Redhead Ember's Stories and Poetry

Little Brother

Little brother,
look at you;
you are so strong and brave.
Your courage I could never have,
it you, your father gave.

You are running with the pack,
forever free and wild.

But one thing I cannot deny;
you make me sort of scared.
You are my brother,
that's for sure,
but also something else.
In your eyes I see this world,
so frightening,
harsh,
and cold.

Little brother,
unlike me,
to this world you belong.
Our mother's gift is yours to keep;
wolf-blooded brother,
free!

Your Son, My Son, Our Son

*Psst. Psst. Scouter.*

Only half knowing the sending Scouter turned away from the reunion between mother and son - the reunion of Dewshine and Windkin - and walked towards the Palace pod.

*Who is it?* He sent carefully, stepping inside.

*It's me.* A spirit - familiar and yet not - stepped out of the spirit pool. For a few seconds Scouter still didn't know who it was, then.

*Tyldak? I'm sure it's you but, you look different.*

*I look like I did before Winnowill shaped me.*

*That's all very well. What do you want?* Scouter could not but letting some resentment towards Windkin's once-winged sire into his thought.

*To thank you, for raising Windkin as your own. I spent some time with him, before I died, he's a good lad and he didn't get his courage from me. I may have sired him, but you were always his father.*

Old

Something was off with Windkin.
The lad had learned the ways of the forge quickly in the few weeks he'd been with them, he seemed to truly enjoy this new underground life - so alien for one who was one with the wind - yet, whenever Treestump looked at his grandson he couldn't help but sensing that something was not right.

Straining against the 'Now of Wolf Thought' the elf Black Smith thought the recall images of how Windkin had been before the Palace had been stolen, before the long wait and even longer sleep. What he saw was a tiny boy, a boy who had to be tethered Down so that he wouldn't fly away, a boy much different from the serious adult who now worked in the forges.

"When did it happen?" Treestump wondered out loud.

"Huh? When did what happen?" Windkin asked curiously.

"When did you become so... old?"

"While you slept." The answer was truthful, sincere, but also teasing; a reminder of just how long the Wolfriders had slept. Long enough for one who'd once been a tiny babe to grow many seasons older than his own grandsire.

For several long moment Treestump was silent, starring slack-jawed at his elder-grandson, then he burst out with roaring laughter, causing Clearbrook and Ahdri to come running in from an ajourning chamber and Windkin's jaw to drop just as his had moments before.

"Praise the High Ones!" He gasped once he'd regained air. "I was beginning to Wonder how such an old gloomer could be Dewshine's son."

A True Dream

This was not 'The Way', and Moonshade knew it; grief was supposed to be brief, followed by the acceptance that sometimes loved ones died, sometimes beautiful daughters were taken away by the five-fingered. Yet whenever she looked at the cubs who were playing under the - somewhat - watchful eyes of Skywise, it felt as if her heart was going to break, shatter to pieces.

It was not 'The Way' to think of what could-have-been, Moonshade knew it, but she did anyway. Did it so strongly she could almost see Cresent.

The "Mindpicture" of her lost daughter showed a beautiful elf maiden, her back turned, who had just returned from having been down by the river catching fish. Dream-Cresent said something to someone inside the Father Tree before turning to face her mother, and Moonshade instantly fell down from the branch she was sitting on; Dream-Cresent's belly was huge, as if a new cub was about to make his, or her, way into this world.

*Lifemate, are you okay?* Quickly Strongbow rushed to her side and helped her up.

"I'm okay." She whispered - how could she explain to him that she thought she'd just seen their lost daughter, heavy with cub? "Must've fallen asleep..."

*Why? It's not like you to... Eyrn?!*

Like skyfire, striking when you least expect it; it was Recognition, and this was 'The Way'.

A Family Matter

It was a peaceful evening, the Wavedancers were relaxing in their underwater home, passing the time with various tasks and general gossiping.

Brill looked up from the net she was mending, near the entrance to the grotto - in the last sunlight piercing the surface of the water - Sunstream was deep in conversation with Reef, the rays piercing the water hit him, making his colourful appearance seem even more dazzling than usual.

"Remember when you said you'd prefer spending time with me 'in your own skin'?" Brill asked.

"Yes..." Sunstream replied uncertain.

"You've spent longer time in that skin than in your own during the time I've known you."

