Chapter 2

Skywise would remember little of their arrival other than as a swirling flurry of motion and noise. After riding through the day and ensuing night, stopping for only brief moments at a time to snatch a hurried drink or let the wolves catch their breath, he was shuddering with fatigue by the time they rode into the Holt just before dawn on the second day after the attack. Barely conscious, he pitched forward and nearly went head over heels over the wolf's neck when Starjumper staggered to a halt. Gentle hands helped him off his wolf-friend's back and lead him over to sit beneath the Father Tree while someone else pushed a full waterskin into his hands. Holding the skin in shaking arms, he drank deeply, even frantically; he never imagined water could taste so good! He couldn't stop drinking to answer the voices that suddenly were coming from every direction.

"What's going on?"

"Lifemate, are you all right? What's happened?"

"Treestump is calling a council."

"There's only the three of them."

"Where's Bearclaw?"

"Was it the humans?"

"Maybe Treestump and One-Eye were only sent to bring Skywise back and the others are still fighting."

"What happened to them? Where are the others? Why isn't Father with them?" Pike! Skywise's brain finally registered.

Redlance approached. "Easy, Skywise," he cautioned, reaching to take the waterskin away, "You'll make yourself sick."

Nightfall was quickly beside him. "His side is bleeding," she said, and Skywise glanced down. She was right; the wound must have re-opened with all the riding. "Are you hurt anywhere else, Skywise?"

"Head," was all he could say.

She removed his faceguard and winced at the gash on his forehead. Tenderly she brushed her fingers over his skull, stopping at his sharp intake of breath when she found a sore spot.

"You've got a knot the size of a redbird's egg back here," she told him.

"Rainsong can help, at least with the gashes," Woodlock said, joining them. "She knows some of Rain's poultices and how to wrap a wound."

"Treestump is calling a council," Redlance said. "He wants everyone not on look-out to gather in front of the Father Tree. Rainsong can treat him here while Treestump tells us what happened."

In the end though, it wasn't Rainsong who tended him. She was just waddling up when One-Eye took the poultice and wrap from her. "Go on, lass," he told her gently. "You three as well," he said to the others. "I'll do this. You need to hear what Treestump is going to say."

His head clearing a little now that he was no longer on the back of a moving wolf, Skywise saw the sudden look of worry on Rainsong's face. Instinctively, her hand came to rest on her swollen belly and she glanced back at them as her mate tried to lead her away to a more comfortable spot.

Only another moon more and Rain would have been able to see his daughter's cub, Skywise thought sadly as Treestump began to speak.

In a steady, but husky voice, Treestump told the tale to his gathered tribe mates. He told of the strange, unnatural scent that had left a foul taste in the mouths of each member of the hunting party; of the sense of danger constantly following them, just out of arrow range; of how the drums from the human camps said that even the Tall Ones were frightened. He spoke of how Bearclaw had kept the hunting party out all night, hoping to find what terrible thing had its eyes fixed on them so relentlessly.

But when he came to the attack, he faltered. Only for a moment, but his gaze was enough to tell Rainsong the worst and she buried her head in Woodlock's shoulder and began to weep silently. Pike's eyes widened and Woodlock reached out his free arm to pull his mate's brother into their embrace.

"I'm sorry, Rainsong, Pike," Treestump said. "And for you, Nightfall."

Nightfall looked like she had been struck in the chest by a charging bear. Redlance quickly gathered her to him. "Father? Mother?" she asked.

Treestump looked at her helplessly.

"Not… not both?" the stunned elf maid pleaded.

"I would give anything in this world to tell you otherwise, sweet cub," Treestump said, "but I'm afraid they're both gone. Rain was the first to fall and so we saw it happen, but four more were missing when the attack was over. Longbranch, Brownberry, Foxfur and," Treestump hesitated, his voice breaking ever so slightly on the last name, "Joyleaf."

Even those already grieving felt fresh pain at that. The loss of their chief's mate left a gaping hole in the entire tribe. While Bearclaw lead them in battle and made decisions as to what needed to be done for the tribe's survival, Joyleaf had been the one to take special interest in each tribe member, always making sure they were well. Bearclaw had kept them alive, but Joyleaf had been the one to see they were happy.

Treestump went on to describe the attack - though not in great detail, mostly only making a point of warning them of Madcoil's cruel ability to torture them by sending, so the tribe would be warned in the case that they needed to face the creature again - and Skywise's numbed mind finally realized why Treestump was telling the story instead of sharing it by lock send: to spare the tribe the terrible images - both real and sent - that the three survivors shared.

The tribe absorbed the story in a state of shock. "What about Bearclaw and Cutter?" Strongbow finally asked.

Archer and temporary chief shared a look and suddenly the words that had been tormenting Skywise the day before fell into place.

