Flight From Sorrow's End Part 2

The howls that had started distant were getting closer.

"They're following us." Shushen pointed out.

"Thank-you, Shushen - I hadn't noticed that fact!" Rayek snarled.

"Well, what were you thinking capturing her like that?" Dodia glanced back at Nightfall struggling in his arms.

Unable to explain his actions, even to himself, Rayek simply sent a glare her way. Zhantee guided his No-Hump closer to him. "Do you think she has magic?'

"No, or she'd have used it already." Rayek glanced at Nightfall, smirking. "I'm sure she knows how to scream though." Nightfall glowered at him.


*Why do you think they took Nightfall?* Scouter asked Cutter as he led the group through the forest. *Who are they?*

*We'll know more when we find them, Scouter. We can only hope they haven't injured her.* Cutter told the young scout.

*And if they have...* Strongbow left the threat hanging.

Cutter scowled, but did not respond. 'These are our woods. There's nowhere to hide where we can't find you...'


"Have you gone mad?" Leetah ranted at her lovemate. The fact that he wasn't paying attention mattered little to her. At first the other Sunfolk had stared in amazement, and even hope, at the unknown maiden - but Rayek had shooed them away with a few harsh words. Dodia and Shushen were busy telling them the story of the raid, while Zhantee had gone to fetch Ahdri. "I can't believe you attacked a group of elves, let alone-"

"An attack would mean we hurt them. We took food and furs. Nothing more." Rayek countered. He winced as Nightfall's elbow dug into his side.

"You took her." Leetah's voice was cold.

Rayek looked out at the woods beyond the hills in which they'd camped. "That's...different."

Leetah stared at him, and for a moment she could think of nothing to say. She suddenly felt chilled, as an idea began to work its way into her conscious. 'It can't be...No! No, not now!'

"Rayek!" Ahdri came up, followed by Zhantee. "Zhantee has told me what happened." She stared for a minute at Nightfall. "So this is...?"

Rayek winced again as Nightfall bit into his fingers. "Stop that!" He spun her to face him, keeping one hand over her mouth. For a moment they stared at eachother, and Nightfall ceased her struggles.

"Have you tried reasoning with her?" Zhantee couldn't help but ask. Both gold and amber eyes turned a glare on the mild elf.

"Rayek, perhaps you should allow her to speak. You've brought her here. Perhaps we can come to an understanding." Ahdri spoke up.

"But-" Leetah began.

"Healer, why don't you return to the others? If what Zhantee has told me about the wild dogs is true - then those howls mean her people are coming closer - and aren't friendly."

'Healer?' Nightfall couldn't help but look over at Leetah when she heard the title.

"And we have my hot-headed lovemate to thank for that! It's all the more reason for me to stay here - where my skills may be needed." Leetah sat down on a nearby rock determinedly.

"Will you be reasonable for once?" Rayek scowled at her. Taking note of his distraction, Nightfall slammed her foot into the side of Rayek's leg, following it with a blow to his face with her elbow. Rayek released her with a hiss, stumbling back before catching his balance. But Nightfall wasted no time making her escape, letting out a howl as she ran toward the underbrush of the woods at the edge of the hills.

Growling a curse, Rayek moved to give chase, but Zhantee grabbed his arm. "No! She could lead you into a trap!"

"Your bleeding!" Leetah hurried up to him, but Rayek brushed her concern aside - spitting the blood onto the ground.

"It's nothing. We have a larger problem now." He stared out at the woods, missing the startled look Leetah gave him, that quickly turned dark. She glowered at the woods where Nightfall had disappeared into.

"Won't they leave us alone now?" Zhantee queried.

"No..." Rayek spoke slowly, feeling that somehow he knew what her intentions would be. Like he knew her at a level he'd never known anyone. "She's going to fetch them. To bring them here."

"I worry your actions were hasty." Ahdri confessed to Rayek. "Could we not have asked for their help?"

"As we did the tunnel dwellers?" Rayek asked pointedly.

Ahdri winced. "But they weren't elves."

"Elves who live in trees? Who ride beasts as fierce as Longtooths? I claim no kinship with them."

"Don't you?" Leetah spoke up, before turning to storm back to the others. Rayek wasn't the only one who stared after her in surprise.