"Would you just listen to yourselves?" Reef asked. "All that talk about 'your own skin'. This is your own skin. This is your shape, just like that shape I had for all those years were..." His voice trailed off, it was clear than even after all those years the memory of being 'The Broken One' was still fresh in his memory.

"Don't think about that." Sunstream said gently, putting a hand on Reef's arm. "You're here now, and you have a family who loves you."

It was true; without any of them knowing exactly when, or how, it had happened Reef had become a part of their little family, and Brill wouldn't have wanted it any other way; seeing how the erstwhile 'Broken One' had gradually become more sure of himself had been (almost) as wonderful as the day Korafay were born.

"I know." Reef said softly. "With you two - and Korafay - I've found the peace and serenity I longed for in all those years. Your rec... " he began, only for Korafay - hotly pursued by a furious Krill - to burst into the grotto, knocking him over.

"Whoops! Sorry Reef." She said giggling before quickly helping him up, a task which was made somewhat difficult due to the longer-than-her spear she was holding, the spear which was the source of the pursuit.

"Korafay." Brill began, trying her very best to sound severe despite the fact that she was about to burst out laughing - something which both Sunstream and Reef had already done. "Give you aunt her spear."

"Okay... I just wanted to learn how to hunt." The girl said with a pout.

"I'd love to teach you how to hunt." Krill, unable to be mad at her niece for more than a few moments at a time, said with a smile. "But you won't be able to hunt with a spear almost twice as long as you. How about I find a good training spear for you, and tomorrow we begin the training?"

"Yay!"

"It's settled then." Krill swam out of the grotto - with her spear - leaving the family to itself.

"Father. I have a question..."

"Another question?"

"Why do you look like that? I know that Snakeskin, Skimback and grandmother Leetah shapechanged you into a water-breather so you could live underwater, but why that appearance? Did they have too many dreamberries?"

"Apparently it's how your mother sees me."


(Yeah, back when I wrote this I was convinced that Sunstream, Brill and Reef should Three-mate.)

Go-Back with Guns

Go-Backs with guns,
everyone runs.
Things turning fun
when Go-Backs got guns.

Two-Edge has given
the Go-Backs some guns.
A gift for his maiden;
to give Go-Backs guns.

His Parents' Son

* Hello.* The voice was even, neutral; there was no love in it, nor was there any of the taunting that had been used to goad him into swimming towards the surface.

*So now you've decided to speak? Why?* Even if he'd wanted to Teir could not hide the resentment in his sending-voice.

*Because now you understood that you never needed me.
Listen, Duckling, it's true that I was disappointed that you weren't a girl, but I never wanted to hurt you and that is why I gave you to people who could love you, who would love you. It's also why I never contacted you during all those years; it wouldn't have healed the hole in your heart, if would have made it bigger. Now, you're free.*

*You're right. They did love me, my pa... the people who raised me.*

*Your parents! Ask your sire; he'll say that parents isn't just about whose blood you have, but about who raise you. You're not just Dewshine's grandson, but Scouter's as well.*

*And they're first of all my friends. While I'm glad to know of my relation to them it's rather weird to think of Dewshine as my grandmother.
You know what? I think we could've been friends too, if we'd met again after I'd grown up. Bit like how it happened with my sire and his sire.*

For a while there was no reply and Teir began to fear that he'd made her angry by that last comment. Maybe she didn't even want to be friends with him? Then:

*Could've been? Aren't we speaking together as friends right now? At least I'm not speaking to you as your mother. If I were I'd be scolding you for losing your sword!*

Laughing softly he looked towards were her spirit-self was standing. She was smiling at him, a friendly smile, not a mother's smile. Once it would've torn his heart to pieces knowing that she could never think of him as her son. Now, though the pain was not gone it wasn't so horrible.

