A small figure streaked past a low bush in the forest, it's leaves barely moving in the wake of it's flight. Bare feet made no sound as it sped through the forest. High roots and low branches presented no obstacles, the sprinter leapt over them without pausing. It faced determinedly forward, refusing to look back, running as if Fen'Harel himself was in pursuit. Time was growing short; the little one launched itself over an exposed root and dove headfirst into a patch of heavy undergrowth. The forest was still once more. In the distance one could hear a voice calling.

"Eighteen... nineteen... twenty! Ready or not, here we come!"

Ashalle sat by the fire and worked on her latest carving. It was to be a pendant, but a simple one, meant for trading with the shemlen. She had a clear view of the log the children were using as home base for their game. Two young elf boys were standing on top of the log, counting at the top of their lungs. The rest of the len were nowhere to be seen; they had rushed into the forest the second the older boy, Fenarel, had started the countdown. When he finished, both he and Tamlen went off into the woods after the others. What they were playing may have been a shemlen game once, but "hunting" was good for the young Dalish. The 'hunters' developed keen senses and the ability to work as a team while their 'prey' learned how to conceal themselves and use the forest to their advantage. Traits like that kept the Dalish from being found, and those to small to protect themselves needed to be able to hide should the shemlen attack. It had been a long time since humans had struck against the Sabrae clan, but the possibility was never far away. Even life was precious to the Dalish, and if a shemlen game helped them keep it, it was all for the best.

The two blond boys were back already with their first catches frog-marching ahead of them. That didn't take nearly as long as Ashalle thought it would, although the first-caught were among the smallest of the clan; they hadn't seen more than three summers. Tamlen and Fenarel were a good team, and they would be great hunters when they came of age, she thought. The captured prey were deposited on a log and the boys went back to the woods to find the rest of the children. She idly wondered how long it would take them to find Faleni and she went back her carving.

It was several hours later when Tamlen and Fenarel creeped towards her with anxious looks on their faces. Fenarel elbowed the other boy in the ribs; Tamlen winced and stepped forward, his head bowed in shame.

"Hahren Ashalle." His tone was full of respect and fear.

"Aneth ara da'len. What's wrong?"

"Emma'abelas Ashalle. Fenarel and I can't find Faleni." Tamlen scuffed the earth with one bare foot. Ashalle felt her heart stop, and she found herself unable to breathe.

"For how long?" She said when her tongue could move again. The lead boy looked over to Fenarel, who just nodded.

"Since the start of the game, actually." Tamlen said. He looked even more ashamed, his cheeks blushing crimson.

"For that long? But..." This couldn't be happening. They couldn't lose a child. She couldn't lose Faleni.

"The others got bored because we couldn't find her... so we started a new round... and, well, nobody's been able to find her. Tamlen and I decided to have another look around, but we haven't had any luck." Fenarel finally spoke, his voice wavered with unsurety.

"By the Creators! Have you notified Keeper Marethari?" Ashalle thought frantically. The Keeper has to know, what if the shemlan were responsible? A missing child could mean danger for the entire clan.

"We have Ashalle. She's sent out some hunters to look for her. But she told us that we must take responsibility and tell you ourselves." Fenarel answered.

"Ma serannas lethellin. I'm glad you told me. Let's hope they find her quickly." Ashalle was no hunter, as much as she wanted to go searching, there were no use for her skills in such a venture. But she ached to do something. Children were precious to the Dalish elvhen and Faleni doubly so to Ashalle. She had raised the girl from birth; Faleni's mother disappeared not long the girl was born and her father had died sometime before that. Ashalle herself never had any children and Faleni was the daughter she always wished for. To lose her because of a game was unthinkable. Ashalle mentally shook herself; such thoughts were unproductive. She went over to the Keeper's aravel to help with medical arrangements in case of injury. She prayed to Mythal that it wouldn't come to that.

Having discharged their duty to Ashalle, Tamlen and Fenarel set themselve the task of preparing for the hunters' return; setting out food and water as well new bundles of arrows should they be needed. The boys took their jobs seriously; they were honored to be helping the ranks they hoped to join one day, and trying to atone for losing Faleni. They looked alike, the two of them, could have been mistaken for each other if one didn't know better. The clan knew better. Tamlen was an energetic, restless boy. Mischief gleamed in his blue eyes and his short hair was shaggy from neglect. Fenarel was quieter, stronger, more steadfast. He took far more care in his manner and appearance than the impetuous Tamlen. They were fast friends, and seldom apart. Faleni, normally an unusually solitary child, would often join them in their adventures. Her disappearance was causing them almost as much consternation as it did Ashalle.

It was getting dark when the hunters started to return. Ashalle's fear grew as each hunter returned empty handed, stopping only long enough to grab food and water from the boys before heading back into the woods. She noted that they didn't refill their quivers, although she wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. She saw Paivel in the distance, heading towards the camp. She hadn't realized he had gone out. Their last storyteller had died recently, and since Paivel took his place he was released from hunting duties. Apparently his expertise was deemed necessary in the hunt; he was one of the best trackers in the clan.

A small shadow following in his wake detached itself from the storyteller and came into view. Ashalle gave a cry when she recognized the elf with flame-red hair. The child spotted Ashalle and with a sob of her own, went tearing towards her. When she reached the older elf, she wrapped her arms around Ashalle and buried her face in her skirt. Ashalle knelt down and gathered the weeping girl into her arms.

"Shh, shh... da'vhenan, it's all right. Ma derath. What happened? Where was she?" She looked up at Paivel, who shrugged.

"Not far. Hiding in the woods. And I didn't find her, she found me. I was on my way back to camp when she jumped out at me. Asked me if I'd seen the other len, because she was waiting for them to find her. I told her the game was over, and now all the hunters were looking for her." At this Felani, rubbing her eyes with a grimy hand, looked up.

"I didn't know the hunters were looking for me, mamae. They weren't calling my name."

"But you saw them go by?" Ashalle asked gently. The child nodded.

"Da'len, we're near a shemlen village. Nobody wanted to draw attention to ourselves. Or you." Paivel said sternly.

"Then why didn't they find me?"

"You hide too well, da'len." Faleni contemplated this statement for a second before yawning hugely. Ashalle picked up the sleepy child, and headed towards their aravel. "It's been a long day. Let's get some sleep, and in the morning, you can tell Tamlen and Fenarel that they need to work on their hunting skills." Faleni smiled slightly and let her head fall on Ashalle's shoulder.

Paivel looked over where Keeper Marethari stood in the shadows, watching the two retreat.

"Keeper. What do you think about all this? Turning the clan upside-down in search of a girl playing a game?"

"Storyteller, that da'len managed to keep herself hidden even from you. There's power there."

"Hmph." He snorted, "trouble, more likely."

"That too. But it has to find her first."