with the humans!” Newstar gasped as she reached her chief putting her hands on his arms, and he just reached up and took her hands calmly as he spoke with the same ease. The wolf chief’s sharp eyes spotted bruises on the weaver’s neck and scratches on her arms and hands.

Humans! The archer hissed with a send, the energy low and harsh.

“Calm Newstar, take a breath.” The wolf chief stated with a low voice locking eyes with the weaver. “Why are you three not here at Father Tree?”

“Yes, its me! And Behitha too!” Ayashe laughed as Kyun scooped her up in a hug.

“I see, I see, but how? I thought you were out on the plains with the others.” Kyun said back with more joy in his voice than Yun had ever heard, which made her wonder just who these two new elves were to him.

“How did you come to be with this new tribe?” Behitha asked just as Mender trotted up and knelt down to look at her injuries. Just like Newstar, she had cuts and scratches and bruises everywhere but the leg not supporting her weight concerned him the most.

“Here, let’s sit you down.” Clearbrook offered helping Treestump lower Behitha to the ground.

Kyun put Ayashe back on the ground while speaking to his elder and looking to Cutter. “That is a long story, for another night. I think more of this tribe is missing still.”

All the eyes turned back to the wolf chief and the weaver as she spoke, after taking a breath to slow her mind and words down. “Dart was taken five nights ago by human hunters. We drunk too much dreamberry wine, he went to sleep away a pain in his head, and-”

A gasp from Dewshine and Tyleet stopped Newstar, just long enough for Moonshade to ask about her cub with a concerned but controlled voice. “What happened to Dart? Did the humans hurt him?

“Five nights, when we last spoke to you?” Leetah asked, her hand on Newstar’s arm, offering reassurance to the weaver.

“Yes, I think it’ been five nights, but everything is a blur right now. Redlance and I followed the humans to their village and helped Dart get away from them, and Behitha and Ayashe too.”

The tanner and her lifemate both breathed a sigh of relief, small it was but enough to bear the weight of knowing what happened as Cutter spoke. “If you were able to get away where are Redlance and Dart now?”

“He led the hunters away didn’t he, my brother? Redlance and Dart let the hunters come after them so you and the others could get away.” Pike spoke, his question matching his calm but tense demeanor.

From where she sat Behitha shook her head and spoke, “We didn’t get away, three hunters followed after us. We fought off the last two just moments ago.”

“Three,” Ember asked looking from Behitha to her father then to Newstar, “so how many followed Redlance and Dart?”

“The rest,” Ayashe answered with a shake of her head and a whisper, as if the words refused to come out fully.

It wasn’t something Cutter wanted or needed to hear, as well as Newstar, who shook her head and pleaded. “We have to find them Cutter, we have to.”

“Yes, we have to find them my chief.” Nightfall added with a stoic look of determination on her face. The huntress was coming out Strongbow thought as he looked to her, and the huntress would search the entire Abode to find her lifemate he knew, and he would by her side searching as well.

“Suntop,” the wolf chief growled turning to his son, “find them as fast as you can.”

The magic user, for a second time, only nodded and began to concentrate to put out the most powerful send he could looking for the missing elves. And just like a few moments before, a send touched everyone’s mind filled with a frantic energy that swept over the tribe before he could.

NEWSTAR, where are you?

The weaver gave out a cry at the touch of Dart’s energy, as did Moonshade causing the tanner to grab her lifemate’s hand in relief and excitement. Everyone seemed shocked at the sudden send, even good old Krim who turned to her lifemate Pike with a surprised smile.

“He is good,” she nodded which made her lifemate nod back with a wink.

“Again, not me!” Suntop retorted with a shake of his head.

Then out of the dark he stepped, or more like rushed, and stopped as soon as Dart saw all the tribe gathered in the clearing. The young archer looked just as tired and haggard as Newstar, leathers wet and torn, and with one arm hanging limp by his side. It was a sad sight some might have said, but the young archer was alive sand he looked from one pair of eyes to another in the tribe for a long moment, all familiar and yet just a touch odd as he whispered while wondering how all those eyes were here at Father Tree.

“When did everyone get back? How long have I been gone?”

With a cry Newstar just ignored the question and ran to her love, a giant wave of relief and need to hold him washing over her soul. He’s alive, he got away was all the voice in her mind said over and over again as she reached Dart and wrapped her arms around him. Moonshade and Strongbow were just a step behind along with Cutter and Leetah and Nightfall. The archer hugged his love back with his one good arm as his mother and father hugged them both, and this just before the tribe circled them all to hear what happened.

“Where is Redlance?” Nightfall asked quickly, but calmly.

“Yes, where is our treeshaper?” Cutter followed as Leetah stepped around the group to see to Dart’s arm.

“What happened to your arm Dart?”

“I fought a human, or fell on him, and his friend tried to kill me for it.”

“What?!” Moonshade gasped as Strongbow next to her looked even more shocked.

“Where is Redlance Dart? We need to know!” Nightfall asked again, an edge to her voice no one could miss. Cutter reached over and took her arm in his hand and immediately noticed the tension there. Her muscles were taught, ready and determined to do the work necessary find her soulmate.

“He’s not here?” The archer asked as Leetah ran her slender hands across his arm feeling for anything such as a break in the bone. When a low rumble from everyone said ‘no’ Dart looked at his chief and the huntress with dread, “then he’s still up by the far side of the lake, with the Scarred One.”

Cutter’s eyes narrowed as the words from Dart sunk in, again nothing he wanted to hear. Now his muscles tightened, in his arms and his face as his mind locked onto one small fact. The far side of the lake was a full night’s ride from Father Tree, too far for a tired bond wolf to make the trip with any swiftness. As he tried to think of what to do now, his lifemate next to him spoke softly but with worry on the edges of her voice.

“What are we going to do my love?”

“Who is this Scarred One?” He asked quickly, grabbing onto the one thing he could control at the moment, information.

“A scary looking human, angry and evil.” A small voice said and everyone turned to look at Ayashe who stood next to Kyun. She looked so small Leetah thought, and yet so strong to speak up. “Of all the human hunters he is the worst.”

“What is our treeshaper doing up by the far side of the lake?” Moonshade asked.

“How far away is the lake? We need to finds father!” Tyleet stated with a hard tone to her voice rarely heard among the Howling Rock tribe. She felt Dewshine take one of hands in hers while Scouter put a hand on her shoulder. Neither said a word, what does one say in a moment like this?

Dart sighed and shook his head, “he’s taking the humans left to ‘meet his friends’, the bears that live up there. He was collecting berries and roots and flowers to mix into something, but what I don’t know.”

“He’s making a sticky goo that attracts bears, and everything else in the woods. He made it for Bearclaw to hunt with.” Pike answered just before Treestump carried on.

“If he makes the goo he made for Bearclaw then every animal around is going to be very angry, out for blood.”

“I think that’s what he has planned,” Dart finished before turning back to Cutter, “we have to get to him and help him Cutter. I can ride with you, show you the way.”

“You are not going anywhere cub! Your hurt and staying here at Father Tree!” Moonshade demanded, the mother wolf coming out and setting the trail for her cub to follow.

“But mother-”

No, we will go and help our treeshaper. Your hurt and staying here!

The order from his sire and mother quieted the archer for a moment, then he nodded before turning to his chief. “He’s hurt Cutter, the Scarred One hit him in his side with a rock. I don’t know how bad, he wouldn’t let me see, but if he’s going to fight the human it could hinder him and he’s alone now.”

“How many humans is he fighting?” Tier inquired quickly standing next to Ember.

“Two, maybe three. A large wolf found us, followed us, and then it attacked the humans hurting one of them badly.”

A deep feeling of dread, what the tribe had felt just moments before when finding no one at Father Tree, came back replacing the surprise and relief. The treeshaper was too far away to help, too far away to do anything, but that fact did not stop one lifebearer from making her decision as to what to do this night. The huntress looked to her chief with an expression kin to the bright metal which made New Moon while speaking. “I’m riding to him my chief. He needs us, now.”

“I am too,” Leetah stated with the air of someone who would not be denied, her face and stance set like stone.

“Yes we are,” the wolf chief said turning to his son one last time, “find our treeshaper Suntop and tell him to stop running and hide. We’re coming to get him.”

The magic user nodded yet again and started to concentrate, though in truth he expected to be interrupted just like the last two times he started to send for Redlance. There was no interruption this time though, nothing to stop him, so Suntop felt just a twinge of fear as he reached out with a powerful touch looking for Redlance. He was expecting a wait, being Redlance was up at the lake, but when he received an immediate response it made him gasp and look to his father excitedly.

“I found him!”

“Where?” Nightfall asked excitedly.

“He’s close, wait, he’s coming back to Father Tree-” Suntop was saying when Nightfall reached out for here soulmate searching for him.



He wasn’t sure what brought him out of the dark of sleep, if it was sleep he was in, truthfully the treeshaper just popped out of the dark like a rabbit coming out of its hole. Redlance wasn’t sure of anything, how he fell asleep if it was sleep, what made him fall asleep if it was sleep, and most of all was he had no idea where he was waking up. The sounds and scents were so familiar his soul began to hum and glow with excitement, and yet his mind told him he had to be lost in a dram because there was no possible chance he could be where everything in his body told him he was. A cough suddenly came over him and the treeshaper knew what that meant, too long in the rain meant sickness.

“Puckernuts!”

