Moonshade sat at the grass bank near the running river, she sighed heavily, try as she might inspiration would not hit her. The whole tribe depended on her to make them new leathers, and she was the only person with the knowledge to do so, and yet all she could do was sit here and daydream, she could not explain why but she felt as if there was an invisible force pulling her away from her den, away from her equipment, but what? The call had grown stronger the last couple of days, it had gotten so bad she couldn't sleep, eat, do anything! All she could do was sit beside herself and listen to the voice inside her screaming to get away. Bearclaws hunting party was close, she could hear them, the delicious smell of tusk hog wafted through the air, that and something else! Humans! And close to! She had to get away... but where could she hide? What if the hunters were too busy with their kill to sense the humans? No! She mustn't hide, she must warn the hunters, quickly and gracefully as a deer she leapt up into the tree's taking cover in the cool thick leaf shade, darting from tree to tree she kept her eye out for the fast approaching humans, expecting them to jump out and grab her at any moment. Eventually she reached the hunting party, she wanted to warn them, but something made her stop, stop and watch them. Hours later Moonshade had forgotten all about the humans, all her thoughts were off hunting; this was stupid she told herself, she was the peaceful tanner of the tribe, she knew nothing of hunting...then... why was she so interested? Moonshade was so absorbed by the hunt that she failed to notice the two pairs of gleaming green eyes watching her in the nearby thicket. After that day Moonshade found herself spending every day carefully studying the hunt, she watched the animals, she learnt there ways, keeping careful to keep out of site of her fellow wolfriders. Never before had she been so involved with something, and yet she did not know why, here in her tree the force was strongest, it made her feel warm and safe, like after a nice tribe meal.
Kaldre and Tunmay were pleased with selves, for the past ten days they had been secretly spying on a demon, from what they had she was often to be seen alone at the top of an old oak tree or at a shallow lake, she had the darkest hair and the most beautiful purple eyes Kaldre had ever seen. The shaman said that they were in order to enchant then hypnotise them and that they were not to look in to them for more than 12 seconds or else their souls would be lost to the demons.
The howl, the howl of the hunt. Moonshade woke with a start, was it really hunt time already? Groggily she pulled on her leathers and went outside; Woodhue was racing round the stream with dancewind, Redmark was gathering the wild whistling leaves, most probably for Rain and Joyleaf was nursing Shadowsheans soar paw. Moonshade slipped down the tree and joined the others, "Bearclaw," said Moonshade. "Could i go with the hunting party today?"
"You Moonshade?" Bearclaw blinked, in all his days never had Moonshade wanted to hunt, but there's always a first for everything. "Ok if you want... do you have a bow?" "Oh!" Moonshade felt foolish, "Umm, no"
"That's ok, you can borrow Rains, come on then." Moonshade followed quietly taking in every sense, every sound, smell, sight. She was amazed watching was something but doing is something else, it had looked so easy, never had she been so wrong. She was terrible, elves like Strongbow and Bearclaw were so talented, there arrows never missed and yet here she was less than three minutes into the chase and she had broken the string of the bow, she felt as if she didn't belong here, she wanted to turn away, but she couldn't, here the invisible force was strongest, she felt pulled to join in to... to what? That was the question she kept asking herself. Bearclaw having noticed how much she was struggling decided to get Strongbow to re-tie the bow string, Moonshade froze, what was wrong with her? Why did she suddenly feel as if she was in a heat wave? As Strongbow approached she thought she was going to faint, the force tugged at her, nearly throwing onto Strongbow never before had she felt like this. As he tied the string all Moonshade could do was stare blankly at him unable to talk, it was only when he handed the bow back to her that it happened, desperately trying to say something she locked eye's with him, so deep, such a strange sensation...***W..Wyl?!?****
***Eyrn????? Soul meets soul when eyes meet eyes*** Moonshade couldn't say anything, recognition! And with Strongbow, but he is so sure of himself, they are opposites in every way! These were the thoughts that were racing through her head. But her heart was saying something different, it yearned for Wyl, screamed his name. Then before she knew it, he was gone. And she was left, standing there, staring after him.