*You know how I said that you often made me laugh and rarely made me proud? There was a moment that both made me laugh and made me proud.*

*Which one?*

*It happened when you were just a tiny baby duck, barely a hand of crustings old, you'd decided to go down to the nearby river to catch some fish. As soon as you arrived you saw this huge fish - huge for a child your age - and decided that you wanted that one, even though there were plenty of other fish around. You didn't have anything to catch fish with, so what did you do? You jumped right into the river and onto the back of the huge fish. However, it was bigger than you, and quite a lot stronger, so when it felt something land on its back it simply began swimming as fast as it could, spinning wildly in order to shake you off, but you just wouldn't let go. Eventually you realized that you would run out of air before it got tired, so you somehow managed to get hold of a big rock - this was before your powers had awekened - which you used to batch the fish' head repeatedly until finally you came out victorious and burst to the surface. Only then did you send to your parents, asking them to come and help you carry the fish home.*

*Why did that make you proud?*

*You're not asking why it made me laugh?*

*Come on! It must've looked absolutely hillarious.*

*It made me proud because you refused to give up. It would've been so easy for you to simply let go or, you know, simply not decide to catch a fish that was bigger than you. But you didn't! If only you'd kept that mentality for other situations. Did you honestly believe that your Ember would ever leave you?*

*No. You're right. On the other hand; if it made her send for help...*

*Guess so. Well, Duckling, it's been nice talking to you, but I gotta go now; places to go, stars to explore. Just know this: You have a sister. Her name is Venka. The others know her...*

With that she was gone, leaving Teir alone. Smiling he stood up and went to greet his friends and family.

Dance

As soon as Ember felt the magic take hold she went over to where her tribemates were standing.

"Pike, Sust. Pick up your spears." She said, her voice shaking with grief for the brave warrior who'd died, and who they'd until now been unable to mourn proberly.
Slowly father and son did as they were told, the unspoken question clear in both their eyes.

"I know we cannot light a fire up here. But we can still dance."

"Dance?" Pike asked.

"Yes, dance. For Krim. Just like we did for Skot. Krim may have spent a large part of her life as a Wolfrider, and she certainly died like one of us, but she was born a Go-Back and you know just as well that I do that she'll haunt us for the rest of our lives if we don't dance for her."

And so the elves danced on that rocky cliff. Danced for a beloved tribesmate, a beloved lifemate, a beloved mother, who had come to the end of her life in flesh just the way she wanted, and who now resided in the Palace together with her other lifemate and her other son.

The Wolf Sings to the Stars Above

“Where do you think you’re going?” Urda asked the girl who quickly headed towards the entrance to the lodge.

“Out to watch the stars.”

“Yun.” The temporary chieftess of the Go-Backs went over to the girl. “You can’t watch the stars right now, there’s a blizzard outside. You’d just get lost. Look.” Urda opened the flap to the lodge, revealing the white mass of snow whirling around outside.

“Oh… so the howling outside means we can’t go out.” Yun said disappointed, before leaning outside and letting out an ear-piercing howl.

“YUN!” Jirda yelled from inside the lodge, spooked by Yun’s howling. “Don’t you think there’s enough noise outside without you starting?”

“Sorry, Jirda.” Yun said, following Urda back inside the lodge. “I forgot you’re afraid of the storm.”

“Am not.”

“Yes you are. But there’s nothing wrong with that.” The two girls began the important, but very tedious, task of rubbing their skin clothes with animal fat so it would remain soft and waterproof; it was a task all Go-Back children were expected to do themselves as soon as they were able to. Eventually Chot came over and joined them, and the inevitable happened:

“Can’t believe you tried to watch the stars.” Chot began, his voice jeering. “What kind of Go-Back doesn’t know that you can’t see the stars when there’s a blizzard? No, let me rephrase that; what kind of Go-Back even cars about the stars? Except, you’re not a real Go-Back, are you?”

Most Go-Backs didn’t know who had sired them, nor did they really care. After all parents only played a role in their lives for a short while. With Yun, though, things were different; she hadn’t been very old before her mannerisms made it rather clear that she had been sired by one of the Wolfriders, the silver-haired stargazer judging by her love of the stars. Even though she considered herself a Go-Back through and through Urda knew that Yun still sometimes felt insecure about her wolf blood, about how it somehow made her different from the rest.

“Go away, Chot.” Yun said angrily. “You smell worse than this bear fat.”

It was true; even across the room Urda could smell it. She could easily imagine how bad it would be for someone sitting right next to Chot, especially someone with Yun’s sensitive nose. True having to stay inside the lodge for extended periods during the white cold meant that everyone ended up smelling rather unpleasantly. However, where most of the tribe members took a chance every now and then to be cleaned a bit, Chot never seemed to take interest in any ‘personal maintenance’ task that didn’t involve sleeping or eating.

The blizzard lasted three whole days, when it was finally over everyone was about to go crazy from being indoors, and ready to let the snow clean their sweat-soaked bodies. Everyone, that is, except Chot.

