Elfquest Alternaverse: The Rescue
Under the rule of their enigmatic Chief Bearclaw, the wolf-riders experienced peace for the first time. The humans were gone, but the scares they had left on the tribe ran deep. Shale, EyesHigh, Crescent and Snapper were gone, never to return. But the tribe was swelling again. Cutter, Beraclaws own cub had been born, to keep the young Skywise company. Then Nightfall, Scouter and finally the delicate Dewshine followed, bringing the sound of cubs ring laughter and happy squeals to the holt again.
Time moved on and the cubs were raised in a happier time, a safer time. And yet that peace could not last. For the humans came back, as always and the war started up again. Cutter, the young cub of Chief Bearclaw, tried to talk to them, but almost lost his life in the process. Now Cutter is a few turns older and none too happy at the way his tribe babies him, treating him like the cub he was rather than the young warrior he was turning into.
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"It's not fair Skywise!" Cutter complained loudly, thumping his fist on Nightrunner's shoulder. "I never get to go hunting, or scouting or ANYWHERE without someone with me!"
Skywise held back a laugh at his young friend, "They're just looking out for you Cutter, with the humans around it's not safe anymore, not for anyone."
Cutter just scowled and urged his wolf-friend deeper into the forest, Skywise sighed and followed, knowing he would never hear the end of it if he let him go alone. They rode in silence for a while, keeping eyes peeled for any sighs of humans on the holts borders, or prey they could catch for the tribe. Cutter's mood had been getting worse and worse over the weeks, he was still young, but refused to be treated as a cub like that of Nightfall, Scouter and Dewshine. Skywise shook his head as he followed Cutter. He would get better soon, when he got a bit older and was aloud on hunts and to go outside the borders.
Skywise looked up as Cutter suddenly froze, all his attention on something up ahead. Skywise strained his senses, trying to hear or smell what it was that had caught his young friend's attention.
-A dear- Cutter sent, his eyes lighting up at the thought of a chase. –Lets catch it!-
-Lead the way, oh Chief- Skywise sent back with a smirk.
Cutter sent him a glare before drawing his knife and urging Nightrunner into a sudden run, crashing out of a bush, right in front of the dear. It stated and bolted, the two young elves howled and gave chase, grins plastered over their faces. The chase was swift but short as Cutter rounded in front of the fleeing animal and Skywise came in from behind, Cutter's knife was swift and the kill clean.
"Good hunting, brother" Skywise crowed as Cutter bent to wipe his knife clean on the grass. "Now let's get this thing tied onto a stretcher so we can drag it back to the holt."
Cutter grinned at his friend, "The tribe will be happy, we have fresh meat and an easy hunt. No danger at all."
Skywise laughed and helped Cutter make a stretcher out of branches, they were just lashing the dear to it when their wolves suddenly stood to attention, ears going flat as the bared their teeth and growled.
-What is it?- Both elves asked.
But there was no need to answer for they could smell them now, humans. They were all around and the two elves could only watch as they melted out of the bushes, spears lowered and knives at the ready. Cutter gulped bringing his knife up as Skywise tensed next to him, his small sword already out.
-Fhar? What do we do now?-
The humans rushed them, war-cries on their lips and hate in their hearts.
-FIGHT!- Skywise cried, lunging in to stab a human and dodged another's spear.
Cutter threw himself into the battle as the humans poured into the clearing but he knew very quickly that, even with the help of the wolves, there was no way they could win. He and Skywise retreated slowly, losing ground until they were cornered against the trunk of a huge tree, only just keeping the humans at bay. Cutter got desperate, slashing wildly at the humans and their spears, fighting for his life. He barely registered the wild sending's Skywise flung out to the tribe.
-Bearclaw! Help! The humans! There's too many, and Cutter's here! Help My Chief! We need help!-
His sending broke off as a spear pierced his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. He dropped to the ground as the spear pulled out. He glanced up to see a human standing over him, knife raised for the killing stroke.
-FHAR!-
Cutter's knife slashed the humans throat and he dropped at his feet. The young elf stood over his friend, fighting for both their lives. But the humans were many and Skywise couldn't fight. Finally a human swept Cutters feet out from under him, his boot pinned the elf to the ground and his spear aimed at his chest. The world seemed to slow for Skywise, he opened his mouth to scream, to do something anything. Suddenly an arrow burred its self in the man's chest and he fell slowly to the floor. There was silence, the sound of the man's spear hitting the ground was all that was heard. The humans looked at each other confusion over taking the blood lust. Then another arrow sprouted in a warrior's throat, then another and another. Three men hit the ground before the humans swung into action. Their spears aimed at a tree now, as a young elf maiden leapt into view. She fired an arrow from her bow as she fell, taking down another warrior. She landed rolled and loosed another arrow. A spear shot forward and pierced the air where she had just been, the spears owner fell as a huge grey wolf tore his throat out.