Suddenly Moonshade became aware of the others looking at her with open mouths. It was Bearclaw who broke the everlasting silence. "You and Strongbow...did you...." But words failed him, they failed everyone. Sullenly they returned to the holt, Moonshade was disappointed to discover that Wyl wasn't there, after many hours alone in her den she decided to go find him, carefully she backtracked the scent until she came to a clearing, there in front of her sat Strongbow, never before had she seen his face show so much emotion, he was scared, no, terrified as if his worst nightmare had come true. It pained her to see him like this.
***Wyl?*** she sent.
***DONT CALL ME THAT! ***
"But...but...."
*** BUT NOTHING! GO AWAY! ***
"I just wanted to..."
*** Didn't you hear me? Go away!! Or is your stupid mind to small to grasp that? High ones out of all the elves why did it have to be you? The most annoying, boring, whiniest elf in history! **** The moment Strongbow finished his send, he knew he shouldn't have. Those huge purple eyes of hers filled with tears, her saw her very soul shatter from the hate of his sending, he wanted to apologise but his pride would not let him, and so he was forced to watch a crying Moonshade mount flipback and ride slowly back to the holt.
Nobody saw Strongbow return to the Holt, it was only at dusk that Clearbrook saw him leave his den and slip out into the forest, quietly she followed. "Moonshade returned ever so upset last day, you didn't have anything to do with that did you?" Strongbow turned surprised to see Clearbrook. "What did you say to her? I've never seen her so upset!"
***Nothing!***. Clearbrook gave him an ice cold stare. ***Ok, maybe I told her that she was the most annoying, boring, whiniest elf in history and that one's out of all the elves why did it have to be her. ***
"STRONGBOW! How could you say something so mean to her?!"
***I didn't mean it, I was confused, scared, I just wanted to be alone to get my head round it all. ***
"Still I suggest that you apologise!"And with that clearbrook left leaving behind a trail of guilt ridden thoughts for Strongbow.
Kaldre and Tunmay had made up their minds, today they would capture the demon, they would wear hannoways special potion that would leave them odourless and wait in the reeds for her.
Moonshade sat at the lake, furiously she wiped the tears from her face, mad that she had let them fall again, no wonder Strongbow hated her, she was weak, shy and worthless, the whole tribe would do much better if she was dead! Suddenly she saw a movement behind the reeds, oh why did i have to think that she thought, the next thing she knew two humans jumped out at her, one with a large heavy club in hand, the other with a bow and arrows, before she could run a sharp pain seared through her body, she looked down to find a arrow in her left shoulder and leg. In a last desperate attempt to save herself she hurled her knife, hilling one of the humans. ***Strongbow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*** She sent, ***help! Humans! Blood! Help! *** After that everything went as black as her darkest leathers.
"ARGHHHHHHH!" Strongbow screamed, falling to the ground, Clearbrook spun round. "Strongbow! What's happened? Are you ok?" Before she could say anymore Bearclaw, Joyleaf, Rain and Woodhue came running up. "Clearbrook! What happened?"
"I don't know my chief, one moment we were talking and the next he screamed and fell."
"It's not me!" he said "It's Moonshade! Something's wrong! Pain! Blood! Oh high ones she's hurt!"
Kaldre stared at the elf maiden lying in his tent, the shaman had sung his praises when he carried her back to the camp, this girl had killed his brother, and now she was in his tent on the floor lying un-conscious, he looked at her, taking in her delicate features, she truly was beautiful, he could stare at her all day and never tire! So what if she would die tonight, so what if she killed his brother, she was going to saviour every last moment with her.
It had taken no time at all to find the lake, the smell of blood lead them there, when they arrived the found flipback lying there dead on the floor, smothered in fresh blood and there next to him was something that sent shivers down his spine, Moonshade's tanning equipment, drenched in her blood. "No!" he whispered; try as he might he could not help letting a tear roll down his cheek. Why did he care about her? No! He didn't love her! He didn't even like her! Yet he couldn't help caring for her. "Look! Human arrows" shouted Rain. "But no scent. How can that be?"