“You do that. I’ll just stay in here and… keep an eye on the food.”

Urda was about to tell him that he had no choice this time when she noticed Yun and Jirda sending each other some rather wicked glances. Quickly, before Chot could react, the girls had seized him and dragged him towards the entrance. Laughing some of the other children joined in, even Kiv, who was really far too old to be considered a child. As soon as everyone was outside they tore their clothes off – Kiv holding down Chot while some of the others undressed him – and began rolling around in the fresh snow, cleaning the days of being trapped inside off their aching bodies. They also washed their clothes with snow and hung them to dry next to the great fire; meanwhile everyone wrapped whatever they could find of bed furs around themselves.

Suddenly Yun bolted upwards, sniffing her nose in the air around her. “What’s that smell?” she asked.

“Not me.” Came Chot’s reply.

“I know that. I think… URDA! I think there’s a bear nearby!”

In no time the Lodge erupted with activity, none of the Go-Backs were afraid of bears – they were a natural part of life in the Frozen Mountains – but one during the middle of the white cold could prove exceptionally dangerous both to the elves, and to the stags. Everyone ran around between each other searching for their clothes and soon the hunting party was ready to go.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Urda asked the girl who quickly followed the hunters to the entrance to the lodge.

“I have to come with you; I’m the only one who can scent the bear.”

It was true, Urda had to admit it; this hunt, happening solely because one girl with a keener nose than the rest of them would have a greater chance for success if said girl accompanied them on the hunt.

“Yun. Are you sure you could scent a bear?” Vok asked they had been scouting the area for most of the day without seeing so much as the footprints of a bear. Now it was starting to get dark and they had to make a decision of whether they would continue the hunt for a little while longer, or return to the lodge and let bear be bear.

“I don’t know. Maybe it was just something I dreamt, maybe it really was Chot.” She paused for a moment, looking up at the clear sky where stars, one by one, were starting to come out. “But I don’t think it was. I did scent a bear, but maybe it’s gone off somewhere else, or has simply gone back into its cave to await the new green.”

“I believe you.” Urda said, placing a light hand on Yun’s shoulder. “Your wolf nose could probably smell a bear from very far off, if the wind was in the right direction.”
She had barely said it before the air shook with a terrible growling, and a flash of white came thundering towards the small hunting party.

“Yun! Get to safety.” Urda yelled, before turning to face the great beast with the rest of the hunters. Somehow, they’d managed to stay upwind from the bear the entire day, so that while they had thought they’d been the hunters it had been able to get close to them without being scented. With terrible force it raced towards them and because Roff was just a tiny fragment of a second too slow it rammed straight into him, sending him flying down the mountainside. Wasting no time to see if their tribes mate was hurt or not the rest of the hunters quickly sent their spears into the sides of the great beast in order to finish it off. However, being enraged both from hunger and from the several spears, poking out of its sides gave the bear extra strength, and now the hunters were all weapon less.

“We’re idiots!” Vok cursed, as he had to quickly jump out of reach of the blood-crazed bear. “What kind of hunting party all let their weapons go at the same time? And what kind of Go-Backs don’t know that a bear that’s awake during the middle of white cold is exceptionally dangerous?”

Nobody gave him any reply; they were all rather busy trying to avoid being killed. They were all so focused on the bear that they didn’t notice the young girl who carefully climbed down from her safety spot, as quickly as possible she went over to the still unconscious Roff and took the knife from his belt, while at the same time making sure he was still breathing. Holding the knife with both hands – it was almost like one of Two-Edge’s troll swords to her – she made her way back towards the fight and hid in a crevice she’d noticed between two rocks.

“OOOOOOWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Titling her head backwards, she let out a howl loud enough to be heard a long distance away, the rocks she was standing between making the sound echo. Hearing it the bear turned and raced towards her and since it was unable to get between the rocks, it jumped to the top of them, in order to try to reach her from the top. This was exactly what Yun had hoped for; as the bear stuck its great paws down between the rocks she quickly darted out of reach and stabbed the knife upwards and into its exposed belly. The wound didn’t kill the bear but it made it slump down long enough to let Vok take out his knife and deliver the killing blow without risk.

“How did you know that would work?” Urda asked they were one their way back to the lodge Vok and Cheider dragging the bear after them and Urda supporting Roff, who was still a bit dazed from the blow to his head.