Redlance sat up from his back agitated at the cough while the grass under his hands and the wind crossing and splashing against his face adding to that ever growing excitement in his soul. This has to be some kind of a dream his mind whispered as he rolled onto his hands and knees, but his soul just pushed that thought away with a long howl. His eyes told him it was true, all these wonderful sights, that his soul wasn’t wrong. The treeshaper’s lips began to smile while he sat back on his legs, and a deep chuckle rose from his chest as the howl resonated through him.

“I’m home. I’m HOME!” Redlance laughed out loud getting up from the ground so fast the world spun for a moment. He stopped moving, waiting for it all to settle down, then the now came to him with a whip snap.

The joyous feeling of making it home was short lived as the treeshaper realized he was alone, and he wasn’t at Father Tree actually. He looked around and instantly recognized his father and mother’s tree, there to his right just an arms reach away. So, whatever brought him back from all the way by the far side of the lake stopped short of returning him home to Father Tree, why? A thought for another night  Redlance chided himself as he turned and ran in the direction of his den and hopefully to where Newstar and the others were.

And Dart, what about Dart?

He has to be at Father Tree too, I mean whatever brought me back has to have brought him back, right? The question that formed in his head drove the joyous feeling out his soul with a quick kick. Redlance ducked a branch as he ran off trail to make it to Father Tree faster, the question making him fearful now, but then a send strong and close rolled across his mind rather harshly.

Redlance, where are you?

It was Suntop, and he was using his powerful energy with Sending to find him, but what does that mean? Did Newstar talk with Cutter? She had to if they were looking for him.

I am back in the Holt, but why are you looking for me Suntop? Redlance asked while hopping over a fallen tree, slowing as he was now so confused. Why was the little magic user looking for him?

We’re at Father Tree-

Your back at Father Tree, is Newstar there with Behitha and Ayashe? Are they alright?

Yes, they’re all safe and being helped, but father wants to know where your- the magic user started when a second send cut him off, the energy frantic but oddly relieved.

Beloved, where are you? Nightfall’s touch usually so soft was now firm to his mind and soul with her energy.

I am home my love, thank the High Ones I am home, but how long have you been back? And is Dart back, is he being looked at? Redlance asked trotting now, a new sense of relief replacing both the joy and fear slowly.

We just got to Father Tree tonight, and Dart is fine. Leetah has looked at him, so where are you so we can come to you?

This send was from Cutter, his energy so well known to Redlance, and just as firm as his huntress touch was. I’m almost back to you, just stopping by the stream to get some Tarot root.

Dart is safe, thank the High Ones Redlance thought to himself as his huntress touched his mind once again, a softer one this time. I know the spot, we are coming!

There was no use in asking her, or anyone else to stay put at Father Tree. He could see her and Cutter and even his healer starting to run for the bank of stream he always looks to for Tarot root. Then, as if by mutual thought, Leetah sent to him lending her energy to the send.

Dart said you were hurt, how bad is it?

It is nothing my sweet healer. I am fine, Dart and the others need to be looked at before me. The treeshaper replied with a calm energy hoping it would soothe her, if for just a moment.

Yet, in her own way, Leetah spoke her feelings and in a loving touch. I have helped Newstar and Dart, Mender is looking to Behitha and Ayashe so I am going to take care of you. Just stay at the stream and wait for us.

He broke from the confines of the forest into a small open clearing where the stream that would eventually wind its way down by Father Tree rolled by. Redlance reached down and rubbed the spot on his side where the rock thrown by the Scarred One had hit, the area now aching, before sending to his loved ones. I’m by the stream now, waiting for you all.

There was no response from anyone, not his huntress or his chief or even his sweet healer. The treeshaper felt a small twinge of panic as he walked over to the stream, its babbling soothing the pang of anxiety he was feeling as he approached. He wanted a drink of water from the flowing brook, but he needed to see his family more. After being apart for these last two seasons and this crazed fight with the humans he needed to see them, all of them, had to take in their scents again like Mana to his very soul.

And then from his right the first one appeared, in a trot Cutter stepped into the clearing instantly spotting his treeshaper standing by the stream. The wolf chief wasn’t alone as Nightfall and Leetah and Moonshade were just a step or two behind, and then Strongbow last. When the four stopped and caught sight of him they all froze. This family that had been apart for too long stood quietly staring at each other, afraid to say anything, that was till Redlance smiled more and spoke finally.

“Good eve my family, its still eve, right?” He asked before letting a small `cough out and a shiver shake his body.  

“Not much longer.” Cutter replied with a smile.

Neither Nightfall nor Leetah nor Moonshade said a thing, not a word, choosing to just move swiftly to take their treeshaper in their arms holding him tightly.  Redlance hugged all three somehow, embracing them even though the squeeze hurt his side, and then Cutter and Strongbow somehow hugged the four of them. In their own way, this family embraced each other with all their love, the emotion flowing across their lock send to and from each other. The forest around them went on without interrupting the magic of it, night bugs with glowing abdomens encircled the family, and all was right again it felt like for the first time in a long time. Leetah let out a small contented sigh before being the first to break the hug whispering as she did.

“I need to see your side my love, how bad is it?”

“The wound is fine-” the treeshaper stared to say before his soulmate cut him off.

“Then a quick look by our healer will not hurt, so please let us see the wound.”

Redlance only smiled while lifting his shirt to show the spot where the rock hit him, another shiver making him shake. Moonshade reached up and touched his cheek with the back of her hand then whispered low. “Your warm to the touch.”

“I was going to make my brew to keep from getting worse. I was going to make some for Dart and Newstar as well, but I’m shaking from being cold and I might cut my finger off trying to make it.”

We can help make it. Strongbow offered which made the treeshaper smile more, that was till his healer’s hands touched sensitive spot. He grimaced as his huntress shook her head.

“Is it bad Leetah?”

“No,” the healer answered looking up from the bruise with a small grin, “but it will be very sore for the next night or more. We need to get him warm as well.”

“I have something to help with that.” Redlance remarked reaching into the fold of his pants pulling out a long red root. He sighed from the sight as Nightfall chuckled and Cutter raised an eyebrow. Moonshade smiled happily as did Strongbow as Leetah shook her head with her beautiful grin.

“You found it, fire root!” Nightfall exclaimed with pride.

The treeshaper chuckled, then coughed, before speaking. “I stepped on it, if I hadn’t I would have ran by it without a look.’

The admission to running, from the human hunter everyone knew, brought a somberness to the family. Cutter sensed it and stepped in putting his hand on the treeshaper’s shoulder and guiding him back to their home.  “Come, let’s get you back Father Tree and under a fur to warm up.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Moonshade agreed moving with her family heading back home.

They took a few steps before Redlance took a deep breath and spoke. “I think Dart and Newstar haven’t told you what happened my chief?”

“They haven’t, no chance to, but while your being taken care of we’ll hold a council and you three can tell us what happened.”

“I can agree to that my chief.” Redlance stated and walked in happy joyful silence with his family heading back to Father Tree. This is what I have missed so much he thought, just being in all their presence the treeshaper thought, about this family he had fallen into, and then another trio showed up on the trail.

Suntop was in the lead while behind him Tyleet and Pool followed. The magic user was obviously leading the other two, and he stopped once he saw the family. He looked back at the pair and smiled, “see, he’s fine. Mother won’t let anything happen to him.”

“Father,” Tyleet exclaimed before running to the treeshaper and hugging him. Pool though only stood by Suntop’s side. He had only heard stories of his grandfather, like the one about the Stag, and now here he was just a few steps from him and Pool wasn't sure what he should do. He had traveled so far to see him, so long with every day thinking and dreaming about what he would do the first time he was able to see his grandfather. Now, all those reveries and pictures in his mind’s eye were lost to a sudden unknown trepidation that kept the cub rooted to the ground by the magic user. He stood there still and quiet on the trail watching his loving mother hug his grandfather, the others around looking on misty eyed, and wishing just a little that he could hug him as well.

Redlance grabbed his cub in a huge hug, lifting her feet from the ground, and all the while holding back the tears that wanted to come. For so, so long he had waited for this, the moment when his precious cub would be close by again. To go from having her around night and day to being gone night and day was more of a shock then he was ready for, just like his family leaving to bring her home to Father Tree. Being on ones own wasn’t so bad, livable even, if one was prepared for it, but all preparation one can do will never be enough when a cub leaves the den to live in another so far away.

Then the treeshaper spotted his grandson standing by Suntop and he lost any fight with holding back his tears of happiness. Cutter saw the small cub frozen on the trail by his son and only smiled as he spoke to the little one. “Come Pool, you’ve been waiting too long to see your grandfather to just stand there on the trail.”

The treeshaper sensed the apprehension his grandson felt, and in doing so made a small gesture. He let go of Tyleet and knelt down ignoring the pain in his side as he did. Redlance only smiled, now on the cub’s level and eye to eye, speaking softly. “Hello grandson, you’re taller than I thought you would be.”

The move, meant to show the cub he was no threat, only took a moment to work because Pool suddenly broke into a quick trot, going from Suntop’s side to his grandfather’s embrace. The scene was enough to make everyone cry, even Strongbow felt a tear slide down his cheek. Redlance sat there holding his grandson and took in every scent, feel, and sound of the moment. Strange, to love someone so much and to have only met them this instant, but the treeshaper didn’t care to think on the musing too much. A soft voice then broke through and he smiled even more.