"That doesn't matter!" said Strongbow, surprised by how much he cared that humans had taken her. "They left their arrows we have proof that they took her now let's go get her back!"
Joyleaf smiled a knowing smile, try as he might the young archer could not deny recognition, he and Moonshade are meant for each other they are distend to be together, Joyleaf just hoped that they wouldn't be too late.
Moonshade stirred, then instantly wished she hadn't, she nearly fell over as the pain in her shoulder hit her with full force, she looked around the dimly lit room, in it were stone weapons, in the centre of it there was a loin skin blanket and there were drawings, drawings of animals and gasp! Elves! Elves on the pillar of sacrifice! And then slow realisation crept up on her. She had been captured by humans, humans who had killed her father, her friends, her tribe mates, and now they would kill her. Suddenly she found herself thinking back to Wyl, he must be rejoicing right now, she would finely be out of his life, there would be no more annoyances, no boredoms, and everything would be perfect, all she had to do was await the final blow.
The bear skin drums drummed a tune of death. Strongbow sat, sat and watched, he wanted to send to Eyrn, but he couldn't, not after the way he had treated her. Why? Why had he been so mean? He hadn't meant it, he had never wanted to hurt her. And now, now she would be lost to him forever. No! He couldn't let that happen! He would save her, even if he had to do it himself! In the Holt the atmosphere was tense, all were awaiting Moonshade's final death scream, Rillfisher was sobbing her eyes out while Treestump tried his best to comfort her, Pike just sat there, sharpening his sword, Joyleaf's face was buried in the solemn face of Bearclaw and Eye's high was staring at the remains of flipback. Quietly he mounted gruntmouth his wolf friend and rode off into the darkness.
Kaldre came into the tent to find a dazed Moonshade staggering around the floor, when she saw him she jumped up and drew out one of stone daggers of the ground ssuay brack! she said, her human a little rusty, but still he understood what she meant. Don't worry, I won't hurt you he said softly. Moonshade was so taken back by what he said she fell to the floor. Quickly Kaldre ran and caught her, are you ok? he asked. Take you're five fingered hands of me! she snapped. You have no right!
As you wish Kaldre smiled. Moonshade was shocked, humans were bloodthirsty killers! Not charming, and especially not to elves! Why capture her, put an arrow in her if he did not intend to kill? Maybe he did, and he wanted to make her last moments as sweet as possible. Kaldre stared, transfixed by the beauty that stood before him, he didn't want her to die, but he had no choice, but maybe at least he could try to talk the shaman into waiting until a full moon! She could live for a few more days! Of he raced to find the shaman, he did not return until night. I talked the shaman into performing the ritual on full moon, you will live for five more days
Two day's passed the wolfriders were devastated, first the humans take Moonshade and now Strongbow was gone too, after all his protesting recognition had gotten the better of him and he left, the strange thing was that they had not heard the sacred rituals, there had not been a new skull on the pillar of sacrifice, all of these clues led them to believe that Moonshade was alive and that there was nothing they could do to save her. Bearclaw had sent a hunting party out to look for Strongbow, they had not been successful. And so finally, the tribe gave up.
Strongbow sat, carefully studying the humans, he had long since discovered were Moonshade was and had decided to save her himself. It was night when he came, Moonshade was up, eating the few scrapes of food she had been given when she saw a silhouette outside the hide slowly it opened to reveal Strongbow ***Come Eyrn, we must get out of here***
***Eyrn?! You called me my soul name*** the joy Moonshade felt was too great for words, but she could not run her leg burned with pain, on seeing that she was hurt Strongbows face darkened, his thoughts full of pictures of roasting humans, but for now he must get Moonshade to safety, he lifted her up into his arms and ran, later, high up in the treetops Strongbow tended to her wounds. ***but... but I thought you hated me*** she sent quietly.
***I never hated you... I... was scared. ***
***Scared? Scared of what? I don't bite*** she giggled, ***does that mean you want to be lifemates?**** she asked, her face turning serious.
*** Yes, yes I do*** the gladness on moonshade's face was beautiful, never in all his years had thought that Moonshade, out of all the elves in the tribe, would be his lifemate. But now that she was he was the happiest he had ever been.