“I didn’t really. I just tried to think like a wolf, being swift and sneaky rather than using brute force.” Once again, she titled her head backwards and let out a howl.

“Well, little wolf cub, let’s get this bear back to the lodge and tell everyone we have a new hunter in the tribe.”

However, they hadn’t made it far before a new hunting party lead by Mardu made its way towards them.

“Will you believe it?” Mardu said, “First a bear – glad you got it – and now wolves! We heard one only a few moments ago.”

For a few moments, the first hunting party stood bewildered, and then Cheider let out a roaring laughter.

“Mardu.” He gasped, “There are no wolves!”

“Yes, there are!” Kiv replied. We heard them, or it, not sure how many there are.”

“Have you forgotten that we have a little Wolfrider in our tribe now?” Urda smiled, and finally did the truth dawn upon the second hunting party. Under much laughter, they made their way back to the lodge, being now twice as many as before to drag the bear.

The rest of the tribe was eagerly awaiting their return with the bear, the thought of a feast consisting of fresh bear meat was enough to make everyone’s mouths water after the long dark days spent inside the lodge living on nothing but dried meat.

“Did you chase the wolf away?” Jirda asked.

“No.” replied Kiv, “We caught it.” With those words, he picked Yun up by her legs and tossed her headfirst into a big pile of snow.

“Should’ve known!” Chot said, “She’ll never be a prober Go-Back. The wolf blood is making her loopy.”

“Is it?” Yun had carefully gotten up from the snow pile and was now starring at Chot with cold disdain in her eyes. “We wouldn’t have known about this bear if it hadn’t been for my wolf senses, and we wouldn’t have caught it if I hadn’t decided to try and think like a Wolfrider, rather than as a Go-Back. Whoever said I wanted to be a prober Go-Back? I don’t, I don’t need to. I am Yun, half Go-Back, and half Wolfrider.”

Just me being silly. Kahvi said that she taught Lehrigen many words...

The Ties that Bind

“This is strange.” Cutter said to Skywise once his soulbrother had returned from dropping off Dart and Freetouch with Ember’s tribe, “My little cousin is a grandmother.”

“So are you. A grandsire that is, not a grandmother.”

“I know that. But Korafay hasn’t recognized Windkin, has she?”

There was a comfortable silence after that as everyone relaxed beneath the shade of the Father Tree. With a smile Cutter looked at his tribe mates; they were all there, all those who should be, there were some who were happily living with Ember, and some who were in the Palace as spirits.

“You know what I just realised?” He asked after some time. “Of the two-eights and one of us who passed through the desert all those many years ago, only Skywise, Pike, Scouter and Newstar have not yet become grandparents.”

“Oh, but I am a grandsire.” Skywise retorted, “Is Yun not my daughter?”

“Yes…”

“Is Khorbasi not her son?”

“I suppose so.”

“Then I’m Khorbasi’s grandsire.”

“It’s not quite the same, is it?”

“Is Shukopek your grandson?”

“Of course he is.”

“Because he’s the son of your adopted daughter. Well, Khorbasi is the adopted son of my daughter. The only difference is at which point the adoption happened. Oh, and while we’re at it; I’m pretty sure Scouter would say that he is Teir’s grandsire.”

Cutter had to admit that there was a lot of truth to what Skywise was saying; why – after all – did he have any more right to call Shukopek his grandson, than Skywise had to call Khorbasi his? Not only that; he had called both One-Eye as well as Strongbow and Moonshade grandparents, even though the former had died long before his grandson had been born, and the latters’ grandson had lived and died during the Long Wait.

“Moonshade?” He asked tentatively, not wanting to disturb the happiness of the tanner and her lifemate, which in these days had become so rare.

“Yes?”

“Do you think of yourself as a grandmother, even though your grandson both lived and died while we slept?”

“Of course. At first when Dart told me about how he had recognized Wing’s daughter I was rather shocked, but that was mostly because in my mind I still thought of Wing as a little cub, not someone old enough to be a sire, let alone a grandsire. I have spoken with Bowki in the Palace; even though I will never get to meet him in the flesh he will always have a place in my heart, just like Crescent will.” There was a hint of sadness in her voice at the last bit, it was clear that the pain of losing her first child so long ago had never entirely left her.

*Look at Sunstream.* Strongbow suddenly sent, having without doubt listened in on the conversation between his chief and his lifemate.

