And so concludes Silent Dancer. Usual Disclaimers apply - ElfQuest (c) Pinis, Windwalkers (c) me, etc etc...
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Silent Dancer : Union
Dreamwolf wandered the jungle. Beside her pranced the playful wolf she had befriended. Looking at him, it was hard to remember the time she had been Sparrow, and he had been a starved, ill beast. Jester was certainly living up to his name, and especially enjoyed playing with the fledglings of the flock. And they all loved him. Sometimes the young healer would take him out here so that he could rest, without constantly being lured into chasing this or that. The wolf however seemed not to understand the meaning if the word "rest". Occasionally, he would go nose down, tracking small forest animals and scaring them into the open. Sometimes Dreamwolf would kill them, but she already had a little rooter and a bush-turkey - there was little more she could carry.
**Much fun,** Jester sent cheerfully to her. She smiled to herself, merely watching the lupine's capers was enough to cheer her up. It was not a good day for Dreamwolf, although she had become more accepted in the flock since her talent had manifested, there seemed something wrong in the air. Her flock-mates had all been irritable, Hover and Skylark, two of her age-mates had been teasing her, and had teased Jester until he had growled at them. It took a lot to make the gentle wolf growl. It felt good to be alone, with only her trusty friend by her side. Above them the sun hung high in the sky, a great glowing orb of heat, the light filtering through the branches and dappling the ground with flickers.
*
The sun hung high in the sky, its heat reaching down to emcompass the world and making the dirt steam. Skydancer limped heavily through the air, her hair drenched in sweat. Her clothing was stained with dried blood, and more disturbingly - some wet. Windkin and Sunstar were having little problem with their flight, the young child coping well with the extended flight. Suprisingly well. Fluffy, the child's vulture, glided beside her, the breeze caused by the bird's spasmodic flaps cooling her skin. At least the wind was gentle. Clenching back the pain, the windwalker measured out every stroke of her wingbeats, a searing pain was incurred with each. Her head was beginning to swim, jagged lines intersected her vision. Trying to hide the struggle her flight was from her soulmate and daughter, she struggled along, straggling behind them. Wraith was a welcome relief, as he swooped down from above to flap above her head, slow measured beats, every stroke cooling her damp skin.
**How is the pain, Freja?** Windkin sent to her.
**Bad,** she replied, knowing that she could no more hide the pain in her sendings then swim through sand.
He slowed down, performing an aerobatic turn-about and glide back beside her. She could see he was tiring too, even though he need not flap, the magic that kept him airborne drained him. That was where Sunstar had the advantage, as a windwalker/glider, she did not need to flap her wings to glide, nor did she require energy-expending magic to keep her airborne when the wind beneath her wings helped. But she was a mere fledgling, unused to long flights, and too delicate to withstand the seering heat of the sun. Fluffy, displaying amazing intelligence, had positioned himself beside and slightly above her, so his scruffy bulk shaded her from the sun and the gusts caused by his wingbeats added lift to her wings and acted as air-conditioning.
**We can rest soon,** he replied. **I guide you by the shortest route, soon we shall reach the rainforests.**
Skydancer was too exhausted to reply, the pain, the disrupted vision and the exertion was getting to her. Her wingbeats slowed, and she slowly began to drift downwards. Windkin swooped down to scoop her in his arms. Another advantage the gliders had over the windwalkers - Sunstar, like her sire, need not use her wings to fly and thus could carry something. He was well used to carrying living beings across the Burning Wastes, having saved at least one human child that way. However, as much as he tried to ignore it, the wound in his leg had taken its toll too, and he was in pain and tiring. The lack of water did not help, adding to the exertion. He feared he would not be able to carry Skydancer far. She flung her arms weakly about his neck, and he squeezed her reasurringly.
**Not long now,** he sent, but the emotion in his sending said otherwise. It was very hard to lie with sendings, although some windwalkers had perfected it.
Sunstar had been disturbingly quiet for the larger part of the flight. Despite having twice the advantage of both her parents, she too was tiring, for she was young. If they did not reach safety soon, they were likely to die out there, in the barren sands.
Windkin could stand it no more, he was so weary that he was starting to hallucinate. He had never crossed the entire span of the desert before, not at midday with no water and definately not carrying the burden of the ever-increasing in weight windwalker. As he was about to give up, drop do the ground with his soulmate and allow the great heat to have her wicked way with him, to be once more united with Ahdri, a spinnacle of rock rose out of the flat landscape before him. A great finger pointed at the heavens. Sending to Sunstar, he managed to struggle down to rest in the shadow it cast, gratefully laying his burden gently on the ground. Skydancer was all but unconscious, but she mumured something in her sleep. Sunstar almost collapsed beside him.
**I'm hungry papa, and so thirsty,** she sent, almost panting like a wolf. **And what's wrong with mama?**
**Mama is very tired,** he replied, as reasurringly as possible. **She was hurt and needs water just like you.** He was trying not to pant himself. His mouth felt as dry as sand, and swallowing was becoming increasingly difficult. Fluffy collapsed in the sand, in a shower of feathers. But Wraith was behaving strangely. The bearded vulture had landed with exhausted dignity and had immediately stalked towards a strange bulbous plant that Windkin had seen about the desert many times, but had forgotten in his fatigued state. As the vulture set about tearing the plant apart with his huge hooked bill, Windkin wearily leapt to his feet.
