A Shadow Tribe Story
Chapter One
by: Yuuki Miyaka
**Note: This story takes place approximately sixteen years after Foolish Games. For those of you keeping track, Ebony and Windrunner have been lifemates for about fifteen and a half years and Laughter, Ebony's cub, is about fourteen years old.**
Ebony grinned at her cubling. Although the two had little enough in common, they loved each other dearly, and it was that love that prompted Ebony to tousle the cub's hair now. Laughter just wrinkled her nose, hugging her mother softly. Ebony's harsh face softened. In the past sixteen years, the storyweaver had found more than simple companionship here. She had found a true home, filled with friends and family she loved. And speaking of family, she turned to Windrunner, looking at him solemnly. Once she had accepted him as part of her life, she found that she didn't want to leave him. Not even to hunt.
But she enjoyed hunting, and she would drive him insane if she chose to be beside him every moment. So she held out her hand, and he took it, pulling her to him. "Hurry back," he whispered into her hair, and she curled around him.
"I won't be long. And I'll find us something good for the tribemeet tonight." The brush of her cheek along his, and then she was out of his arms, laughing as she ran into the forest. He watched her go, smiling gently before turning back to the Holt. Laughter grabbed his hand, walking with him.
Ebony tossed her curls, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. She was getting tired of staying still, but the deer was not quite in her range, and its ears pricked every time she moved, so she couldn't get closer. She waited, breathing slowly and quietly. And suddenly, there was a crash from behind her. She jumped, and the deer sped off, running far from her post. Mumbling her curses softly, she turned, and her breath stopped.
It was huge. Talons as long as her arm and thick as her waist adorned each of its four paws. Its teeth were long, and glittered sharply in the sunlight. Yellow-green eyes traced her every movement, and she held her breath. The skin it wore seemed to be a distressing conglomeration of scales, fur, and feathers. In fact, it seemed a disturbing mix of snake, jackal, and vulture. It sniffed the air once, and then spoke into her head.
::Elf,:: it said, and Ebony swallowed heavily. ::I know your kind. It was your kind that created me.:: Under its Sending, she could feel the heavy anger. It didn't want to exist, and blamed her for it. ::You will pay now.:: Ebony was frightened. The creature's anger was so bright that the Sending was painful, and she didn't know if her skills were sufficient to protect her and the tribe.
The tribe! If the creature hated elves as much as she believed, then the tribe, *her* tribe, was in danger. She couldn't accept that. There was nothing else to do. She had to destroy the creature before it could hurt her family.
::What are you?:: she asked, trying to stall as she considered how to attack. There was no way an aggressive attack would work. The creature would only go on the defensive, and with claws and teeth like that, Ebony wouldn't last a moment. She knew it, too.
At her question, the creature regarded her curiously. And then the animosity grew to evil malevolence. It didn't answer, but instead swiped at her with one of it's paws. With a cry of startled terror, Ebony leapt out of its way, and the talons missed her by a good bit. She responded by pulling out her sword, pretending that it wasn't quite as small as it truly was. She was worried now.
Blowing some curls out of her eyes, she leapt again, attacking the creature's arm. She got a good swipe in before the creature backhanded her. She hit the tree, and slid down, falling to the ground gasping, wondering how many ribs were broken, and whether Winterleaf knew how to set them properly. Desperate to catch her breath, she didn't see the creature's good paw come down until it had swiped at her legs. The talons caught her on the top of her shins, and deep gashes appeared.
Ebony tried to stand, hoping to think past the pain. But it was no use. She couldn't move beyond her knees, and kneeling, she looked up at the beast. It would kill her now, and there was nothing she could do about it . . . .