Turning around Cutter saw Sunstream sitting against the roots of the Father Tree, his eyes closed; it was clear that he had ‘gone out’ undoubtedly to speak to Brill. The look on Sunstream’s face showed that while he had stayed with the Wavedancers because he had been unable to leave his lifemate and newborn daughter behind he was content with the fact that, for the time being, his duty as ‘the link’ meant that communication with his family had to be on the spirit plane. Besides, that was how he and Brill had met in the first place.

When Leetah and Skywise had told him that Sunstream had chosen to stay behind to raise his daughter Cutter had not really been surprised, not only had he been slightly more occupied with the sudden reappearance of Windkin, but in a way he had known that it would be so, and he had been glad. It had been strange that none of his children were living with him, but it had not in any way been like during those terrible long year he had waited after his family had been stolen, or even how it had been when the tribe had first split. No matter where they were, Cutter always felt the presence of his cubs – all three of them – in his heart.

Choices

"Ah, Firehair... don't."

No more words were said as two people who'd long felt attracted to each other finally gave fully in to their feelings. They were out in the open, anyone could see them - not that they cared - and indeed someone did:

"Looks like they've solved their argument." Scouter said, jumping down from his vantage-point.

Heart had met heart, but as it was now eyes could never meet eyes. A part of Ember screamed that she didn't care; Teir's father had said that this way was easier, and it certainly had been for Dewshine. She loved Teir, and when one day she recognized someone else - Mender? - Teir could be part of their family. Yet, deep in her heart she knew very well that it wouldn't be right, neither towards her nor towards Teir.

"You're not happy." She whispered, caressing his cheek.

"What do you mean?"

"Part of me wants to keep you with me forever; I don't care if you can't send, or that we'd never be able to recognize - it doesn't change what I feel for you - but another part want you to be happy, and you can't be that with half of you missing."

They walked back to Howling Rock together, and when it became time for Teir to make his choice he chose to be healed. Afterwards, when the Palace suddenly appeared in the sky, he left without greeting the newcomers - citing the choices they had both made - but not before giving Ember his necklace and promising that he would always be there.

As Ember followed her parents into the Palace she heard a sending meant only for her:

*We will see each other again, K'chaiya. And who knows? Maybe in time, eyes will meet eyes.*

Embarassing

"Are you ready to get going?" Dewshine asked, while helping to secure the artificial wings Windkin and Freetouch had made together onto her son's back.

"I think so." He lifted himself into the air, unfolded the wings, let the wind catch them, and circled around a few times before landing again. "They're good. Thanks for the help, Freetouch."

"Well, time for you to leave then. Remember to keep the right direction and don't fly into anything, Bumper."

The look on Windkin's face when his mother used his age-old childhood nickname caused the entire tribe to burst into fits of laughter.

"Mother..." he said, "You're embarrasing me."

"What?" Dewshine asked, looking like the perfect picture of innocensce, "I'm your mother, I have a right to use your childhood nickname as often as I please."

"I'm older than you are now, even older than grandsire Treestump."

"Never too old to cuddle under mother's wing now and then."

"Grandmother," Teir, who had watched the conversation between his sire and grandmother with growing amazement, decided to speak up, "he's the one with the wings. Though, now I know what to call him; Bumper."

Windkin just shook his head in horror and left quickly, trailed by the laughs of all his tribe-mates, but especially his mother and son.

That last story is really cute, and I like the one about grandchildren, too.

Thanks.

The Return

Everybody dropped what they were doing the moment their chief and his long-time lovemate walked into the Holt, dragging the big bear between them. No words were spoken, but at the same time, there was none of the icy air, which seemed to have hung between them ever since that day Bearclaw had struck Joyleaf.

“I think it worked.” Treestump said with a smile. “My sister isn’t angry anymore.”

“But…” Skywise began uncertain, “they’re still not talking to each other.”

*Yes.” Came the reply from Strongbow. *Because we all know that we elves must open our mouths and squeak like birds in order to communicate. They’re not sending either, though, when you’ve been together for as long as those two you can communicate simply with a look and a touch.*

During the entire conversation, the pair had still not uttered a word, as they dragged the bear over and put it down in front of Moonshade, who simply looked up from her work and nodded; Bearclaw didn’t really need to say what he wanted done with the pelt. Carefully the tanner cut into the big animal to claim the pelt and reveal the hot-red meat and blood underneath.

