Chapter two.
As Gráinne slowly woke up, her ears caught the noise of an elfin girl making animal sounds, followed by some hissing from another elf.
"You're awake! I am Chitter, nice to meet you!" The young and bright elf happily exclaimed. A bright smile covered Chitter's face as she was pushed out of the den.
As the hyper-active elf had left the den, Gráinne slightly stretched but flinched as she was still slightly hurt. As her hands trailed down the fur that she was lying underneath, Gráinne felt comfortable without the leather tight around her body. Gráinne had been used to wearing only leather during the day as she was raised by wolves only.
A maiden with hair as dark as the night and eyes as purple as violets walked into the den, carrying leather material.
"Come on, cub. We have to see if these fit you," the black-haired elfin maiden spoke, helping Gráinne's sore body from the ground.
It weren't clothes Gráinne would feel comfortable in, yet this was an exception. The clothes that she was pulled into were soft and had the same feeling as her previous clothing. The skirt she was given was as short as her previous dress and just as tight, so it wouldn't fly everywhere when she was leaping from tree to tree. Above she was given a top, which barely reached her ribs, showing her extremely thin body, even for a wolfrider. The sleeves of the tops were too wide for her thin shoulders so they fell off, yet the top itself didn't fall off. It seemed to be the form of the top, baring her shoulders and the sleeves hanging loosely against her arms.
As Gráinne was wearing the clothes for the first time, feeling the fabric, it felt amazing in her opinion.
*Thank you. I assume you are the tanner? This outfit is amazing, thank you.* Gráinne sent as she flashed the tanner a smile.
"You are welcome, Gráinne. Yes I am the tanner of the Wolfriders, I'm Moonshade. I have to apologize for my cubs, Chitter and Dart," Moonshade spoke as she somehow looked ashamed. As if she was blaming herself for her cubs' behavior.
*There is no need for that. They seem to be amazing elves, it's just a situation that they aren't used to, or at least for Dart it is.* Gráinne tried to reassure Moonshade that her cubs hadn't done her wrong in any way Gráinne couldn't understand.
Gráinne figured she could just as well leave the den as she was already standing and trying to figure out what she was going to do next, her hand unknowingly moving to her wound which still hadn't fully healed yet.
As Gráinne was about to step out the den, she heard Moonshade chuckle. Gráinne looked around, to see what was so funny when Moonshade smiled reassuring at her. Nothing was badly wrong, luckily. Gráinne's eyes fell on the things Moonshade held in her hands.
"You forgot your footwear, cub," Moonshade said with a smile as she handed the leather items to Gráinne. It seemed to be some sort of sandals. The soles were thin, it felt as if Gráinne was just standing on the ground as Moonshade was tying the laces around her legs. Gráinne had known she couldn't refuse to wear them, as it would be an insult to the tanner. Yet as she was now wearing the footwear she didn't have any regrets accepting them, not even while she had been walking barefooted the moment she could walk.
*Thank you, Moonshade. Yet I doubt if I can stay here.* The sending of Gráinne was once again not locked so everyone could feel that Gráinne in fact did want to stay, yet it was impossible with her wolf-friend fighting Dart's.
Outside the den, a loud yelp was heard. Gráinne immediately knew it had been Woodcracker. Gráinne gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Within seconds, she jumped down the tree in front of Dart. It was his wolf-friend whom Woodcracker was fighting again.
*Tell him to stop! Woodcracker has not done anything wrong! Your friend was forced, he would not hurt my friend as I was about to leave!* Gráinne's sending was harsh and full of anger. She did not care if she went out of line, but as Dart did not move and only stared deep into Gráinne's eyes, she hit him across the face.
Elves gasped and Gráinne heard Strongbow's angry sending. For a second Gráinne stared into Dart's eyes, angrily, yet she snapped out of his stare as she heard her wolf-friend yelp.
*Woodcracker!* Gráinne twirled around and was about to jump in the fight as Dart grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"It is too dangerous," Dart spoke, looking in Gráinne's eyes with a worried look on his face.
*You should have thought of that before.* Gráinne sent as she jerked her hand back. Gráinne snarled as she jumped right into the fight. Bumping hard into Woodcracker, pushing him away from Dart's wolf-friend. Gráinne growled to Woodcracker as he clearly wanted to continue the fight.
*Are you stupid? You know you are too weak.* Gráinne send to her wolf-friend. *I am sorry things turned out the way they did. Thank you for the clothing, I will pay off my debts with you. Now I have to go. Woodcracker will continue to cause problems and neither of us need those.* Gráinne continued as she got onto the slightly injured Woodcracker, sending mainly to Moonshade, she was the one whom made Gráinne these new clothing.
