This is a little story I started a while ago, and I'm not sure how far into it I'll get.

"Blah" is elf talk, /Blah\ is human talk, and [Blah] is Sending. ... Means a break in perspective, time, or sequence.

Disclaimer: Shockingly, nothing in the Elfquest series belongs to me.

Cutter laughed as he ran along the ground, chasing after Nightfall. It was simple fun of cubs, for they had no other troubles or worries to speak of, and they had already completed all of the tasks Joyleaf had given them. He hopped a log, jumped some bushes, and then stopped. He couldn't see Nightfall, not anywhere. He was just about to send for her when she fell out of the tree above him, tackling him to the ground.

"No fair, trees are off limits," he told her as they wrestled on the ground.

"Sure it is, if you're chasing me," she told him. She got up, letting him rise to his feet. She inspected her jacket. "Look at this," she told him, "a new rip, right through the sleeve."

"That's your problem," Cutter said. "Here, I'll give you a few seconds before I start chasing."

"Ahh, Cutter," she complained, "that's all we've done today. Let's play something else."

"Like what?" he asked.

"How about we play a trick on the humans?" she suggested. "I heard One-Eye telling Treestump about some new snares they were putting out, and we could go cut them."

"Yeah!" he agreed. "Where, though?"

"Probably near their camp," she said. "Let's go!"

The two young friends took off running again, not aware that they were being watched.

...

"Here's one!" Cutter said later, looking at a vine stretched taught between a tree and a bush. He pulled out his knife and severed it with one swing.

"And another!" Nightfall exclaimed, cutting the one she had found. "I think I see another here," she said, reaching for it.

Cutter looked up just then, and was too late in his warning. "No Nightfall, not that vine!"

She grabbed it, and was immediately pulled into the air. It was a hoop-snare, and she was caught, suspended two spans above the ground by her wrist. "Oh," she cried, "it hurts! Cutter, look out!"

He whipped around just in time to see seven burly humans materialize from the surrounding forest. /Stay back,\ he told them, his quivering hand brandishing his small knife.

They looked at him, and, laughing, ran forward, stabbing at him with their spears. Only reflexes saved his life, but he still got a nasty gash along his arm. He looked over to see one menacing Nightfall, smiling to himself as she tried to avoid his spear. The human reached out with his hand to grab her…and he screeched with pain as a silver flash that was Felix's knife cut off his hand. The older youth jumped, cut the vine that was holding Nightfall, and pushed Cutter behind him.

"Cutter, get Nightfall and go!" he shouted, knocking aside a spear and slashing at the offending human, who jumped back smartly.

"I can't leave you here to fight alone!" Cutter called to him, as he helped Nightfall to her feet. He was about to rush forward when Felix pivoted and kicked him in the gut, knocking him back a few paces.

"Get out of here cubs!" Felix shouted at them again, jumping to the side to block off a human who was trying to circle around him. This time they went, with Nightfall helping Cutter along as well as she was able. They were both crying, and sending back to the Holt for help. Someone answered, but the two were in too much shock to give much help. As they staggered away, Cutter looked back to see Felix, ringed by six of the humans, bleeding from several cuts. He noted, with very small satisfaction, that one was lying on the ground, trying to hold the skin on his chest closed.

Perhaps half a minute later, Bearclaw and Treestump jumped out of a tree. "Where is Felix?" the Chief demanded. All they could do was mumble and point, and the two experienced elves raced off.

...

Things were going badly for Felix. He had managed to down another two humans, but he had a slash crossing over his left eye and numerous others on his body, and he was beginning to have trouble focusing. He slashed wearily at a spear, chopping off its point, but missed the second one that stuck in his leg. He screamed, and quickly dispatched its owner before he fell to his knees. Just as the humans were coming in for the final blow, the reinforcements arrived, howling and dealing death mercilessly. Moments later, the forest was quiet again, except for Felix's ragged breath.

"Sorry Bearclaw," he told him. "I shouldn't have let them get so far from the Holt."

"Quiet now," his chief told him. "You fought well enough, and things can't be changed now." The elf looked up, and sent to the Holt [Rain, hurry! Felix would be lucky to live even if you were already here!]

Treestump was bent over Felix, and said to Bearclaw, "He's just passed out, and we need to stop the bleeding. Help me with the spear." The two did what they had to do, making quick bandages out of Felix's torn and ripped clothes. They also managed to pull the spear out of Felix's leg, who chose that moment to wake up and begin screaming.

[Quiet yourself,] Treestump sent to him. [We'll be lucky if their whole cursed camp doesn't come by after all that racket without you helping the problem!]

[Sorry, Treestump,] the young elf sent back feebly, [It just hurts so much! I don't think... that I can… I can…] the sending cut off as he lost consciousness again.

"Poor Felix," Treestump growled, "he's still only a cub by my standards, and look what happened to him. Where's that bark-biting healer?"

[Hoy, Bearclaw!] Rain sent, coming into the small clearing. They got out of his way, and he bent over the body. [Not sure how well I can Heal him, he's lost a lot of blood.]

[Whatever you do, do it quickly,] Bearclaw sent sharply, [otherwise he'll be dead before you start.] He stepped back as the Healing began, watching the surrounding brush with Treestump. What a way to end what would have been a human-free season!

...