It became a huge feast; everybody ate until stomachs were full and lips tinged red with blood, all the while Bearclaw and Joyleaf still never said a word, and continued sending little glances to each other.

“Alright. What’s going on?” Rain finally asked, pointing at the two of them.

“I’m not angry at Bearclaw anymore.” Joyleaf said, smiling at Bearclaw.

“That part I’d figured out already.” Rain replied. “But I can tell there’s something else going on, I’m a healer.”

This time there was no reply, at least not a spoken one, instead Bearclaw moved over to position himself behind Joyleaf and wrapped his arms around her torso so his hands rested on her belly, beaming with huge smiles the two of them looked first at the healer, then at the rest of the tribe. At first nobody reacted, then eyes starting growing wide and everyone starred at the pair with amazement and joy.

Awww!

D'aaaaaaawwwwwww!!!! Beautiful, Red!

Fear and Hope

She couldn’t sleep. Ever since they had received the horrible message, Foam had been worried and now she was lying in hers and Strand’s bed, tossing and turning.

They will be fine, beloved. Her lifemate sent, not even needing to ask what was bothering her.

I hope so. She replied before snuggling down close to him and finally falling asleep.

The next morning it became clear that everyone was worried, especially Brill and Sandsparkle was being quiet, and then Foam realised something she had forgotten; she was not the only one to have family caught up too close to the human war fleet. Feeling a little ashamed she went over to her two friends, hoping that maybe she could help giving them some measure of courage.

I think they will be fine. She sent to them, putting her arms around both of them, noticing that they did the same.

I hope you’re right. Came Sandsparkle’s reply.

Me too.* Replied Brill. And I hope that despite not having the wolfblood, Korafay will still have a little of the wolf in her.

Or the shark! Spine suddenly interrupted their conversation. Come on, ladies. No use in standing in a circle, worrying about parents, lifemate, or pip.

He was right, of course. They had no means of bringing aid to their family and friends, all they could do was continue living and hope that their friends in the Father Tree Holt would have the means to withstand the humans.

Quite a Bit Tougher

Ow! Puckernuts!” Vurdah yelled using some of the rather colourful language the Wolfriders had brought with them to the Sun Village all those years ago.

“What happened, sweetheart?” Instantly her lovemates, Ruffel and Maleen, ran over to where she had been working in her garden.

“The tool slipped…” she didn’t have to say anymore, simply pointed down to her foot where the blood was running out, almost making a little puddle where she was standing.

“I’ll get Mender straight away.” Maleen was already on her way over to the hut where the cocoons were being kept. However, Vurdah quickly stopped her.

“We can’t get Mender every time one of us gets the slightest injury. If we did, he might as well have chosen to stay awake like his parents and brother. Naaah, I’ll have Toorah fix this. Maybe if you could help me get to her.”

They did as she had asked, and together the three of them made it over to where the herbalist was currently sitting deep in conversation with Minyah. As the two elders saw the trio approach, they gasped audibly and Toorah instantly ran to fetch her needles.

“You know.” Ruffel began, doing her best to distract Vurdah while Toorah was working. “I remember how devastated you were when you thought Skywise’s lack of reaction when his wolf bit you meant he didn’t really care. This wound is much worse than that was.”

“Yeah.” Vurdah replied through gritted teeth. “I’ve grown quite a bit tougher since then. We all have.”

I'm mostly a lurker here, Redhead, much too silent. There always seems not enough time for a proper appreciation ... I procrastinate ... and then there's no time at all anymore.

I want to let you know how much I enjoy your little stories and poems, lovely and sad, funny and thoughtful, often plimpses on well known lost moments. Or an filling gaps that were never worked out clearly.

Your stories are another kind of comments on on events in the comics, sharing your point of few and sparking new insights. I love your ways, Redhead Stay like you are and keep doing this. *huggles* I'll read and enjoy.

Well... I can't expect comments every time I post one of my silly little pieces.

I loved it, Red!

Lovely piece indeed!

Thanks.
It's sorta build on a theory - or perhaps two theories - I have.
Partly that the Sunfolk probably couldn't completely ignore the temptation, so-to-speak, to get Mender whenever someone got (badly) hurt during the Long Sleep. Partly that the, however, had gotten significantly tougher - which I guess isn't a theory - and wouldn't get him for every slight wound. Though perhaps that might have taken some time, so some would still suggest it at first.