“Do you really talk to trees grandfather?”

“Yes, I do every now and then.”

The cub broke the hug just enough to lean back and look at his grandfather with a large smile. “Pike says you talk to flowers and plants too.”

He talks with bushes and vines as well cub. Strongbow sent with a chuckle.

“You do?” Pool giggled.

“Yes I do, while the vines here are nice the bushes are too chatty. They just talk and talk and talk!”

The jest made Pool laugh even more as his grandfather stood up, their hands now locked together. With a swift step the group headed back to Father Tree and the rest of the tribe. Cutter held his soulmate’s hand while the treeshaper and his soulmate held the hands of his cub and grandson, the four all moving as one. Yes, this journey to bring the tribes together was worth the price it extracted, the long nights of traveling and hiding were nothing compared to seeing his treeshaper happy and contentedly whole.

“It is going to be so much fun watching those two.” Moonshade whispered, meaning Pool and her treeshaper.

“Oh yes, it will be so much fun.” Leetah whispered in reply with love.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, Newstar tells her tale of fighting the humans..



“Oh Thank the High Ones!”

The exclamation from the weaver was also felt by the young archer Dart, both standing by Father Tree with furs draped over their shoulders. Both had refused to sit down when the treeshaper was found so close, and both waited patiently to see him. Both needed to make sure everyone from there little band were safe from these last harrowing nights and days. And yes, they all home now, but that meant nothing till their eyes confirmed what Suntop had told them, and when the family emerged out of the forest walking both elves turned and looked eagerly for they needed to see to show. Redlance appeared in the front walking hand in hand with his grandson and lifemate, and when he saw Newstar and Dart he smiled widely. Both smiled back and then the weaver trotted over to him, hugging him, as she whispered her relief for seeing everyone home safe.

“I thought I’d never see you again.” Newstar whispered one last before her lovemate spoke up.

“I knew you’d make it back to Father Tree. You’re a true she-wolf weaver, strong and fierce.”

“Are you good?” Dart asked as he hugged his lifemate and the treeshaper with his good arm and now somewhat working other arm.

“I’m fine Dart, just cold and wet like you, and probably sick.” The treeshaper chuckled.

“We need to make the drink then? Do we have everything we need to make it?” Newstar asked stepping out of the hug she gave the treeshaper.

We do,” Cutter answered with an order and a grin, “and everyone will take it as soon as we have it made. For now though, I need to hear what happened with the humans and if they are still in the Holt.”

The pair only nodded agreeing to do what their chief wanted as Nightfall took over pulling her lifemate’s hand in hers. “Come over here beloved, you can lean on me while our healer takes care of you.”

Redlance coughed while following his lifemate over to where Leetah was waiting and Moonshade was walking over with a fur to cover her treeshaper.  The wolf chief watched with a warm heart as he moved along with them, beside where Behitha and Clearbrook sat, just the elder I need to talk with.

“Where is Treestump?” Cutter asked, the tone in his voice now stoic and flat.

“He went to the tree where Newstar and Behitha fought the human hunters to see if any were still alive. He took Ember, Pike, Scouter and Tier. I told him to be careful and hurry back.” The matriarch stated. The look she gave him was part concern and part contemplation, which made Cutter want to ask how long her lifemate had been gone when the wolf rider trotted up with the others in tow.

“What did you see?” The wolf chief asked while behind him Dewshine brought the treeshaper his pouch.

“Ah, my old friend.” Redlance chuckled taking the leather oblong pouch from the lifebearer.

The small lifebearer giggled. “I found it in the clearing over there. I think you had to leave it behind in a rush when you left out.”

The stout elder shook his head as he spoke, a small snort popping out as he did. “We found the spot, not too hard to miss with all the blood and scents. There were no humans though, not even a body to look over.”

“Alright,” Cutter acknowledged Treestump before turning around and calling to his tribe, “gather round, we need to council and find out what happened.”

All the elves moved over to where Cutter stood by Leetah, who was helping to get her family into their spot for the hasty council. All except one, good old Pike, who looked at the treeshaper with a smirk and a shake of his head. “Still causing all kinds of trouble I see.”

“Only a little, with you around now though I’m sure no one will get a day’s sleep in.” Redlance replied taking a step forward, toward the spear bearer.

Pike smiled more now, taking a step closer and pointing to the treeshaper’s side. “I see you still duck so slow a treewee could hit you.”

“I see your spear point is still as dull as your wit.” The treeshaper countered, stepping closer.

The tribe watched quietly as the pair went back and forth in a tense verbal exchange, but just one seemed concerned by it. Behitha watched somewhat concerned, that the two were making gestures to starting a fight, and that no one seemed to care to stop it. She reached up and took Clearbrook’s hand in hers and sent to her. Are they going to fight?

Oh no,she sent back and smiled warmly holding the lifebearer’s hand,just watch. You’ll learn about these two shortly.

“You track like a blind tuskhog looking for old mushrooms.” Pike countered taking a small step closer, just in arms reach of the treeshaper.

“And you smell like that same blind tuskhog, a bath would not hurt you.” Redlance retorted stepping up to the spear bearer.

He two stood eyeing each other for a moment, hard eyes then began to warm as the spear bearer shook his head. “I do not stink, do I?”

“Not this night,” Redlance chuckled before the two were hugging and the tribe was smiling.

“It’s good to see you brother.” Pike whispered with brotherly affection.

“Its good to have you back home brother, I missed you.”

A small ripple of laughter went through the tribe from the sight of thew two reuniting before Treestump spoke up facetiously. “Aw, its so nice to see you two together again, but can we council and talk about the humans who have found us, eh?”

The two brothers in all but blood broke from their embrace and stared at the elder for a moment before Redlance turned to Pike. “What did you do to him? He’s all mean now.”

“He is a mean old wolf, isn’t he?” The spear bearer stated shaking his head.

“I am not mean,” Treestump fired back at the pair then turned to his lifemate but speaking to Behitha, “I am not a mean old wolf.”

The plains elf only smiled and shrugged her shoulders not sure what to say or if she should say anything. She only knew it was very nice to hold Clearbrook’s hand, it was just the right size not being too soft or tough. She was saved by Cutter taking control of the tribe one final time.

“No more teasing, we’re all happy our kin are safe and we are back home, but we have to talk about the humans and just what happened. We have to be ready for them.”

“Are we safe you think cousin?” Dewshine asked walking with Tyleet, Scouter, and Pool to a spot by his family.

“I think we can guard Father Tree if the humans come back, just like I asked ones we left here to do. My only focus now is to find out what happened.”

The wolf chief ended his answer short, keeping in the notion they might have to put up the thorn barriers again. He looked over to see his family moving to seats by him. Nightfall sat with her back against a rock with open legs letting her soulmate take a place there to lean back on her. The tanner took a spot beside them on their left, Chitter in her lap while Strongbow was right behind her. Leetah was to the treeshaper’s right, her hand in his bag getting things he the treeshaper to her while listening to her lifemate talk to the council. The rest of the tribe formed a circle round their chief and listened eagerly.

“Well, this wasn’t the way we wanted to end our travel back to Father Tree, but we’re home and that is always a good. Treestump checked where Newstar and the new elves fought the humans and he saw nothing of them, right?”

The elder nodded, “nothing but blood, fading scents, and tracks going in two different directions. We followed one human who ran away, but the tracks stopped by some bushes, and I mean just stopped.”

An eerie mood crept over the tribe as Ember asked what everyone was thinking. “What do you mean ‘stopped’?”

“Just what Treestump said my love,” Tier replied with a low voice, “the tracks went into a bush, bloody and broken branches one one side, but then nothing on the other side.”

“Like the human never made it all the way through the bush, somewhere in the middle he just disappeared.” Pike added before taking a drink from his water pouch, which probably wasn’t water.

The quiet that came from the spear bearer’s last was thick, but the wolf chief knew this just the beginning of the strangeness as he pressed on. “How many did you say attacked you?”

“Two, there was three but we wounded one and he turned to go back to the village.” Newstar offered to the quiet tribe, the silence only broken when Ayashe whispered.

“I don’t think he made it back. His foot had to be hurt, broken.”

Everyone turned to her, which made the small lifebearer cringe, as if she took the looks as some kind of admonishment for speaking up. Cutter only shook his head and smiled, “its fine Ayashe, everyone can speak at a council, no one is more important than another here.”

“Alright,” she whispered as Behitha spoke up in her place explaining the pitfall trap and what it would have done to the human’s foot when they stepped in it. Krim whistled at the mental picture of the trap in her mind while Pike blinked in surprise. Leetah shook her head while working to make the drink to help her treeshaper, all the while pondering what her lifemate was also thinking and saying.

“I agree Ayashe, I doubt the human made it back to his home.”

The wolf chief squatted down and nodded to the weaver. “What happened with the other two?”

Newstar took a breath and began to tell the tale of the fight with the two humans.



Poor Loke, all he wanted was to go back to the village and his hut where it was warm, dry, and his beautiful woman would hold him.

Yet, his fate had been decided when he followed Lyall.

His end would befit his choice to pursue these Little Spirits.

Lyall was first into the clearing, trotting a step or four ahead of Loke who was breathing so hard he could be heard across the forest. The lead hunter hissed at his oaf of a follower while scanning the open area by the tree with his eyes, trying to pierce the darkness but having little to no luck.