Skywise and Cutter launched themselves into action then, hauling themselves onto their wolves and continuing the fight. The stranger had whittled down the numbers of humans but the odds were still great and the rest of the tribe still far away. The humans pressed closer and the elf maiden drew her sword, her bow going into a sheath on her wolfs side. The girl fought just as well with her sword as she did with her bow and the human numbers decreased. Unfortunately this made them more efficient as they no longer had to watch out for each other. The three elves were encircled again, their backs to the tree. Cutter was tiring fast and Skywise was losing blood.
-Run.- The girl sent. –I'll hold them off so you can get away. Take Shadowdance with you-
-NO! We fight together- Skywise insisted as he slumped over Starjumper.
The elf maiden turned, her emerald eyes burning into theirs.
-GO! Go now! I can take care of myself but I can't do it with you getting in the way. Go find your tribe and bring help.-
Skywise nodded and Cutter gaped at him. Skywise just shook his head and urged Starjumper forward, slashing through the wall of humans, Cutter hesitated and followed, the strangers wolf at his side. To their shock, the humans let them go, concentrating on the girl still trapped in their circle. The two friends raced off, following the sending's of their tribe.
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By the time they found the tribe Skywise was only half conscious, blood loss making him week. Bearclaw rushed forward.
"What happened!" He demanded.
"Not now Father!" Cutter snapped. "There's a girl, we have to save her!"
"What?" Bearclaw looked at him in confusion. "There are no elf girls missing from the tribe. Come, we must get back to the holt. Skywise needs Rain."
"NO!"
Cutter sent to the whole tribe his mind throwing his memories at them, shoving them into their heads.
"We have to save her!"
"Woodlock, take Skywise. Get him to Rain, Cutter, go with the-"
"NO! I fight with you!"
"OK."
Cutter blinked in shock but turned to the outsider wolf.
"Shadowdance, lead us to your elf friend."
The dark grey wolf barked and jumped away, racing into the bushes.
"Follow that wolf!" Bearclaw cried, and the warriors dashed after him, hurtling through the trees towards the human camp.
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The elves hid in the bushes, keeping their wolves quiet. They were at the edge of the humans' camp gazing in as the humans dragged the captured elf to their leader. The elves all tensed, the girl was so young, probably only a turn or two older than Cutter. Yet the humans had beaten her bloody, cuts and scratches laced her back and shoulders, blood dripping down one leg and her head bleeding from a slash above her eyebrow.
"Why does it not cry?" snarled the human leader. "I want to hear it scream in pain!"
The humans holding the girl shrugged and dragged her to her feet as another approached with a length of knotted rope. He swung the rope carelessly and at a nod from their leader he swung it at the elf, letting it whip across her face, causing her head to snap to the side and blood to gush from her nose and lip. Cutter lunged forward but Bearclaw shoved him back.
-Wait! We have to do this right- Bearclaw turned to his tribe as the humans beat the girl. -Strongbow Joyleaf. Cover us with bows. Redlance take the right flank, Pike take the left. Then rest of you, charge with me. On my mark-
The elves climbed aboard their wolves grimly, watching as a human cut long, strait slashes deep into the girls arm. Yet still she did not cry out, or even utter a whimper of pain. Cutter watched, horrified.
-NOW!-
The Wolf-Riders burst from the bushes, howling and snarling as they swept through the camp. The humans cried and scattered before them as they charged forward. Falling and scrabbling to get out of their path the humans were cut down. Shadowdance lunged in, tearing the throat from the man torturing her elf-friend. Strongbow killed the humans holding her, rushing forward to drag the girl in front of him. As quickly as they had come, the Wolf-Riders left. Yet as they rushed out, the girl on Strongbows wolf, lunged forward, grabbing a sword from one of the humans who was rushing to stop them.
-That's mine- She sent at the human, and slashed his throat.
The elves raced away, heading for the holt and leaving the humans with many dead and nothing gained for it.