**Papa will get you a drink my little chick,** he sent, grinning and removed the knife he carried in a leg strap for this very purpose. The water-plant was rare in the desert, but if one become stranded out here, it was the only thing between life and dehydration. Since Wraith had made a mess of one leaf - the young vulture staggered to his feet and helped with the destruction, Windkin attacked another with vengence. He presented the water filled dissection to Sunstar.
**Ick,** she sent, **it is GREEN.**
**And how thirsty are you my little dove?** He queried.
**Very.**
**So why should a little colour make any difference?**
Chuckling at her father, Sunstar hungrily supped on the thick green syrup. **Taste funny,** she sent, handing the leaf back to him, **but is wet, not thirsty anymore.** She paused a moment. **Still hungry though.**
**Do you fancy vulture?** He asked.
She stared at her father in disdain. **You so silly papa.**
Windkin dribbled a little of the moisture from the leaf on his soulmate. **Freja.**
**Bwynn?** She sent tiredly. **So thirsty. So sore.**
**Drink this.** He helped her raise her head and pushed the moisture-holding leaf up against her lips. She sucked on it greedily, almost like an infant with her mother's breast.
When she collapsed back, exhausted even from the effort of drinking, Windkin sucked what was left of the moisture from the leaf. There was precious little, but there was but one remaining leaf, and he did not wich to sentence the plant to death - it might be someone else's salvation in the future. Seeing the vultures had chewed the remainder of their leaf into a pulp, eating the flesh, he chewed on a piece of it himself. The taste of the syrup was slightly bitter, but this was much worse, sharp, acrid, although moisture flowed down his throat. Grimacing he spat the pulp out.
Several hourse passed, the sun moved across the sky, turning her intensity away from them.
**Feeling better?** He sent to his family. It had taken him a long time to get into the practice of not talking verbally.
Sunstar nodded. **Yessir,** she sent brightly. **Still hungry though.**
He smiled at her enthusiasm, such a bright, easy-going child. She was everything he could want in a pup. **We shall eat when we reach the forest,** he sent, tweaking her nose. She laughed and swotted at his hand. In such a barren, deadly place, the laughter of a child was a beautiful thing indeed. **Freja?** He asked.
Skydancer had fallen on her injured side, the binding had come lose and the ground beneath her was turning gradually red. **Leave me,** she sent. **I cannot continue. Make sure my little Sunstar is safe.**
**I cannot leave you!** He replied, shocked at the suggestion, **I ...** he hesitated for a moment, **really care for you.**
Skydancer sighed inside to herself. It was too much she ask that he love her, but how it would make her better if he did. She could not go on, for she was too tired, but at least she would die happy. **You must. You must leave before you need more water.** She paused, wondering if she should confess her feelings, **I love you Bwynn,** she sent.
Windkin ran one hand down her face. He hesitated, as if in some sort of inner battle with himself. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her lips, tasting the saltiness of her sweat, the dampness of her tears - tears that evaporated as he watched. **You cannot die,** he sent vehemontly. **I cannot let you, I** he faltered, then picked up the string again, **I love you.** He sent finally, and realised that he did. Maybe not as he had Ahdri, not with the same intensity and passion, but with something else. Tears trickled down his cheeks. Was he doomed to lose everyone he loved?
**Thank you,** Skydancer replied, her body convulsing slightly. He had not realised how badly she had been injured, her strength had disguised her condition. She was dying, and he knew it, the blood-soaked sand pointed directly at it. How could she die now? When he had finally realised what she meant to him. Finally recovered from the lingering pain of Ahdri's death to love again! Only to lose it again straight away. One hand weakly grabbed his arm, giving it a weak, but heart-felt squeeze. As it dropped away, taking with it the rise and fall of Skydancer's bosom, Windkin became consumed by his grief. Choked with his pain, he collapsed across her still warm, yet empty, body, his tears dissolving into the sand.
Perhaps he would have stayed there hours, never to move again, if it were not for Sunstar. She tugged on his hair. **What's wrong with mama?** She asked.
Windkin paused, broken from his grief. How do you explain death to a child who has no concept of it? **She's gone,** was the best reply he could give.
**Gone, but she's right there. Can't you see her?**
The glider would have laughed if he had not been so grief stricken. **That is just her body,** he sent, realising that as intelligent as she was she would probably not understand him, **what is inside her, the real her, has gone.**
Looking baffled, Sunstar asked the obvious - **where?**
**The Palace of the High Ones,** he replied, **where all the other dead elves go.** He almost cried again on the word "dead".
**So she will be with her mama now,** Sunstar stated, and Windkin turned from his dead lover to his daughter. He squeezed her tightly.