“Is this the tree we were looking for?”

“Yes, it is, don’t you remember it?” Lyall snapped ready to beat Loke into a stupor.

“I can’t tell,” Loke gasped one last time getting his wind back as he walked by Lyall, “its dark and all the trees look the same in the dark. Didn’t you mark it with your sign?”

Lyall turned his hard gaze full onto his companion with every ounce of contempt he had for Loke now. “Then why don’t you go and rub the tree bole, see if you can find my mark, and when you do you can start to look for the Little Spirits like Terak ordered us too!”

In his tired state Loke didn’t catch the anger and derision from Lyall, and that was for the best. He walked over to the tree to look it over, ‘rub’ it as he was told too, calling out as he did. “What makes you think the Little Spirits ran back to this tree?”

“If you ask then you are no true hunter Loke, and stop a calling out like some horse! Keep your eyes open fool and look for any sign of the ones we chase!”

This time the young hunter caught every bit of the hate in the one who used to be his friend’s voice. Loke wasn’t sure when it happened or what caused Lyall to turn into such a brute like Terak, but he was sure he would never go on a hunt with him after this night. All he wanted now was to find these Little Spirits and then get back to his hut and his woman. Being preoccupied with the thoughts of home, Loke wasn’t looking very hard for anything much less the ones he was supposed to be searching for as he reached the tree. He placed a hand on its trunk, felt the hard surface of the bark, and began to feel around for any marks or cuts. When he found neither he slowly began to circle the tree, his hands sliding up and down on the tree’s trunk. He couldn’t find any mark, any cut, left by Lyall so he was now very sure this was not-

Loke’s thought came a sudden stop in his mind. His hands stopped moving as something in him began to scream in alarm, what he wasn’t sure. There wasn’t a sound, nothing but the echo of his own breathing, and yet his body was tense from a feeling of doom. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end while small pimples popped up along his arm. Even though his muscles screamed to run, all Loke could do was look up with a slow confused expresion.

Behitha stood perfectly still on two branches of the tree, both coming off a bigger one forming a perfect break where she could look down to the ground. And there, in the fork between the two limbs, was where the human called Loke stopped. Her fingers ached as she held the bow string taught, the feather fletchings brushing against her cheek. Even with the cool of the night after the rain beads of sweat formed on her brow and across her chest and forearms. Her mind was sharp and focused, with only two arrows left she had to be sure of her shots, and even as ready for a fight as she was, Behitha felt a single thought wander in.  

He senses something, not me, but he knows something is amiss and he’s stopping to search for it. Behitha watched carefully as Loke looked first in one direction over his shoulder, and then the other, and then with slow measured movements he looked up right at her.

Without hesitation Behitha let the arrow loose, right at her target, Loke’s head.

The arrow missed by the smallest of margin, through no fault of the huntress aim. Maybe it was a small burst of wind, or the arrow struck a limb, whatever it was that pushed the arrow just to the side it spared Loke even, if for the briefest of time.

The missile struck Loke on top of his shoulder, right in the meaty flesh part. The point cut his cheek as it went past, broke bone as it sliced through his body, and then the arrow stopped with the nock sitting by Loke’s ear. The human screamed out in pain and fell, stumbled away from the tree and out Behitha’s sight for the moment.

Lyall had been standing like stone still trying to find the Little Spirits when Loke let out his scream of pain and agony so loud it scared him right out of his trance. He gripped his club with a clenched fist as he watched Loke trip and stumble away from the tree and into the dark. The hunter growled and started forward to attack, something anyone, when he barely caught sight of a burst of movement from his right side, just from behind. Lyall turned just as the Little Spirit with the gold hair slashed at him with her knife, cutting into the back of his leg just above the knee. All at once he lost control of his leg, it held him up but felt loose and barely there. Still, it wasn’t enough to stop him from countering the Little Spirit and her attack.

She was no warrior, and Newstar never wanted to be. She liked weaving, making leathers and boots, and that was her calling. Yet, being stalked and harassed these last days and night, she had stepped into the role of a fierce she-wolf which protected its home. The weaver made no sound except to grunt when she slashed with her knife across the leg of the human feeling the blade bite into the soft flesh. It was a good hit, maiming the human, but then her foot hit something on the ground and Newstar lost her balance and stumbled forward with too much momentum instantly. The falter, ever so slight, was enough for the human to fight back grabbing her by the neck and lifting her from the ground. Instinct kicked in and Newstar slashed with her knife again at the human’s arm, cutting him deep a second time. Then Ayashe popped out from her hiding spot and threw a rather sharp rock at Lyall hitting him below his eye on the cheek, and before anyone could blink an arrow slammed into the human’s back with a loud thud.

Behitha dropped down out the tree just as Newstar was being grabbed and held up. She brought her bow up with her last arrow nocked and ready. She took aim and fired all in one swift motion sending the missile right into the back of the human. So intent was Behitha to hit her target she never heard the first human she shot come back out of the forest. She wasn’t even aware he was there till the large man completely ran her over before running away into the night. One moment Behitha was up and the next she was down with her side and hip in fiery pain.

When he grabbed the Little Spirit by her throat Lyall had every intent to crush her head in with his club. To the fire pit with Terak and his chief’s demands of bringing these creatures back alive. He would have his due and some retribution from these evil things for hurting him. Yet, before he do anything, the Little Spirit cut him deeply across his arm with her knife, and the smallest one of them jumped out of hiding and hit him right below the eye with a rock. Lyall started to drop the Little Spirit in his grasp when something slammed into his back, right behind his shoulder breaking the bone. Pain flooded his brain as Lyall looked back and could see the shaft of an arrow sticking out of him, and then he saw the third Little Spirit behind him holding a bow, or she was till Loke came running out of the forest and bowled her over on his way to fleeing the clearing while being chased by a large wolf. I’m alone and hurt Lyall thought for just a heartbeat before turning and running as fast as his injured leg would allow.

Ayashe picked up one last rock and threw it as hard as she could hitting the fleeing human in the back of his head. “Go! Leave us Alone!”

“Stop Ayashe, we need to look to Behitha. She may be hurt.” Newstar ordered getting up from where she fell after being let go.

The young lifebearer only nodded with a small smile before running to her fallen elder. Newstar trotted over to find Behitha was hurt but not bad enough that she couldn’t move. The weaver helped her elder up, as Ayashe did the same, and the three ran out of the clearing heading for Father Tree.



“And we ran right for Father Tree hoping Dart and Redlance we’re here. We never thought we’d find you.” Newstar finished.

She was quiet then, no need to say more. The fight was short, easy to recount, but long enough to never forget it, to see the small details of the face of the human hunter who had picked her off the ground intending to kill her. A shiver made the weaver shutter and Dart just hugged her tighter to help her push back the thoughts as Redlance spoke with a warm smile from where he sat between his huntress legs.

“You did good Newstar. You got Behitha, Ayashe, and yourself back to Father Tree safely jut like I knew you could.”

The weaver only smiled, “I only did what you told me to do, kept your words close, and if not for Behitha I would be dead. Oh, and Scamper too, he chased off the other human thankfully.”

“No,” Cutter replied while everyone watched his family continue to make the drink, “you did more than I asked for Newstar. You protected our home and saved Dart from the human village. We are all thankful for you weaver.”

“Yes we are.” Moonshade added with a nod and a smile.

All the words made the weaver blush, the gratitude making her soul glow just a little brighter. Then her chief looked to Pike and Treestump. “You didn’t see either of these humans?”

“Nothing but a scent, tracks, and the blood.” Pike answered.

“So, if both were hurt as bad as Newstar says then they wouldn’t have made it very far.” Cutter remarked while his mind chewed on what he had learned.

“We looked for them in a large circle, followed what tracks we could, but there were no humans to chase father. One set of tracks headed into the bushes and disappeared and the other did the same while heading in the other direction. There was nothing else to follow.” Ember explained, the eerie mystery of the missing humans seeming to make the air cold.

The wolf chief nodded slowly as Clearbrook added her thoughts. “The humans couldn’t make their way back to their village as hurt as they are, even the one with the broken foot. Two nights travel at the least to get to their village would be too much to overcome.”

Agreed, the humans are dead somewhere in the Holt, not a worry to us now. I wonder about the human village though, if they send more hunters to the forest. Strongbow sent while cutting up a piece of Tarot root.

Cutter nodded again taking in all that he learned and made a quick decision. “I agree as well about the humans, so we can at least put that to rest for now. We can talk about what this human village means for us later. Now, Dart, tell us what happened to you?”

The young archer swallowed and began to tell what happened to him, when Nightfall suddenly broke in with an exclamation. “What happened to your back?”

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, Newstar tells her tale of fighting the humans...



“What is it?” Cutter asked quickly, the council suddenly changing course from the talk what happened to Newstar to what caused the huntress to speak up.

Nightfall was listening to the tribe talk while reveling in the touch and feel of her lifemate who was leaning back against her. She was also watching her family make the drink to keep the sickness from getting worse, cutting up and mixing roots and plants with water, with a smile. She leaned in to take in her soulmate’s scent deeply when her eyes saw the scar on the back of his shoulder, it was old and fading but the huntress could still see the mark and the signs of Gose root used to close it. A new sense of worry started to creep in when she felt her soulmate take her hand in his and squeeze while answering her question with care.

