Skywise leaned back on his hands beneath the leather shelter and closed his eyes. Beside him, Foxfur lay on her back, her arm slung across her eyes.

"Ohhh, who could have known it could get so hot?" she moaned, rolling onto her stomach. Skywise didn't answer. What was there to say?

He looked around at his tribemates, all likewise huddled under makeshift shelters made of laced together cloaks that they had brought thanks to the forethought of their chieftess, Joyleaf. When Bearclaw had raced off to confront the human shaman and his men, she had been wise enough to make hasty preparations in case it was necessary to flee. And it had been. Thank the High Ones for Joyleaf's level head. The water skins were starting to run low though, and who knew how long it would be until they found water again? But the cloaks so many had brought were very welcome shade from this unbelievable sun…

"Move over lad" grunted Treestump, as he bent to clamber into the tent with Skywise, Foxfur, Dewshine and Scouter. The stargazer obligingly shuffled closer to his lovemate to make room for the stocky Wolfrider.

"How's Redlance holding up?"

"Rain's looking after him. He'll be alright. If we find somewhere better than this High Ones forsaken place, anyway," replied the bearded elder. "Bearclaw's in a foul temper though. He's still kicking himself for allowing Greymung to trick him."

"Oh father," breathed Dewshine, "we all wanted to believe his promises…"

The long day dragged on, but eventually – as it must – twilight came, and with it a blessed coolness that urged the tired elves on. They trudged all night through an arid, empty landscape until at last, around dawn, they reached the foothills of a range of mountains. Bearclaw, still in a temper, inadvertently found them a source of water when he sliced the top off a strange, prickly, fleshy plant, the likes of which the forest born Wolfriders had never seen before.

**Joyleaf…come see!** Bearclaw's incredulous sending brought her scrambling to where the old chief lay sprawled on a flat rock. **Look! ** Joyleaf's eyes flew open.

**Elves! Elves! Here, of all places! ** Excitement flooded her sending, but Bearclaw just growled.

**Look at them though…they live like humans!**

**But they're not humans**

**I don't trust them. I say we should ride down, take what we want and go.**

**Beloved, we can't go treating elves like humans. Listen to me Grenn. Let us go down and speak to them. I'm sure they'll help us.** Bearclaw was silent a long moment, and then nodded slowly, almost reluctantly.

**If you're wrong Dehl…it could mean death for us all.**

**I know…** she whispered.

"Jackals...riders of Jackals." Rayek spat in the dust.

"Now Rayek, why are you being so unfriendly? The Wolfriders didn't come here to annoy you, you know." Leetah raised an eyebrow archly at her fiery lovemate. "They've lost their home - you should be more sympathetic." She bit off the thread she had been using and stood up. Rayek sighed.

"I know. It's just...those beasts they ride. And that dreadful howling they all do. And that silver haired one is going out of his way to annoy me."

"I'm sure he's doing nothing of the sort" chided Leetah.

"I don't like the way that healer of theirs keeps hanging around you." Rayek scowled as Leetah laughed at him.

"Jealousy Rayek? Well, really! He's a healer - we have much to discuss. Not as powerful as me of course. But I must confess I enjoy his company" she teased, and danced into her hut with a rattle of beads and a laugh. It amused her to tease Rayek, he was so easy. He would be displeased if he knew she really was developing feelings for the other healer though. It had started out as a harmless flirtation - a way of teasing Rayek - but she had been slightly disconcerted to find herself genuinely attracted to the gentle Wolfrider. She knew of the lethal wolf blood of course - she had discovered that the first time she had touched one of the strange new elves - but it wasn't as if she had Recognised him or anything...

Rayek prowled between the rocks, his senses straining for the slightest sign of prey. It was becoming harder to find since the barbarians arrived with those great shaggy beasts of theirs. The wolves were efficient predators, as were their riders. The amber eyed hunter cursed as he tripped over something in the dark.

"Watch where you're going, black hair." Rayek cursed again, silently this time, as he recognised the voice of the silver maned Wolfrider...Skywise?

"Well, what are you doing sitting around up here in the dark?" he growled.

"Watching the stars" Skywise shrugged. Rayek glanced up at the bejeweled sky.

"What do you see up there?"

"Everything" replied the stargazer simply. "Another world." Rayek grunted, and moved to walk away. "Do you ever wonder where we came from black hair?" Intrigued in spite of himself, Rayek stopped. Maybe there was more to this Wolfrider than met the eye.