**Yes,** he replied - trust a child to bring his thoughts into perspective. **She will be.**
He turned from the dead and took his daughter's tiny hand in his. He had to go on, if only so another he loved did not die out here too. Wraith was gently nudging Skydancer with his beak, as if begging her to move. The glider remembered what his wolf-rider kin were like with their dead, and assumed the vulture would behave in the way the wolves would - reuniting their companions with the wild. Wraith would stay here. The desert was his home. His mate was dead and his elf-friend too. He glanced at Fluffy. The smaller, tattered bird approached them, as though aware they were close to departure. Together the three of them left to continue on their journey.
*
The sun was sinking now, it was late afternoon. Dreamwolf had not returned yet to her flock, she had been struck by the solitude-lust that often engulfed her kind - the desire to be alone with the wind and the open skies. And of course their animal friends. No matter how strong the solitude-lust, Dreamwolf would never be without her Jester. The bond between them was so strong she was the envy of her fellows, none of them could understand their animal-friends as well as she could, not without having special talents. And Dreamwolf could sense that Jester was edgy. They were nearing the edge of the jungle now, the trees were thinning out, becoming less lush, more wind-struck. It did not matter where the went, Dreamwolf could not get lost in the company of the lupine. Jester paused, his orange eyes scanning the landscape and his mane hairs rising slightly. Something was definately amiss. Suddenly he darted away, letting out a short, sharp bark. He almost never barked. Half running, half flying, the elf ran after him, bush-turkey and rooter beating against her back.
The comical looking eagle bird glared at the huge golden wolf, raising its wings and feathers in an effort to look larger. Jester moved closer, trying to sniff it and narrowly avoided a bitten nose.
**Elves, Raya.** The wolf sent to her. **Strange elves and funny bird.**
It took Dreamwolf a few seconds to reach the place he had met his new "friend". She ignored Jester and the bird, searching for the elves he had spoken of. It did not take her long. They half sat, half lay, in the undergrowth, a sun-reddened wingless one and a darkskinned, golden haired child. The wingless one looked up wearily to meet her eyes.
**Greetings,** he sent, with some surprise evident in his sending. **We would be ever so grateful if you could give us some water.**
They must have crossed the desert, in the heat of the day no less! She could see the blood-stained rag tied about the male elf's leg, and the child seemed almost unable to keep her eyes open. But who were they? The child was too darkskinned to be of her flock and the adult had no wings! Why were the two of them travelling together? Where had they come from? But the questions would wait. Her water-skin was half empty, but she approached them with it anyway. If they had crossed the desert, any relief would be good. After a moment's pause she proffered them the rooter too.
**I am a healer,** she informed them both, **with your permission I would heal the injury on your leg. I am afraid I can do nothing for your exhaustion except offer you this food and water.**
The adult elf smiled at her as he accepted her offerings. There was a weariness to his features not caused by physical exertion, he looked emotionally tired too. **Please do.** He sent to her, **my name is Windkin and this is Sunstar, my daughter.** He glanced at Jester, who had managed to scare the vulture into the air by lunging at it. **And that, is a vulture called Fluffy, do not ask me why.**
**Greetings Windkin,** Dreamwolf replied formally. **They call me Dreamwolf, I am a healer for Goldflash's windwalker flock. I would be most grateful if, once healedand refreshed, you would accompany me to our roost - although you may have to sleep in my perch, as the rest are somewhat above the ground.** She put one hand on his wounded leg, stripping away the binding to study the wound. How he had walked across the desert with such a deep injury she did not understand, for it appeared to have suffered little strain at all. Perhaps it had been incurred more recently? Or perhaps they had not crossed the desert at all. So many questions! Her healing magic entered the wound, finding the pink strands of light that were torn ligaments, skin and muscle, knitting them together again. She had been praticing her skills well - no longer did the healing effort make her faint. She still felt light-headed however. The child appeared uninjured, and had been very quiet.
**Mama's gone,** the child sent to her, as though aware of her attention, and Dreamwolf realised there was a huge story here to tell.
**Come,** she sent, **if you are able to walk, let us head for my roost afore it becomes dark and the nightprowlers come out.**
The elf called Windkin stood up, leaning gingerly on his wounded leg, and then putting his foot down firmly when he realised it was largely healed. He picked up the exhausted child, boosting her onto his shoulders.
**For now we shall walk,** he sent, and Dreamwolf wondered what he meant.
Jester darted over, forgetting his new friend in his desire to get acquainted with these ones. Fluffy flapped along behind them, too large to travel shoulder-roost.
The trip to the roost-place was uneventful, although Hover and Skylark, out hunting, were surprised when the procession passed them by. So surprised in fact that they forgot to tease Dreamwolf. Jester's welcoming grin told them they were forgiven. Even Chieftess Goldflash was delighted by the new visitors, for it had been many, many years since the cliff dwellers and jungle dwellers had seen each other. She was however devastated by the destruction of her sister-flock, and the death of her distant cousin.
**Disaster has united us once more,** she sent to her flock, with a sad smile. **You cannot keep windwalkers away from each other forever.**
Sunstar missed all of this, she was sleeping in Dreamwolf's ground hollow, lying against the gentle wolf with her vulture friend in her arms.