"She hasn't been the same since the fall of the village." Zhantee spoke quietly.

"Have any of us?" Ahdri put in gently. "We're so far from home. So many of our members lost - or scattered to who knows where? I ask myself what Savah would do..." Her voice trailed off, and she lowered her eyes to the ground. Zhantee's eyes lowered as well.

Rayek's own gaze drifted away to the horizon and for a moment no one could speak, all deeply feeling the loss of the older, wiser elf. ."You are Daughter of Memory, Ahdri. Just lead the village as she always has - and leave our protection to me as she always did. I won't fail again."


"Ayoooah!" Nightfall howled again - calling the others to her location, as well as reassuring them of her newly won freedom.

"Ayooah! Nightfall!" Cutter called as Nightrunner bounded up to her. Cutter swung her onto his wolffriend - hugging her close. "Praise the High Ones! We were all worried - especially Redlance!"

"Is he alright? When the stranger attacked him...!"

"He's recooperating - and worried sick about you." Cutter reassured her.

Nightfall shivered as her tribemates closed in a reassuring circle. "Did they harm you?" Clearbrook asked swiftly.

"No. But they took me to their camp."

"Where are they now - and how many?" Skywise asked.

"On the rolling plain. But there's more than attacked us - many more. Though they were in disagreement over the attack."

"Will you show us?" Cutter aske her.

"We're going to face them?" Clearbrook glanced at him. "Is that wise? We don't know how many they number, and with the human mounts..."

Cutter hesitated, but shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If we don't face them now, they'll raid us again. We must warn them off."


Rayek, Ahdri, and Zhantee stood atop the hill closest to the woods - waiting. The elves came out of woods slowly, riding the beasts they'd seen at the treehuts. One rode forward, and Rayek noticed that the elf woman he'd captured rode behind him. For some reason the sight irked him, and he had to quell a surge of anger that rose within him. 'Twen.' The word fluttered through his mind. He shook it off, waiting as the blonde elf studied them.

"You've stolen from my tribe, black-hair." He spoke after a long moment.

"It seems to me your "tribe", as you call it, have enough to spare, barbarian." Rayek returned.

Cutter's eyes narrowed, but he kept his temper in check. "Who are you? Why have you come to the woods?"

"Woods..." Rayek took a moment to taste the word. "If you mean that place," He nodded to the forest beyond them, "we came involuntarily."

Ahdri layed a cautionary hand on his shoulder as she stepped forward. "I am Ahdri, Daughter of Memory. And - in these troubled times - leader to the Sunfolk. Only a short time ago humans invaded our village - and we were forced to flee. We ended up in the caverns of the tunnel-dwellers, who trapped us here after promising us sanctuary."

"You mean the trolls?" Skywise asked.

"Yes - that was as they termed themselves. Our time with them was brief. We found ourselves here, in these hostile lands. And ill-prepared for it."

"That didn't give you the right to steal from us." Cutter pointed out.

"Though Rayek acted without my consent, our needs were desperate. I...I cannot say I would have discouraged him." Zhantee looked at Ahdri in surprise at those words, but stayed silent.

"Then there is no more to say."

"...It would seem so."

"We Wolfriders defend that which is our own. You caught us offguard this time. It won't happen again."

"We don't need anything from you now." Rayek spoke up. His eyes drifted to meet Nightfall's. "Any of you." Nightfall met his gaze, but Rayek only looked away.

For a long moment the two groups faced each other - then Cutter turned and led his tribemates back into the woods.


"Cutter?" Skywise whispered, watching his soul-brother carefully.

*Arrogant pup!* Strongbow sent, anger coloring his words. Clearbrook layed a hand on the other elder's shoulder.

"Cutter, what do we do?" Scouter asked.

"We return to the Holt. We watch them." Cutter ordered, his voice serious - but distant.

"And if there's trouble?" Treestump asked. "What then, lad?"

"We'll face that when we come to it, Treestump. I only hope we don't. It feels wrong, somehow. To fight amongst our own kind as humans do."

To Be Continued...

And the plot thickens! Or something like that...

I love Nightfall and Redlance together - I do! I just wasn't sure who else to have Rayek recognize!