A Shadow Tribe Story
by: Yuuki Miyaka
Ebony sat on the branch, staring off into the woods as she thought. It hadn't been too long ago that she had talked to Winterleaf about keeping her mind on her job, but Ebony had to admit that it was a boring job. Guarding Wayfarer Holt was just not enjoyable, under any circumstances. But with the humans afraid to even come near the holt, the time passed even slower than normal.
She thought about how easy it had been to find a place within this tribe. With her skill at telling stories and remembering histories, she had found her own niche as the Storyweaver. And there were times, though not today, that she rivalled Shadowwalker as the Chief Hunter. But that was his niche, and for the most part, she really didn't want it. It was just fun, sometimes, to show him up, and pretend that she didn't know what she was doing. He was so easy to tease.
She thought about sharpening her knife, but knew that she needed her bow ready in case of an intruder. So far, no one had bothered to even come near the path since the discovery of Windrunner. She shivered quietly, trying to keep her balance and get the stiffness out of her legs. After all, she'd been up on this branch for about five hours, and she still had two to go.
It was amazing to Ebony that the other elves of the Holt had such an interesting pull over her. For two hundred years she had been on her own, with no one to depend on but herself. But now, things were different. She could count on others, yes, but they also had to count on her. The responsibility for the tribe scared her sometimes. She would die to protect them, she thought, afraid to have that tested.
Winterleaf was probably her favourite cub of the tribe. Blue Dolphin was still a bit young in Ebony's eyes, too much the prankster. She liked him, but she didn't always understand him. But Winterleaf, with her eagerness to please and her wobbly nature, had captured some small part of Ebony's heart. She would never tell the cub, but she often told Windrunner. And for his part, Windrunner agreed with Ebony, though he had found a similar kidnapper in Blue Dolphin.
Ebony turned her thoughts to her lifemate, surprising herself. She didn't often think of him these days. She was usually too busy. Hunting had been scarce recently, and she, Windrunner, and Shadowwalker worked together to provide for the tribe. Being usually on the hunt or guarding the holt, she didn't usually even see her lifemate. But she knew he was there, if she needed him.
Windrunner steadied her, made her better than what she was. With him around, she wasn't the volcano she had been in the past. At the same time, there were instances when all she wanted was for him to lose his temper completely and fight with her. But he didn't do that. They'd had a very rocky beginning, but that was taken care of now. Things between them had calmed, and they were steady, safe in each other's love. No more fits between them, no more jealousies or lies. That was the way a lifemating should go, she thought.
And then she saw Windrunner passing below her. Her head cocked to one side, and she sent to him, curious.
:Where are you headed, beloved?: She saw him start, surprised, and he looked up to where she was, finding her immediately. Early in their relationship, she had been afraid that she wasn't hiding well from him, but now she knew that it was just because he shared a special bond with her, allowing him to find her no matter what.
:I'm headed off to hunt. I'd invite you along, but I know you're busy.: She looked away from him, out over the tree branches. She wanted to go with him, and spend time with him.
:Let me know when you get in, will you?: Her plea surprised him, and with a quick lightness of foot, he scrambled up the tree to face her.
:We really haven't gotten to spend much time together lately, have we?: His question made her shiver. She could hear the pain in his thoughts as he realized this. She shook her head.
:Well, if I can bring in something big, we'll make up for that tonight. Otherwise, set Winterleaf on guard-duty tomorrow in your place, and come with me to hunt, okay?: With a smile and a kiss, he jumped down, landing silently on the forest floor beneath.
She smiled back at him, touching her lips, then turned back
to her duty, happy again.