Changelings

The Egg is confused. Aurek sighs in his seat inside his creation. It has just begun to reform after it fell. The meories, all the memories, are mixed and matched. It is his job to sort them, to set them right, but first he must know what is wrong with them. Floating over his creation, he sees a particularly tangled knot. He touches it and surrenders himslef, letting the images wash over him.

Blood rushing, hearts pumping. Wolves running, chasing, deer running, fleeing. The moon shining down, making dappled shadows on the forest floor. On deer hide. On wolf fur. On elfin skin.

The Pack leaps for the kill.

"UUAAAAAAHHH!!"

The Wolfriders pause. Quick as a thought, but silent as ever, they convey their confusion to their companions. What was that? A dark haired archer asks, his "voice" sharp, annoyed at the interruption. Another, female, hair shining pale in the moonlight, is the first to realize the answer. A child! she sends, puzzled. There is an elfin child!

Doe forgotten, the Wolfriders now hunt a far more precious prey. They search the tall grasses, stopping now and then to listen for more cries. It is Strongbow, the archer who first sent, that finds him.

Here, my chief. He sends, for though the prey is forgotten and will not be frightened of his voice, it is not his way to speak unnecessarily. A black-haired, roguish elf leans over Strongbow, flanked by the pale haired elfess, his lifemate, Joyleaf.

"Hahar!" Bearclaw laughs. "A fine cub!" And it is. Black hair, soft and new, covers the dark head. Now as, the Wolfriders gaze down at him, golden eyes opened and looked with surprising intelligence on his rescuers.

Golden eyes opened, and looked with intelligence down into the stream at the fish, swimming aimlessly.

Rayek flipped onto his back, supporting his head with his hands, and stared up at the treetops above him. Crescent? He sent, a faint line appearing between his thin brows.

Hmm? Came an answer from the girl, but her attention was obviously elsewhere. She had just spied a huge fish, one that provide a meal for at least three elves. She readied her fishing spear.

Why did they do it? Mother and Father, I mean. Why did they take me in? Why didn't they just leave me there?

Crescent dropped her spear.

She shot from the water, glaring. "What??! She yelled, the picture of indignation. "What kind of question is that? Of course they wouldn't leave you there! High Ones, Rayek, you're an elf - "

"But I'm not a Wolfrider..." He replied, sitting up to explain it to her. "I heard Foxfur say that I don't belong... because I don't have wolf blood."

"And you think that matters? Rayek, you're one of us." She climbed out of the stream, enveloping her adopted brother in a wet bear hug. " And nothing anyone says is gonna change that." She squeezed him tightly, reminding herself to give Foxfur a smack next time she saw her. The girl was too full of herself by half.

"Crescent..." Rayek said, grateful. Then his eyes widened. There - in the trees! Movement. And he doubted it was friendly. Not with that amount of noise. Run!

"What?" Crescent said, startled.

Humans! The other sent, struggling from her embrace. He grabbed her hand and ran - straight into a human hunter. Arms caught them both, and Rayek squirmed, looking upwards at their captor. Luminous golden eyes met dull brown ones, and time seemed to stop. Rayek could only stare, waiting to feel the blow of a club.

It did not come. After what felt like hours, he dared to try to push off the arm that held him. It fell limply to the human's side, and still the human did nothing. Without breaking eye contact, Rayek motioned for Crescent to run. She did so, and he followed, at first backing away, then running for all he was worth, laughing with the sheer joy of being alive.

TBC