"You cannot go cub. You have not fully recovered yet," Leetah, the healer, called out as she pushed Cutter toward Gráinne. The extremely short elfin girl looked up at the chief, yet she had this look in her eyes, indicating she didn't want any more help, scared she would become even more of a burden.
*I am sorry, I cannot stay. You know I can't stay when my wolf-friend can't.* Gráinne sent while staring at the chief.
"I know your friend can't stay yet you must accept my offer. Take my part of this night's hunt. You have to make sure that you will not lose strength," Cutter spoke as he placed his hand upon Gráinne's shoulder before handing her his part of the deer that had been killed earlier that night.
*Thank you, chief Cutter.* Gráinne sent as she accepted the meat under the obvious dislike of some tribe members. Especially Dart was protesting against Cutter's friendly deed, badly.
"Cutter, you can't let her go, especially not with your own treat of the hunt! Hunting in this area is restricted. The Tall ones are near, you cannot share your own part with someone whom is leaving the tribe after all. She has gotten enough help from us!" Dart spoke against his leader, he apparently had been a chief of his own once, judging the way he spoke in order to protect the tribe.
*Well, I have not asked for any of it. How can you make me feel guilty for being helped? I did not ask for new clothing, I did not ask for being healed, yet I got both. And I am grateful for that.* Gráinne sent in response to Dart. Gráinne's hand stroked through Woodcracker's fur, with her eyes narrowed. *You will not get any five-fingered near this Holt, I can assure that. I still have to get my revenge after all. You won't be bothered by them, nor by me anymore after the Daystar is under again.*
"That will be a suicide mission!" Nightfall called. Cutter nodded as he tried to hold Gráinne back, yet she had already left.
*I have nothing to lose anyway.* Was the last thing Gráinne sent before disappearing in the bushes that separated the Tree Holt from the humans.
"Windkin, please bring her back," Cutter spoke before anyone could.
Windkin, a half-glider, had the ability to fly gotten from his father, a glider. He could easily bring the wounded elfin girl back. Windkin nodded at his chief's command and flew after Gráinne.
Only a minute after he had left, Windkin returned with a struggling Gráinne in his arms. Followed by Woodcracker whom was looking after his elf-friend. The biggest surprise was when Woodcracker stood in front of Dart's wolf-friend, they seemed to get along perfectly.
*Let go of me!* Gráinne sent angrily, hurting Windkin mentally through her powerful sending. It caused Windkin to drop Gráinne, he couldn't help it. A muted scream came out of her mouth as she was about to hit the ground but the white haired elf, named Skywise, managed to catch her.
*Thank you, white hair.* Gráinne sent as she flashed Skywise a smile.
"No problem, cub," Skywise spoke as he put Gráinne on the ground.
"Why did you drop her!" Dart yelled at Windkin. Windkin stared at the ground, embarrassed.
"It was an accident, Dart. Her powerful sending, it overwhelmed me. I hadn't expected anything like that," Windkin mumbled as he still had his eyes pointed down to the ground.
"She could've died if it hadn't been for Skywise," Dart hissed at the ashamed elfin boy that floated an inch from the ground.
*Why do you even care, Dart? You don't care what will happen to me, at least you didn't just a minute ago. You should be glad if I died, I would. I have nothing to live for anyway. What just happened, it wasn't Windkin's fault and I really should apologize for startling him like that. He was just doing what he had been told to do.* Gráinne sent as she was walking up to Dart, angry as she was, she was surprised by his reaction. He had sighed, then looked around and gently taken her wrist, walking away from the tribe. Gráinne did not resist but only frowned upon this gentle behavior from the person that had seemed to hate her earlier that night.
"Can you climb up there?" Dart asked as he had stopped walking while he was pointing at the highest branch of the tree they stood in front of. It was covered with leaves, no one would be able to see them. To know what was happening.
Gráinne's pride told her she had to climb up there herself and not let herself be carried by this arrogant person, but her reaction wasn't as fast as Dart had wanted it to be so he picked her up gently. He gracefully climbed into the tree, with the weightless elfin girl in his arms.
*Thank you.* Gráinne sent, she was confused and couldn't think of anything else to say through sending.
*Can you lock-send?* Dart asked as he placed Gráinne on the branch, on the side of the tree so she could lean against its trunk. Gráinne only nodded at Dart's question. Not sure what her feelings would tell him through sending.
*Good. I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I don't know what had gotten into me.* Dart continued as he stared into Gráinne's heavenly blue eyes. As the night was quiet for once, it could easily been heard that Gráinne's heart skipped a beat as she gazed back into Dart's eyes.