“It’s nothing to worry about lifemate. I’m fine.” Redlance stated trying to calm his love down. He looked to Cutter trying to reassure him with his smile everything was fine.

“I was just surprised beloved, if you used Gose Root then it had to be for poison, did something bite you?” The huntress remarked hugging her precious soulmate.

The healer moved quickly to her knees to look at the scar and sighed with concern as Dart stepped in and explained knowing he was opening a basket of nothing but trouble. And doing it to take the council in another direction away from the Gose Root. “It was a web-spinner. He got bit when we slipped through the tunnel into the Troll Caves.”

And the archer wasn’t wrong in his assumption. All the gasps, opened mouths, and shocked faces told him there would be no end to the questions. Cutter turned to his treeshaper with wide eyes and Redlance just smiled and shrugged his shoulders, “surprise my chief.”

“You are such a smart wolf beloved.” Nightfall whispered in his ear as Redlance reached over taking Leetah’s hand in his, wanting her touch. The healer squeezed his hand back with a loving proud smile as the tribe settled down, with the exception of one.

The stout elder Treestump moved in closer to the treeshaper, his mouth now a smile of excitement as he did. “You really got into the caves? You got all the way inside?”

“They did, all the way inside, and both were gone all night, scared me almost to death.” Newstar offered, not happy at all with the memory of that night which now was foremost in her mind.

“You really found a way in, well I should not be surprised.” Cutter chuckled putting his hand on his treeshaper’s thigh and squeezing it.

Not one bit! Strongbow sent with pride for both his cub and treeshaper.

The tribe was smiling now, feeling excited with the news, and especially their patriarch. “The fire pits, its all still there?”

Redlance looked at his elder blinking in confusion before turning to his chief, who was also a little baffled by the inquiry. “Does fur chin think someone snuck in and stole the rocks the Trolls built the fire pits with?”

The wolf chief sighed trying to hold in his laughter in while Clearbrook shook her head. “Calm down lifemate, the caves are not going anywhere.”

“I know, I know, but it won’t hurt to go in and take a quick look-”

“No,” Cutter ordered stopping any more thinking about going into the caves, “no one is to go into the caves until we have talked more about what to do once inside. The only reason I’m not mad at these two is because they didn’t go looking around once inside. You didn’t, did you?”

The treeshaper shook his head, “you said not too. We just dropped in and made our way to the door we have always used in the past to get out as fast as we could.”

“So the door is open now?” Pike asked with a grin that was just pure trouble. Cutter was about to remind the spear bearer he just said no one was going into the caves, and that was NO ONE, when his treeshaper added a very important fact.

“No, Dart and I got out through the door, but while we were celebrating it closed and locked again. We'll have to crawl back through the tunnel again if we want to get in.”

The disappointment on Treestump’s face was enough to tell Cutter the talk about the Troll Caves and who was going in was over and done, but the wolf chief still had to know what his treeshaper came across inside the caves. “Did you see anything important while trying to get out?”

“We didn’t see anything but rotted wood and dark.” Redlance replied with a shake of his head. “The torches we used barely showed us anything but where we walked.”

“I can’t imagine, how long has it been since someone was inside besides you two?” Dewshine asked sitting next to Scouter and Tyleet with Pool leaning up against her.

“Too long to guess,” Dart remarked low, pausing before finishing, “but the caves are not empty.”

The last from the archer faded into silence as everyone looked to him with a befuddled expression. He smiled weakly and tried to explain what he said. “While we were trying to find our way out something kept talking, whispering to us, just low enough that I couldn’t make out the words. It followed us all the way out.”

When he had a moment to think on it, Cutter wasn’t sure to make of it and he turned to his treeshaper who only replied with he had no solution to he mystery. “All I know is when we go back in it will probably show up and follow us again.”  

“We’ll talk about it more later, the Day Star is almost here and Dart needs tell us what happened with the humans?”

“Alright, this might take the rest of the night, it’s not short.” The archer said before beginning his tale. He started at being grabbed by the tree and took tribe up to where he split from Redlance and moved off on his own. Where the one human who followed him tried to take him on the trail.



Hallad was sure what he just heard wasn’t the Little Spirit he had been following.

He had happened upon the Spirit after being thrown out of the hunting party by Terak. Hallad knew finding it would get him back into the other hunters graces, and he was very sure Terak would still hate him even after he brought the Little Spirit back. This was not the best of situations, but when he heard the Spirit moving just off the trail and just downwind a bit, well that was a gift he would not turn down

The hunter quickly bent at the waist and moved to the edge of the trail, or the side he thought the Little Spirit was heading down. Hallad had planned on, thought he could do, was to sneak up on and grab it before the Little Spirit had a chance to react.

A bold plan, yes.

Was Hallad capable of completing such a feat?

Not even with help.

On only his third step the hunter put his foot down on a small branch he did not see, and even being wet from the rain it made a pop loud enough to make him cringe. Hallad waited for the Little Spirit to bolt and run for escape, yet when there was no sound but the rain dripping through the leaves the hunter smiled cruelly and started forward again. He took two more steps, heard something moving in the bushes off the trail downwind, and knew the Little Spirit still hadn’t discovered his approach.

Then something that sounded a lot like the Little Spirit made a loud sound to his right, just across the trail. The something else made the same sound downwind from that sound and then something behind him across the trail made the very same sound. It was like the Little Spirit was everywhere around him and all at once.

What is happening Hallad thought with utter frustration that almost brought him to tears. He was so close to getting just a smudge of redemption and that wasn’t even allowed. He couldn’t have just one thing go his way, not one thing! Hallad growled and ground his teeth as he seethed with anger while looking out into the dark listening to all the sounds or Little Spirit or whatever was making the noise. Finally, after a moment, the hunter snapped and called out.

“Where are you running too Little Spirit, eh? I will find you and I will take back the stone after I kill you!”

The stone? Why did you say that fool? You don’t care for that chuck of stone, only Terak ever did!

Off in the bushes Dart was kneeling, sword in the hand in his good arm. Much like the human hunter, the archer was now done with being pursued and harassed. His anger would be his strength he told himself as he looked to the trail just beyond the tangle of brush. Then his ears caught the sound of popping branches, like someone just stepping all over the wooden limbs with abandon. His eyes narrowed as he thought to himself, ‘What is that?’.

Out on the trail the sound of the branches breaking was close to breaking Hallad. “Who is there? Do not try and scare me Little Spirit!”

That’s not me. Dart thought edging close to the trail, even sticking his head out of the bushes just far enough to take a peek. He saw the hunter easily, the human was just five or six arms length in distance from where he knelt. It was the tracker, or what the humans thought a tracker was supposed to be, standing on the same side of the trail as he was. Dart watched carefully as the hunter looked around trying to discern where the sounds were coming from when just in front of them a bush shook with a nice bit of force.

The archer thought there was no way possible the human would think that was him, couldn’t think that was him, only to Dart’s total chagrin the human moved across the trail in a slow stalking move, as if he sneaking up on something. Well, while he’s chasing the treewee that made all the noise I can slip away and get back to Father Tree Dart was telling himself silently as the hunter disappeared into the foliage across the trail.

Dart took a step back ready to move on when the human let out a loud scream that seemed to fade weirdly. He froze as the last of the scream passed leaving nothing but the sound of dripping water. He sat still for a few moments waiting to hear if the human was out there, just playing dead to try and trick him to come out. Yet there wasn’t any sound and this made Dart a little anxious. He should be running for Father Tree he knew, but what happened to the hunter he asked himself silently? He had to get back to Newstar his mind ordered, but even that command wasn’t enough to overcome the outright curious need to know what happened to the human hunter.

With a small a small shake of his head in disbelief he was doing this, the archer chose the latter and slipped out of the bushes and onto the trail. Dart took a quick sniff of the air, trying to find the human’s scent, but the damp pervaded everything leaving him with nothing but a clean fresh smell all around. The archer waited a moment, listening with his sharp ears for any sound that would give the human away, but just like the scent there was nothing. So, with sword in hand and extreme caution, Dart started forward eyeing the spot where the human disappeared into the bushes. No sound matching a footstep or a bush being moved touched his ears, the forest around him was blissfully silent at his approach, not even when he stopped and looked down to see the last track the human left in the mud of the trail.

“What happened to you?” Dart whispered out loud, the fear of someone hearing him gone now. It was more than evident the human was no where near here, not anymore.

He took another moment, just a quick breath, to get his mind back into a cautious state before moving forward off the trail. Dart held his sword point out in front of him pushing the branches and leaves out the way as he followed the path the human took. The archer kept his eyes focused on the foliage in front of him, making sure nothing was about to jump at him, which is why he almost stepped in the large deep hole that suddenly appeared beneath his foot.

A bird let out a loud call, a shrill that froze Dart t the spot, a good thing he thought looking down at the missing ground. If I had finished that step, the thought just a little unsettling to the archer as he looked down. He pulled his foot back slowly getting the appendage back on solid ground while he stared down to the bottom of the pit. And there, at the bottom of the deep shaft, barely visible in the dark, was the human hunter. He was sprawled over a pile of sharp rocks, like he had laid down on his stomach, only his body looked skewed, his back bent in a way it should not be able to.

“So that’s what happened to you,” Dart whispered low, the answer to his question barely moving his emotional state. Then something touched the top of his shoulder by his neck, like a hand almost, and the archer blacked out, completely. He started to crumple and might have fallen in to the pit if not for someone catching him, holding his body up from the wet ground.

