This story takes place between Cutter and Leetah's first joining and the celebration of their union in the Sun Village in ElfQuest Book One. All characters belong to Wendy and Richard Pini, neither of whom is me. I did not make these elves up; I only borrowed them for my own (non profit) use, without permission. Thanks for reading. Constructive comments are welcomed :)
Dreamberry Scheming
"So, can you do it?" asked Pike, eyes darting around to make sure they weren't overheard.
"I think so. I made a plant sprout for Minyah the other day, and it wasn't that hard. And I've been practicing on the sticker plants outside of the village. I'd love to try my hand at shaping something from the old Holt," replied Redlance wistfully. He was obviously excited by the prospect.
"Good. Then meet me near the caves later, and don't let anyone know about it if you can help it." Pike winked conspiratorially and turned to wander back to the Sun Village.
Redlance knelt down and felt the soil, trying to assess whether it would be fertile enough to support plants from the old Holt, but his powers were new to him and he wasn't sure yet what the extent of his abilities might be. For now, he would have to give it his best try and hope to the High Ones it would work out. Taking the opposite path from Pike, he went out just beyond the edge of the village to where he had been practicing on the sticker plants. There was a whole patch of them all bent into strange shapes at his fancy. They weren't yet exactly as he'd envisioned them, but he was gaining a little more control with each practice session, and he could feel his powers growing within him.
"Someday, little sticker plants, you will be a grand play-Holt for Cutter's cubs, and Rainsong and Woodlock's as well. Someday." He patted the nearest plant lovingly, carefully avoiding the sharp spines.
"There you are, lifemate! I've been looking everywhere for you since you and Pike disappeared from the village. What have you been up to?"
Redlance turned, startled by Nightfall's voice. She was indeed a huntress; even his sharp ears had failed to notice her approaching from behind. As he spun, he caught the side of his hand on one of the sticker plant's spines, a long scratch opening in its wake.
"Nightfall! You startled me-oww!"
"Oh, your hand, beloved! I didn't mean to make you cut yourself on the sticker plant spine."
"It's nothing," replied Redlance, carefully rubbing the injured hand. "Nothing to even bother Leetah over. It'll soon be less than a memory."
"Why don't you just shape the spines away? I'm sure you could do it, now."
"Don't want to change the nature of the plants," answered the tree shaper simply. "They're born with spines; I was born with a hide that spines can scratch. It's part of who we both are."
Nightfall smiled at her gentle lifemate. "Will you practice some more tonight?"
"No, I think I'll go back to the village with you. There's no rush for me to work on these."
Redlance's last statement caused Nightfall to wonder if perhaps there was something else that did require her lifemate to rush to work on it, but she didn't press him about it. They didn't keep secrets from one another, and if there was something on Redlance's mind, he would tell her.
That afternoon Redlance met Pike near the entrance to the Wolfriders' caves as promised. As the sun made its unchanging way across the sky, they crept away into the lengthening shadows. Nightfall was just returning from visiting Leetah and Cutter in the village, and happened to notice the pair, though they did not notice her as she discreetly followed them through along the edge of the rocky outcropping encircling Sorrow's End.
When Nightfall caught up to Redlance and Pike, the two were huddled around something Nightfall couldn't quite make out on the ground. It was very small, a mere speck even to her keen vision. She watched quietly as her lifemate knelt next to the speck, tenderly buried it in the loose, sandy soil and stretched out his hands, palms down, over it. Nightfall knew Redlance was deep in concentration, using his tree shaping powers on something… but what?
Nightfall shifted and her foot moved, making the sand beneath her shift. The sound was nearly imperceptible, but to a Wolfrider, it was clear as day. Pike jumped up and whirled around in alarm, eyes darting about for any sign of intruders, ears pricked to attention. Pike's sudden movement startled Redlance from his near-trance, and he, too, stood to see what was going on.
"Oh, it's you, Nightfall," Pike said, relaxing slightly. "Is there anyone else with you?"
"No, it's just me. What are you two up to out here? Redlance?"
Redlance looked at the ground a little guiltily. He had kept his meeting with Pike secret, even from his own lifemate, something he had never done before.
"Well, you'd better just come and see then," Redlance said, not meeting Nightfall's eyes.
Nightfall walked over and bent down to see what Redlance had been working on. There was only the merest hint of a plant poking up from beneath the soil, but the two tiny leaves it bore did look familiar…
"What is it?" Nightfall asked in wonder. She was surprised that Redlance had kept any secret at all from her, but this seemed innocent enough and she wasn't angry.
"What else?" asked Pike excitedly.
"You mean… no! Really, Pike?"
"Yep! Stuck some seeds in my belt pouch before we left!" The rosy-cheeked elf grinned down at Nightfall.
Nightfall whistled a low note of awe. "I've got to hand it to you, Pike, that's true devotion to your love." As she stood up and moved to stand with Pike off to the side, Redlance took his place once more.
Hours later, the sun was nearing the horizon and Redlance was finally finished helping the plant to grow. He was exhausted with the effort, but also incredibly proud of himself. Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, he declared, "It's done, Pike. This is the best I can do with the thin soil and little moisture here in the desert."