Either do as I say or send me to Joyleaf's side! I don't care which. (1)

If we don't come back, you are chief! Take the tribe far away from here.

Bearclaw wasn't planning on coming back. He wished to die, to be with Joyleaf. And Cutter… oh, High Ones! Without him to watch his back, his soul-brother would throw his life away in an instant if he thought it would save the tribe.

Scorch your wayward rump, brother! I will curse you forever if you don't come back!

-x-

Silence and stillness came instinctively to the Wolfriders, even in the midst of great loss. They would howl when the time came, but otherwise it was not in their natures to wail or sob loudly, nor shout or demand answers from the unseen High Ones. This inherent restraint was useful in that it kept them hidden from their enemies, but until their pain could be released in the mournful howl they used to express their grief as one, it often left a heavy and sorrowful atmosphere.

Except for Treestump, who was doing his best to organize the tribe's defence and console those who needed it most, talking was limited to the occasional hushed whispers between life mates and the soft sound of one or two elves weeping. At Treestump's request, some migrated to the trees to keep watch alongside Scouter and Dewshine (already at their posts through Treestump's account), but the rest of the tribe seemed to want to stay where they were, for which Skywise was grateful.

For it was hard, looking around at the different groups gathered there - Redlance with Nightfall, Woodlock with Rainsong and Pike, Clearbrook with One-Eye. Strongbow had relieved Scouter so that he keep watch next to his lovemate and console her over the loss of her aunt Joyleaf, who had been a second mother to her after the death of Rillfisher. Meanwhile, the tribe's chief archer himself had been joined on his perch by his mate, their tiny son gathered in her arms. Seeing all of them together, it struck the stargazer hard that all of those with whom he had had the deepest ties were now missing or gone from him.

"Are you well, Skywise?" a soft voice asked, surprising him.

Skywise looked up. "Oh, Clearbrook. I… I'm… no… yes…" He stopped and stared at her helplessly.

She climbed down to him and then bent over to tenderly kiss him on the top of his head, just like she'd done when he'd been a small cub. Tears pricked at his eyes, so touched was he by this gesture.

"Come with me, Skywise. One-Eye refuses to rest and Dewshine has asked Scouter to den with her and Treestump tonight, so I am going to stay with Redlance and Nightfall. Come be with us."

"Are you sure Nightfall won't mind? Maybe she won't want too many around her. And are you sure One-Eye won't need you? He hasn't said a thing about Longbranch yet. "

Clearbrook looked at him sadly. *Hush, cubling,* she sent. *If our presence pains Nightfall, you may come to my den. As for One-Eye, he will come to me when he needs to. Have no worry on that score. Come now, let me help you up.*

His head had stopped aching so badly, but he was still exhausted enough to be thankful for her arm around him as the two went to join the others.

-x-

His body jerked and his eyes flew open.

"Are you all right, Skywise?"

How many times had he heard that question in the last two days? Almost as many times as someone had called him "cub" he supposed. Funny how that seemed so natural right now, even comforting.

"Is that you, Nightfall?"

"Yes."

He sat up slowly and saw her sitting by the entrance to Redlance's den. "Are you… how are you feeling?"

She shrugged, but from the quick way she turned her head away and the way her jaw tightened, Skywise got the feeling she didn't want to answer because if she didn't hold everything in, the pain would break her.

He knew the feeling.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, changing the subject. "Moonshade brought some deer meat and fresh water for us all. She and Dart decided to stay," she said, nodding towards the slumbering figures on the other side of a sleeping Redlance. "I don't think she wanted to be alone either. Anyway, take all the food you need. We've all had some and Clearbrook has already taken some to One-Eye."

"Is she with him now?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's some good at least," he said. "Maybe she can convince him and Treestump to get some rest."

"You didn't answer my question, you know."

"Eh?"

"Are you all right?" she asked again. "You looked like you were having a nightmare."

"Sort of." He went over to side beside her and they both gazed out at the approaching dusk.

"What does that mean?"

"I was remembering… the sendings."

"The ones from… it."

"Yes."

"Oh."

There was nothing to say to that. Everyone is having trouble finding words today, he thought to himself. They're either too sad or stumble-tongued, or both. So instead the two simply sat and watched the sky turn pink and the sun sink behind the trees.

"Skywise?" Nightfall after awhile.

"Yes?"

"What's it like being an orphan?"

The question took him by surprise. He looked at her tawny eyes, so filled with sorrow, and tried to answer. "I… I don't know what to tell you, Nightfall. I've never had parents, so I can't really tell you what losing them is like. I just don't… I don't know."

She nodded sadly, accepting that.

"Skywise?" she asked a few moments later. "Do you think Cutter is coming back?"

"I don't know that either."

Nightfall took his hand and leaned against him. Tears streaked down both of their cheeks as they waited for the stars to come out.


1) Again, quoted directly from "Wolfsong".