Poor Hallad, you might think if you could find enough sympathy to feel for the dolt.

He had mustered what little courage he could and filled the rest of his mock resolve with the frustration he was feeling before going after the sound of the Little Spirit. He slipped into the bushes making as little noise as he could, took a couple of steps, and then the bush in front of him twitched ever so slightly and Hallad leapt at it, through it, and right down the hole that was behind it. He had enough time to feel his body go weightless, stare down into the blackness that was the shaft of a deep pit, and let out a loud scream of terror. The wail echoed and faded as he plummeted downward till Hallad struck the bottom head and shoulders first with a wet crunch, and he ceased to walk this world any longer.  


“The human’s dead, at the bottom of the pit?” Treestump asked after Dart finished and the tribe took a moment to take in his story.

Dart only nodded as Newstar hugged him. There was no more to tell, and those around picked up on this as Cutter took over again. “Four humans, all four dead we guess, right?”

“I think we can be safe in thinking the four will not be coming back.” Clearbrook answered, which was exactly what everyone was thinking.

“And how many took you to their village Dart?” The wolf chief asked.

“Eight, the same ones who came after us, but with one more.” Redlance answered this time rubbing his side absent mindlessly.

“Why did they bring another human?” Mender asked this time.

The treeshaper looked to Dart to answer and he only offered what little he knew. “The Scared One said he killed the hunter before he could kill him. I think this human chief and the Scarred One didn’t like each other very much.”

“I think no one liked the Scarred One very much.” Behitha added drawing a look from Clearbrook, who had let her hand go finally.

“Sounds so,” Cutter agreed before looking to Dart, “Can you find your way back to the village?”

“Are you thinking of going to the village?” Leetah asked as she set aside the last of four bowls filled with the drink to help the tribe hold off the sickness.

The wolf chief sighed and nodded just once. “If for nothing else to see what the tribe might have to deal with in the nights ahead.”

“I don’t think we’ll have to worry much about the humans Cutter.” Redlance remarked, and when his beloved chief waited silently he carried on. “I don’t know why, but when Newstar and I went into the village to get Dart it felt dark, like something bad hung in the air, and the humans there all seemed scared and desperate because of it.”

“What makes you think that?” Moonshade asked sliding closer to him, right up next to Leetah.

The treeshaper shook his head, “the way the humans looked and talked. They were going to burn Ayashe and Behitha and Dart in the fire pit to make some High One happy. Others talked about having no meat to eat and no plants or roots to feed on, as if starving was a penalty for some broken law instead of trying to survive. They didn’t act strong like other humans we have come across have, it was more like fear was in control making every decision the wrong one,”

“The old man tried to tell them burning us wouldn’t help, but this Undvath had no use for his words or any words offered by other humans. Like Redlance said, these humans are too scared to think straight, and with the Death Season coming who can tell what will happen with them.” Dart stated with a long breath, thinking hard on his words.

“More weight to the idea of putting up the thorn barriers?” Krim asked while putting an arm around her lifemate and squeezing so slightly.

“Not yet,” Cutter responded quickly, “putting up the barriers before we know if these humans can find their way back to Father Tree would be a waste I think.”

Agreed,” Strongbow sent, we know four of the eight who found their way here are now dead which only leaves the other four. Our treeshaper says we don’t have to worry about them, so the only concern is did any of the eight tell others how to get here.

“There were just two who knew how to find their way here. One Newstar took care of and the other was the Scarred One, which I think Redlance felled.” The archer pointed out looking to the treeshaper, who at the moment was looking from one side to the other around him, searching for something. Cutter looked at him with a raised eyebrow as Moonshade grinned while inquiring what everyone was now wondering.

“What are you looking for?”

The treeshaper stopped trying to find whatever it was he was looking for and turned his attention to the tanner with a small smile. “When you found me, did I have a sword on my back?”

For a moment the tanner was quiet, kind of struck numb from the question. She shook her head no just as Dart and Newstar gasped with sudden realization and Ayashe looked to Behitha with the same shocked look.

Nightfall hugged her lifemate and asked another question from where she held him. “When did you get a sword?”

“The old man who was holding Ayashe and Behitha, it was his.” Redlance stated looking around him again before turning to Cutter. “Are you sure there was no sword?”

“Yes, there was no sword, but why did the human give you a sword?” Leetah answered and then countered.

“He called it a knife, but it was big enough to be a sword to us.” Ayashe explained followed by Behitha explaining some more.

“When we escaped I just grab all the weapons off a pile of furs I could and the sword was in my hands before I knew. I think the old man knew we would be followed once we got away.”

The wolf chief nodded to the new elf while Newstar added even more to what was being said. “Redlance had to take the sword, no one else could use it and Dart already has one.”

As Leetah smiled with realization the treeshaper smiled as well and took her hand in his. “I think I lost the sword before I needed it anyways so no need to worry. I just can’t remember when I lost it and that makes me crazed.”

“Well you know what that means,” Pike stated while slapping his knee, “we have to go and fing your sword, right away.”

“Your right brother, let’s get-” The treeshaper agreed before the arms around him tightened and the hand holding his squeezed just a bit harder. He could see in his family’s eyes, when he looked around, there was no chance he was going to go and find the sword, even if it was just a joke. He look over to see Krim holding Pike in place with her own tight ‘hug’ and then he really knew his chance of searching for the sword was none, and all the smiles around told him the tribe enjoyed it, all but the mean old wolf.

“You two play too much, and the day is almost here. When did you last see the sword Dart?”

“I think Redlance had it when we lured the humans into the forest, but it was gone when we fought the humans to help Brown.” Dart pointed out.

Yes, who is this ‘Brown’ you mentioned? Strongbow asked.

“A wolf that followed us into the forest from the plains, and the sword might have been a help when I ran into the Scarred One to aid him.” The treeshaper offered.

“I doubt that,” Dart chuckled leaning into Newstar more, “we barely got away. If Brown hadn’t attacked the hunters we might have been captured again.”

“And if it wasn’t for Brown getting cornered we could have skipped fighting all together.” Redlance countered with a laugh that brought on a cough.

“Well I am completely lost now, please tell me how you ended up fighting the humans because of the wolf?” Nightfall stated bluntly while hugging her lifemate.

Cutter grinned with a little concern while reaching down to rub his treeshaper’s leg before speaking. “Yes, its time to finish up and tell us what happened with you.”

So the treeshaper took in a deep breath, nodded, and started off down the trail of what happened with the humans. He started from where he split from Dart as the archer had already spoken to the tribe those moments.

Time now for the next chapter in the story about our Treeshaper, the treeshaper tells his tale of fighting the the Scarred One...



He slipped quietly through the underbrush, the rain was waning, if ever so slowly and slightly. Redlance needed a spot that was somewhat dry to begin making the gummy paste to draw in the animals round this part of the lake. The time it would it take to cut up and mix all the parts needed for the paste would be another opportunity for the humans to give up and leave him be. The chances of that happening though were small to nothing because with every step he took the humans followed, driven on by the obsession of the strongest one, the hateful hunter called Terak.

The treeshaper stopped and listened and just above the sound of the falling rain he could hear the human hunters still coming on, but just the last two of the group. The third was too hurt to follow anymore and the fourth, he went after Dart and that concerned Redlance just a bit. The young elf was hurt as well, as he was, but Dart was down to one arm to fight with, and even though the hunter who chased him was easily the worst among the humans, he was still formidable due to his size. I have to end this fast and get back to help Dart the treeshaper thought as the humans began to yell at each other, again.

“Pelan has fallen behind, we have to wait for him.” The small human called Chulash said.

“We wait for no one, the stone is close.” The Scarred One replied with indifference for his the injured hunter. He cares little to nothing for anyone but himself Redlance thought pressing on, moving through a bush.

“Leave him?” Chulash responded with mock surprise because it didn’t really surprise him that Terak wanted to leave Pelan behind, not after having Hallad kill Caliban. “We cannot leave him!”

“He slows me down, and with the stone just out of reach-”

“NO TERAK! I will not lave Pelan behind! Your stone is nothing but a rock! IT IS NOTHING-!!”


“I think I know what happens next,” Dart whispered, looking at the treeshaper with a mournful expression. The council fell silent at the admission, everyone hanging on what the archer said, some to the point of holding their breathes.

Newstar though wanted, needed to know, and nudged her precious lovemate. “What comes next?”

“The Scarred One killed the smaller hunter, just as he had the other one, took a life with no thought or reason.” Dart answered with a sigh.

“He had a reason,” Redlance stated before pulling the stone shard from his pants where it had been tucked away and held it up for all to see, “at least it was one in his sick mind.”

“What is that?” Krim whispered with wide eyes and her head leaning to the side to scrutinize the stone from different angle.

The shard suddenly twinkled a little, from the last of the moonlight coming through the canopy of tree branches above or just the shard basking in all the attention no one knew or cared, as the treeshaper smiled and replied. “The reason the Scarred One would no let me be, why he killed his own kin, and why he will no longer worry us.”

Everyone sat still and quiet examining the shard just like Krim, what thoughts ran through the tribes minds was their own, and then the wolf chief reached for it meaning to take a closer look but just before he could touch the stone his treeshaper pulled it back just out of reach. “Be careful, it might talk to you?”

“Talk to me?” Cutter responded mimicking the remark with a raised eyebrow.