Pike reached down and plucked one of the berries from near the top of the little bush. Popping it into his mouth, he contemplated for a moment, then replied, "Perfect! Redlance, you did it!"
Redlance smiled in satisfaction at Pike's praise. Soon, he, Pike, and Nightfall were all sampling the berries together, and having a grand time of it. They barely noticed when the first pale colors of dawn began to glow on the horizon.
"Whoa, look at the sky," said Pike. "When did it get to be morning already?"
Their revelries halted momentarily, Redlance glanced at the bush. His eyes grew wide as he scanned its branches. "Where did all the berries go!?" He stood up from where he had been lounging on the ground with Nightfall and lurched forward dizzily. They had all had quite a few of the potent berries that night.
Nightfall held out a hand to steady her lifemate. The two of them circled the bush while Pike stayed put on the ground. It had been a while since he'd felt so intoxicated, and he didn't quite trust himself to stand. He sat there giggling as his companions finished their survey of the bush.
"Well, some present this will be. There's not one berry left on it! And I doubt I can make any more grow now," said Redlance.
"Present? You never mentioned any present," replied Nightfall.
"Oh, this bush is a present for Cutter and Leetah, for their joining!" announced Pike loudly. "But don't tell, it's a surprise." He winked at Nightfall and she smiled back, promising not to breathe a word about the bush to anyone, Wolfrider or Sun Villager.
"What's a surprise?" came a chorus of voices from out of the darkness. "And where have you three been? You'll miss the celebration in the village!" It was at least half of the Wolfriders, on their way down from the caves to where the Sun Villagers had prepared a grand celebration in honor of Cutter and Leetah's joining.
Though only moments before his head had been foggy with the effects of too many of the berries, Redlance suddenly felt completely sober again. All his effort, wasted! The berries had indeed been perfect. So perfect that the three of them had finished every one, leaving none for Cutter and his new lifemate. And now, half the tribe knew about it, to boot!
As the other elves crowded around and Pike relayed the story, Redlance wandered off, trying to think of what to do. Nightfall followed him, and eventually they ended up at Redlance's little grove of sticker plants. Nightfall waited patiently as her lifemate walked among the plants, caressing them and breathing in the cooler air around them, taking strength from the magical aura that surrounded them. Finally, he returned to her and, hand in hand, they returned to the little bush and the crowd of Wolfriders surrounding it.
"What are you going to do?" asked Pike, as Redlance approached.
"I'm going to fix it," replied Redlance simply. His determined look brooked no argument from the crowd.
The small crowd instinctively stepped back, giving Redlance space to work. He knelt once more by the bush and put his hands over it. Drawing on reserves of strength and magic he hadn't realized he possessed, Redlance concentrated not on growing the bush, but on helping it to produce berries. The plant seemed, at first, to resist all his efforts, as if it knew that it had produced a full crop already tonight and was too tired to do any more until the next season.
But finally, slowly, a few small, pale, green berries began to appear, barely visible among the leaves. The assembled Wolfriders watched in awe as the berries appeared, swelled, and ripened to a luscious purple before their eyes. Finally, a trembling Redlance collapsed next to the bush. Nightfall rushed to his side, relieved to find her lifemate only exhausted, not injured.
Treestump was first to break the silence, letting out an elated howl, then quickly stifling it as the others joined in. Redlance sat up, supported by Nightfall, as his tribe mates crowded around, offering their congratulations and each trying just one of the berries.
"Someone should go get Cutter, before they're all gone again," said Redlance with a smile.
"I'll go and fetch Cutter and Leetah, beloved," said Nightfall.
"I want to go too!" chimed in Dart.
"And I," added Dewshine. "I want to see my cousin's face when he finds out about this."
The three dashed off to find the new lifemates. The celebration in the village was going strong when they arrived, and would continue long into the night. Nightfall, Dart, and Dewshine approached their Chief and Leetah and pulled them to their feet.
"Come on, both of you. We have something to show you!" said Nightfall.
"Huh? What-?" was Cutter's startled reply.
"It's a present! You're not going to believe it!" added Dewshine.
Dart tugged at Leetah's gown as they made their way from the village to the small crown of Wolfriders awaiting them near the cliffs surrounding the village. "Here they are!" he cried as they approached.
Redlance, still exhausted, but smiling, and stood with Skywise, Scouter, and Newstar in front of the bush, hiding it from view. "Well, don't just stand there cubs--! Show em!!" called Treestump.
"What do you think it is?" whispered Leetah in Cutters ear.
"I'm almost afraid to guess!" was Cutters whispered response.
A grinning crowd stepped aside, revealing the bush. Leetah looked at it curiously, but Cutter howled "Ayooah! Dreamberries! How did you ever--?!!
It's Redlance's doing!" explained Treestump.
"Aha! You grand son of a tree shaper! I knew your powers would show up some day!! Cutter hugged Redlance, nearly knocking the tired tree shaper over. "But I thought Dreamberries didn't grow in the desert!"
"They don't! But Pike stuck some seeds in his belt pouch!"
"Ha hah! Pike! With the forest burning down around his ears -- he couldn't forget his one true love!! Where is he, anyway?"
"Oh," said Skywise, with a glance over his shoulder, "Just making sure the berries are ripe enough."
From behind the bush came Pike's voice. "hic... purfek!"