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The light hurt Bladesong's eyes as she opened them, she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her sight and mind at the same time. She was lying down, her skin touched fur and her back felt hard wood. She looked around her as her vision cleared, she was on a stretcher, in a clearing of trees and all around her stood elves, all paring down at her.
"Bearclaw!" Called the young blonde cub she had saved, "she's awake!"
"Back off all of you, let the cub breath" Bearclaw walked forward as all but Strongbow, who sat at Bladesong's head, moved away. Bladesong sat up slowly and nodded her head to Bearclaw.
"Hello cub, back in the land of the living eh?" Bearclaw grinned down at her, appraising her slowly.
-Yes, Chief Bearclaw. Thanks to you and your tribe.-
Bearclaw nodded "Rain patched you up" He jerked his head at the gentle healer.
-My thanks, brother-
-It was my pleasure cub, an unknown elf is a rear thing to us-
-As it is to me-
-Who are you?- Strongbow sent, -Where are you from and where is your tribe?-
Bladesong sighed –My name is Bladesong, I am a Wolf-Rider. My tribe is gone-
"Tell us everything" Bearclaw insisted. And so she did, with a locksend she showed the whole tribe.
She showed them her tribe, splitting off from the tribe that had followed Two-Spear. The tribe finding their own holt, away from the humans. The holt growing as more elves were born. A small group of strange, dark skinned elves (Only four) who said they had travelled to look for more elves soon joined them. The recognition between the Chief (Two-Spears son Redback) and one of the dark elves, Ana-mei. The birth of Sharp-Tongue the next Chief. The tribe growing larger again. The recognition of Sharp-Tongue and Softtouch. The brith of their Son, Littleflame. The tribe as it moved through the years. Littleflames daughter Sureshot became Chieftress, followed by her Daughter Moonsglow who was also a healer. Then the humans came and deaths happened more regularly. Then Moonsglow recognised Quickstrike and Bladesong was born, Blood of nine Chiefs. She had lived at war with humans until one day there was nothing the tribe could do. The humans came, slaughtering all and when the dust and smoke had cleared she was lying under her mother. The only one left alive.
-So I took my Mothers bow, my father's sword and anything else I could carry and left. I found Shadowdance a few turns later. I knew the Wolf-Riders of Skyfire's line must be out here somewhere so that's what I went looking for. And now I've finally found you.-
The tribe was silent as they took in the history of their relatives, ones they hadn't even known existed.
"There's two things I have to ask" Bearclaw said as her story ended "Firstly, do you know what happened to the rest of Two-Spears tribe?" Bladesong shook her head. "Ok then what happened to your voice?"
Bladesong face became a blank mask.-What do you mean? I haven't spoken to you?-
Bearclaw frowned at her "I know, what I mean is why can't you talk?"
At the sudden closed expression on the girls face Cutter rushed to explain. "When Rain healed you he saw it. Something's stopping you from speaking, your voice isn't gone he says, just blocked off. Like something's holding it back, but he couldn't get it back for you. Sorry."
-Thats ok- she sent slowly, -my voice has been gone for a few turns now. I lost it about two turns before I lost my tribe-
"But..." Cutter frowned "How did you lose your voice? Rillfisher lost her hearing by fever, but I didn't know you could lose a voice."
-I didn't lose it through normal means, it was magic. But don't worry about it. It's gone and it's not coming back.- The tone she used imply that the discussion was over and Cutter hurriedly dropped it.
-What does speaking matter when you can send?- Strongbow sent with a shrug. –It just means your presence here won't cause a fuss- He gave the young elf a smile.
Bladesong smiles back hesitantly.
"I owe you cub" Bearclaw said with a grin, "You saved two of my tribe today, my own cub included"
Bladesong shrugged.
"You're welcome to stay with us, make this your tribe if you wish" Joyleaf offered.
Bladesong pushed her wild brown hair out of her eyes and looked around at the tribe. The cubs all looked excited at the thought of a new friend, the elders smiled in assurance, the healer Rain was more concerned with healing Skywise's shoulder, the younger elves all grinned at her. Only two were different, Strongbow was examining her every move and a young elf maiden with black hair and purple eyes was eyeing how close she was to Storngbow.
Bladesong smiled at Joyleaf -I'd like that-
OK and that's all for now. This is going to be a rather long saga like story. Something akin to the Alternavers stories about Swift, the female version of Cutter, for those who haven't read it I would suggest you look it up. It's worth it.