The treeshaper nodded once then handed the stone to his chief. Cutter took the shard without hesitation, trusting his lovemate, and when his fingers touched the shard he blinked twice quickly, unknowingly it seemed as his eyes looked up and away, at some distant unseen place. There was a small gasp from some in the gathered tribe and a whisper from one.

“That’s what you did Redlance, how you acted when you took the stone from the old man.” Newstar finished.

Redlance nodded to the weaver, though his eyes were locked on his chief. “Cutter, are you with us?”

For a small moment, just a heart beat, there was no answer from Cutter, but then he snapped back to the now with a shake of his head. His sharp blue eyes bore into the stone as he spoke, “the clearing with the large white stone in the middle. I was watching humans dance around the large stone, like you told us the trees showed you that morning.”

“It said the same to me,” the treeshaper replied while stretching and rubbing his side, “I think if anyone else touches it the stone will show them the same.”

“Agreed,” the wolf chief stated then held the stone out to let anyone else take it if they were so inclined, and few were willing with the exception of his family. One by one, from one hand to the next, the stone was passed, from Leetah to Nightfall to Moonshade and then Strongbow. The effect was the same with each, eyes blinking rapidly for a moment and then stillness before returning to the now with a rush. And each were given the same images, the clearing with the large stone buried up to its center in middle with humans dancing around it.

“Why does it show us all the same thing?” Moonshade asked as the stone was passed to Ember. She was the next one who wanted to hold it, and it seemed the others were starting to give into their curiosity and wanted to hold it now as well.

“I do not know, and that question is just behind the one of how does it show us anything at all.” Redlance answered taking her hand in his and squeezing it.

“I was wondering the same,” Cutter said with a shake of his head, “but that’s for another night. I want to hear happened to you and the last human.”

Redlance agreed silently as he started back to telling his tale.



Chulash felt a fiery sting on his left side just below his chest, felt something cut deep into his insides before his body went cold. He took a half breath, forcing the air in by will it seemed just as the knife was pulled out and then plunged back into his body. The hunter tried to stop the attack, grabbed at the hand holding the knife to try and stop it, but the blood coming from the wound made everything too slippery to hold. So, the knife went in and out with one hand while another held him in place by the shoulder, that was till Chulash could no longer stand and his body collapsed to the ground.

He stared up into the lone eye of the one holding the knife taking his last gasps and wondering why, why did he follow Terak into this nightmare. Why did he follow Terak at all slowly crossed Chulash’s mind just before everything went dark.

And as if the Scarred One could hear the last question Chulash asked he mumbled an answer. “You were always weak and too scared to be on your own, fool.”

With a toss Terak threw the knife he had secretly taken from Caliban after Hallad killed him away into the bushes. He never liked knifes or axes or any other weapon. His clubs and flying snares were his favorite because there was no greater satisfaction the tying up what you hunted so it could not escape and the delivering a final crushing blow with his club. Nothing compared to the crunch of bone breaking or the reverb of a solid hit coursing through the handle and into his arm. Oh yes, nothing would take the place of his club, unless the-

A loud scream echoed above the falling rain and it broke the Scarred One from his thoughts and looking down on Chulash. He turned to look in the direction of the wail wondering if that was Hallad, be just like that fool to get killed by the Little Spirit, but this was too close to be him so it had to be the other weakling, Pelan.

“All worthless, everyone around me.” Terak noted taking a deep breath before a far too familiar voice called out.

“The hurt one who was following, he is dead like the one at your feet now.”

It was the Little Spirit, the very one who had his stone. Terak turned to the spot of dark he thought the voice was coming from and called out. “And how do you know that? What killed Pelan?”

“A large tusk hog found him, attacked him because he was hurt. He might have lived if you would have turned back-”

“No,” Terak yelled back cutting the Little Spirit off, “he was weak just as Chulash and Hallad and everyone around me is! I am tired of being given weak men thinking they are hunters and an even weaker chief! I am The Great Hunter and I will have my stone back!”

 “Then follow Great Hunter, come and get your stone, and let us see who goes home this night.”


“Lifemate?” Krim asked suddenly bringing Redlance to a stop with telling what happened to the last human. The treeshaper watched while Krim shook Pike hard trying to being him out of the trance from the stone. Like everyone else, he had taken the stone in his fingers being the last one to examine it and his eyes blinked like the ones before him who took it. He slipped into the trance same as the others, only Pike didn’t come back from wherever the stone took him.

“Lifemate?!” Krim asked and demanded at the same time. Redlance was about to throw a rock at his brother to wake him while Cutter was about to ask Leetah to check on the spear bearer, only she was ready to order Mender to check on him.

Then with a similar snap Pike came back to the here and now looking at his lifemate with a small smile. “What’s wrong?”

“You were lost to us, like ‘lost’ as in not answering.” She retorted reaching up to touch his cheek with her palm.

“I’m fine,” he smiled wider hoping she would calm.

“What did the stone tell you brother?” Redlance asked thinking Pike was shown something completely different, and he was right.

“I was flying among the stars, just flying like some big bird.”

The treeshaper raised an eyebrow at the description, while Cutter squinted and spoke. “Flying among the stars? Like Skywise in the Palace?”

“No,” Pike stated with a shake of his head, “nothing like that. I just felt like I was gliding in the dark, no care or worry about where I was going.”

The tribe was quiet then, their minds working over what Pike had told them, when he asked a question suddenly. “What are we going to do with the stone?”

“We’ll keep it here at Father Tree for now. Our treeshaper can make a spot in one of the roots and we’ll put it there.” Cutter ordered and everyone agreed, most happy the shard would not be staying in their den. Even Pike nodded handing the stone back to his chief who sat it down on the ground by his foot.

“Finish telling us what happened to the last hunter beloved. I want us all to get up to the den so we can rest.” Nightfall whispered from behind her soulmate, hugging him as she did.

The treeshaper smiled, nodded, and carried on.


Terak stood by a spot where the trees ended and another small clearing opened in the great forest that surrounded him. If you asked the Scarred One where he was at the moment he would tell you that mattered nothing to him, equally divided between point one, that he really was lost and point two he didn’t care. The stone was his only concern, the only object he would kill for and had killed for this night to get back. And yet he stood motionless b y this entrance to the clearing, looking out into the dark of the open area with an angry face.

This was a trap, anyone short of being a fool could see it and feel it. The Little Spirit had done everything short of leaving a marked trail to guide him here for the final fight Terak knew. The Little Spirit had shook tree limbs, broke branches of bushes, and even called to him, all in an effort to lead the Scarred One to this spot. So why did this place make the Little Spirit feel safe enough to face him? What did this clearing hold that gave the Little Spirit the courage to make a last stand? That is what Terak was trying to think of as the rain from the storm was finally abating.

And across the small clearing the treeshaper knelt in the cover of the underbrush, cutting up the roots and berries and plants he had gathered. The square of the leather he had cut from the side of his top was the size of his hand and now slick and piled with a goo. The mix of all the necessary components was complete, the last berries added, so Redlance wiped off his knife several times to make sure the blade was from the concoction. There could be no mistake with this goo, none of it could be left on anything the treeshaper carried, because then the animals would comer for him and rip him to pieces as well. As if to confirm his thoughts Redlance could hear the forest come alive around him, birds screeching loudly and animals in the brush all around him running and scurrying getting closer.

They were all coming to find the source of the tainted smell, the abhorrent scent which angered them to the point of a blood lust. Even the damp of the air did not slow the effect of the goo as the treeshaper folded the cloth in half and prepared for the final confrontation with the human.


“This goo is that strong?” Behitha asked with a wide eye.

“Well, I might have made it stronger than usual.” Redlance remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Stronger?” Dart chuckled with a smile which made the treeshaper happy.

“It’s strong enough to attract a good sized bear from a long ways away. Bearclaw would have Redlance’s father mix it up to bring the animals in to make hunting easier when it was bad.” Clearbrook added with a sigh while looking to Behitha.

“Why didn’t we use it at the old Holt, the one before we came to Father Tree?” Newstar asked.

“We did,” Treestump answered with a shake of his head, “and that forest hated us so much the goo only brought in one rabblt and one black-eyed cat. We watched with sad eyes and hungry stomachs as the pair fought over the leather Redlance made the goo on.”

The tribe was quiet imagining the disheartening scene in their minds, that was till Pike spoke up with an observation. “You ate them both, didn’t you?”

“Of course we did, never pass up meat even if its barely a mouthful. We all had some, all except our treeshaper and healer of course.” Moonshade smiled, he beautiful face beaming just a little.

“And that’s my brother, always looking out for everyone else but himself.” Pike winked and raised his small pouch of what everyone thought was water but knew better.

Cutter laughed and nodded before looking back to his treeshaper letting him continue on.


Even knowing this clearing was a danger to him, even knowing the Little Spirit had some trick ready for him, Terak still could not contain himself when the small red haired being stepped out out of hiding and looked right at him. The Little Spirit held up the stone, showing him mockingly he held what the Scarred One wanted more than anything. Even in the dark, with no moonlight one could see, the shard sparkled from something beneath its hard exterior. The small twinkle was all it took for the hunter to lose all control and bolt from the spot where stood charging the Little Spirit. I’m going to crush your skull, empty it on the wet ground, and take back my stone Terak thought as he yelled wildly.