"Yes. I have...wondered." he replied, "I'm surprised a barbarian like you has." Skywise chuckled.

"My tribe thinks I'm odd, too" he laughed. Rayek couldn't suppress a smile, and sat down on a rock.

"Mine also.

Part 2

Eight and six turns of the seasons passed in the peaceful Sun Village, marked by the annual flood and then flower. The Wolfriders settled, more or less, into village life, although some, such as Strongbow, One Eye, and even the old badger himself, Bearclaw, were restless and dissatisfied with life in the desert oasis. Woodlock and Rainsong on the other hand all but became Sun Villagers themselves. Most found a middle ground. Pike was happy once Redlance's treeshaping abilities sprung forth, but then Pike would be happy anywhere there were dreamberry bushes. Brownberry and Longbranch settled in well enough, moving into a hut in the village with their daughter Nightfall and her lifemate. They missed their forest home, but were realistic enough to appreciate the human-free existence they now had. This belief had been shaken somewhat seven turns after they had arrived in the village when a small troupe of starving humans appeared, although Joyleaf had convinced Bearclaw that they were mere stragglers and harmless. No more had appeared. Foxfur grumbled about the heat quite a lot, but spent much of her time dreaming about having a cub. Skywise was happy to let her dream, knowing how unlikely it was without recognition. Rain of course now spent much of his time with the beautiful village healer, although the Wolfriders generally preferred to use their own tribemate's healing abilities if any were needed, despite the greater power in Leetah's pretty hands.

"I don't know what she sees in him" grumbled Rayek to Skywise, as they watched the red haired elf disappear into Leetah's hut. "How could she choose him over me?" There was genuine bewilderment in his voice as he asked the question. The realization that Leetah had chosen Rain over himself had left the black haired hunter genuinely shaken. Even now he was unwilling to accept the fact.
"Of course no one could compare to you, oh mighty hunter, could they? Oh, come on. She's not the only maiden in the village, is she?"
Rayek glared at his friend. "She's the only one worth having."
Skywise merely raised an eyebrow at that. He definitely had his own opinion as to that statement, but Rayek was in no mood to listen. Privately the stargazer thought Leetah had led Rayek on for far too long as it was.
Rayek shook his head. "Come on, let's go find something to eat. I'll even promise not to gag when I watch you eat yours raw". To many in the village it was a surprising friendship that had sprung up between these two. Rayek had been a loner his whole life, and had never truly had a real friend, so it was a mystery to them why he'd bonded with the cheeky young Wolfrider. But each of them saw something of himself in the other, although Rayek would still insist that Skywise was as irritating as a cactus spine in his sandal, and Skywise claimed Rayek had lost a spear up his nether region and never found it….

**Well I say we go.** This was from Strongbow, of course. Moonshade nodded, predictably. The tribe had gathered for a council on the plateau above the village. Many in the tribe had been becoming increasingly restless of late. Several of them were agitating to return to the forest…or at least some forest, if theirs had burned beyond hope. Finally, Bearclaw had called this council, to decide once and for all. The argument had gone round and round in circles half the night, between those who wished to leave, and those for whom Sorrow's End had become a home.
"Aye! We've never been really happy here," added One Eye. Brownberry sighed.
"It's so peaceful here though…apart from those starvelings we haven't seen humans in eight and six turns of the seasons. There's a cub to think of." At that, young Firefly, blood of ten chiefs – the daughter who had been born to Joyleaf and Bearclaw two turns of the seasons after their arrival in Sorrow's End – rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Oh please…I'm nearly grown. Stop treating me like a cub!" she huffed. "I for one would like to see a forest. I'll be chief of the Wolfriders one day, and I've never even seen a treewee!" Bearclaw winked at his daughter. The loss of their baby son many turns of the seasons ago - bitten by a spiritmaker spider on the day of his birth - had been a heavy blow, so this child of his was incredibly precious to him. She was far too reckless for Joyleaf's peace of mind however; far too much her sire's daughter.
"I think we should stay" volunteered Rainsong. "We've really found a home here."
"You might have" snorted Clearbrook.
"I will stay" said Rain, quietly. "Whatever the tribe decides."
Bearclaw walked away for a few paces, lost in thought. The tribe waited with baited breath. Finally he turned, and raised New Moon above his head. The moons glinted off the brightmetal blade.
"I've decided" he declared. "The Wolfriders will return to the forest."