Redlance expected the hunter to attack, wanted him to, its why he held the stone up, to get the Scarred One to come for him. It was part of the plan he had come up with leading him here, get the human to attack first and then make his move with the square cloth.

The plan worked too well though, because in an instant the human was running at him from the edge of the clearing, crazed and out of control. The treeshaper barely had time to set himself, lowering his hips just a bit, and be ready to move. The human crossed the clearing five long strides, screaming, and swinging his club in a rapid arc meaning to remove the treeshaper’s head. Redlance though was just a little quicker to the moment, ducking and rolling past the attack at the very last possible instance. The club went overhead so close he felt the air whip past his head, and as he rolled under the attack the treeshaper flipped up and over gaining a kneeling position looking at the hunter. As he did Redlance reached down putting a hand on the ground, fingers digging into the dirt feeling its wetness ooze around his flesh, and with a grunt he put his treeshaping powers into action.        

Terak watched his club pass right over the head of the Little Spirit, watched the small being roll past him on his right, and the miss made him growl loudly. The anger that had propelled him across the clearing was the reason he missed. Terak knew this, he was out of control, and yet the hunter cared not forgetting everything instinct told him to do and chose to just lash out. He let the giant momentum spin him in a complete circle, back to face the Little Spirit, and in doing so he fought the wet ground trying to keep his balance and stay upright.

The Scarred One barely did both, sliding on the wet ground of the clearing while having to wave an arm around to keep his balance. It gave the Little Spirit enough time to counter him, and in a way Terak was not ready for. He growled again, loudly from his chest, but then something cut off the grunt as the hunter looked down to his right leg wide eyed.. The ground of the clearing was alive, and more than just a bug or two crawling around. No, the very ground undulated and rippled like water as roots grew out of the dirt with amazing speed to wrap around his foot and lower leg. And here was the trick, the trap the Scarred One knew would be coming, being caught fast to one spot. Terak tried to pull the appendage out of the trap, the growl coming back as he yanked on his leg, after coming to the realization he was quickly being immobilized.

“Let me go! Fight me without your ticks!”

“No,” the treeshaper replied eyeing the human without emotion, “my tricks make this a fair fight. And this trick, you use it with your ropes tied to stones, don’t you?”

“Is this another trick, talking me into letting you go if you free me?” Terak hissed trying again to pull his leg free of the roots and vines. So intent on getting out of the trap he failed to notice the sounds of approaching animals, some small and some large. He also took no notice of all the bugs crawling up the roots and vines, scrambling up his body to somewhere in mass.

The treeshaper kept his one hand in the ground making more roots grow up and around the Scarred One’s leg while answering the question. “No, I wanted nothing to do with what is coming. You brought this on yourself by chasing me, by taking my kin and kind.”

Now his leg was covered in roots, vines, and all of it dug into his flesh, spiraling inwards. Terak felt the pain of the tendrils burrowing into his flesh and he tried again to pull his leg free. He leaned over and yanked, so hard his whole body jerked, and that is when he saw the leather square cloth fall to the ground by his trapped foot covered in bugs, dislodged from where it was sticking to his buckskin top by the force of his movement. Terak looked at the cloth, the strange goo that covered it was also on his top, and it smelled so bad.

“What is this? What did you put on me?” Terak wailed. Gone was all the rage from just moments before. Now the first hint of fear began to touch the edges of his voice and with his ears no longer filled with his bellowing war cry picked up on the growing sounds of animals gathering all around the clearing now.

“You should have left me alone like I told you too. You should have turned back-”

“What is happening? What are you doing?” The Scarred One screamed with panic ignoring the Little Spirit, cutting it off..

Bugs began to fly at Terak, swarm him biting and stinging, and squirrels threw acorns and anything they could pick up at him while squealing angrily. Rabbits ran out of the brush and attacked his feet with bites and kicks. It was as if the forest had come alive and turned all its retribution on to the Scarred One. More squirrels jumped from the trees landing on him and biting into his exposed skin while a tusk hog ran out of the forest and slammed into Terak’s free leg knocking him down to all fours. And all through this he heard the Little Spirit talk, continue on calm and cold.

“-and returned to your village. I gave you every chance to stop and go back, but you threatened my tribe, my loved ones, and I will not let you or anyone hurt them. I will not sit by and watch mothers cry over lost cubs anymore, taken by your kinds hate! So I call on my forest to make sure you never hurt anyone else again.”

“Your forest?”

“Yes,” Redlance answered coldly before standing up taking his hand out of the dirt. As he did the roots and vines holding the Scarred One fast ceased to move and even hold him in place. The treeshaper took a step back as Terak yanked his leg free and gained one knee turning to Redlance. Oh how he was going to run right at the Little Spirit, kill him with his bare hands, only Terak felt the ground shake under his feet, rumble with approach of something big moving so very fast.

“What is that?” The Scarred One asked out loud with a voice filled with fear.

“It’s why I told you to turn back and leave me alone.” Redlance spoke one last time before stepping into the forest behind him and disappearing.

Terak jumped up unsteadily on one leg and thew the cloth with the bad smelling goo at where the Little Spirit slipped into the forest. The leather square hit the brush and stuck right there just as a loud roar slammed through the clearing, like a hit from Two-Edge’s hammer. The Scarred One got to his feet unsteadily just as the owner of the roar entered the open space by crashing past the bush and small trees at its border. Retribution had finally come for Terak, and it was mean.

The brown bear was the largest of it kind in this spot by the lake. On all fours it stood taller than the treeshaper by a head and on two legs, well it had no equal. It’s girth and weight only added to its impressive stature and the bear used all of these to drive away any other male. This was his territory and no one would challenge him for it and live. Now, a scent so strong and putrid to the animals around the lake drove the bear to attack whatever made the smell, and it wasn’t alone. By its side were other smaller bears, females and young ones, and all ran right for Terak.

The Scarred One was feared and despised by all but a few who had the displeasure of dealing with him. No one loved him, cared to be with him, or even liked him enough to say a kind word about him. And he seemed to revel in this vicious and reparable reputation, and not caring for anyone but himself helped to fuel this. In the end Terak died alone, the way he lived, and no one would miss him except on those nights when the hunting was bad and meat was scarce.

There was no hesitation coming from the fast approaching retribution, its large body plowing across the clearing in two long strides knocking anything and everything aside..

As the bear came for him Terak knew he couldn’t outrun it or get away from the beast. So, with one last yell, he screamed out in some crazed defiance while swinging his club intending to exit this world fighting. He didn’t see his strike hit, didn’t see his club make contact at all. The bear just leapt at him, like a brown boulder, knocking him off his feet so hard the hunter passed out instantly. It was for the best, Terak never heard or felt the bear bite his head and swiftly remove it from his body with a yank.      

Redlance watched long enough to see the bears attack, and that was longer then he should have stayed. The goo made the animals around angry, unpredictable, so he should have just bolted from the area. Only he had to stay long enough to make sure the worst of the humans had been taken care of. When it was done he turned and started to head out meaning to leave this nightmare behind him, only something very big blocked his way. It stood as tall he did, with large eyes and a set of large tusk, which gleamed with something that might have been blood and a scrap of leather hanging from one side. It was the biggest tusk hog the treeshaper had ever seen and it was eyeing him closely.

“Good eve friend, I would like it if I could just slip-”

The tusk hog snorted loudly, grunted somewhat, and then set off trotting toward the clearing, maybe to get what was left of the human. Redlance wasn’t sure why the animal let him be, he just took the action as a good sign and started off in a run to get away from the clearing and what was happening there. He made a few steps before a strange wind whipped up around him, strong and forceful, blinding him in an instant. What is this now the treeshaper thought as he held up his hands and forearms to cover his face from the debris flying around. Sticks, prickly pods, and even rocks flew up and around him in a circular vortex. Out of one fire and into another the treeshaper thought just as the vortex gained strength and he was pulled of the ground and up toward the sky.
       

“I don’t remember anything after that, just waking up by mother and father’s tree. Something brought me back, like Dart, but what I don’t know and don’t care right now.”

With the last words finished and the his tale done, Redlance slipped into the quiet of the tribe. He looked down at his legs, not out of some misplaced shame or concocted disgust, but from the need to focus and think. He and Dart both were brought back almost instantly and there was only one being who on the Abode could do such a thing, travel great distances in the blink of an eye.

Atok the treeshaper thought as he felt a hug from his Nightfall behind him.

“Beloved, are you good?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking, what is it?”

“What are you thinking about, what happened at the lake?” Leetah asked holding his hand and squeezing it for reassurance.

Redlance though just smiled and squeezed her hand back while across their shared lock send he let his love for his family flow and fill their souls. “No, your safe, my family is safe, and my tribe is safe so I have no feelings for what happened to the Scarred One. He chose his end and if there is anyone who would go looking for him they will not find much.”

“No they will not because the bears ate well.” Cutter remarked squeezing his treeshaper’s thigh.

“That they did my chief, that they did.”

The small exchange made everyone around chuckle, then Newstar spoke up asking a sudden serious question. “You told him you wouldn’t let another mother loose a cub, its almost what you told Dart when we were following the humans, only you weren’t just talking about him, were you?”

He didn’t answer the question, didn’t want to, so Dart answered for him. “You were talking about Crescent, weren’t you?”

Oh these two young ones are smart and observant the treeshaper thought quietly as he turned to look at Moonshade and Strongbow. She was so beautiful, even with the shook look on her face.