Chapter Ten, Treehomn
"How long until we arrive in Treehomn?" I asked Dusk four days later. "It really is out here in the woods, far away from everything, isn't it?" I complained, mentioning the fact that we hadn't seen a road or even a goat trail in days, having abandoned the wagon two days ago, covering it in underbrush.
While alternating between riding and leading the new horses along had been rather simple, the trip itself had thus far been completely uneventful. It was all together unexciting since the episode with the highwaymen, and I was beginning to doubt that I would see any excitement at all for at least another few days.
"Only one more night." Dusk said, checking the wind, the directions, landmarks, and what he said were clear markers pointing the way, though I failed to see anything different from one boring tree to the next.
"Besides that, they've been following us for days." Dusk suddenly whispered in my ear when I walked up close to see a leaf he was inspecting. "Haven't you heard or seen them?" He quietly asked.
"Really?!" I said, a bit too loudly, starting to look around.
"Yes. This leaf is indeed a Birchwood leaf." Dusk said in a normal voice, standing up to show it to me, recovering from my blunder. "Not much use for herbs, but excellent wood for making boats." he continued, drawing my eyes to focus on his with a slight warning.
At that, I finally took the hint and said, "Oh, I thought the bark was good for making healing salves." I said, playing his game while carefully looking around to see if I could find any sign of our followers, to no avail.
"Well then, let's continue, shall we? We need to get there during daylight, lest the Elves of Treehomn wonder why we're wandering into their wood unannounced, for they need to know we mean them no harm." Dusk said, loud enough for anyone within arrow distance to hear.
With that, our followers knew we had discovered them, and they wasted no time in coming out from their respective hiding places, no less than twenty feet from where we stood!
Even Kooraw was surprised to see a particularly leafy bush turn into an elf covered in clothes that made him look like nothing more than a forest bush! I would have laughed at his reaction had I not seen the unmistakable look on the elf's face, one that brooked no amusement, bur rather a telltale sign that he would kill us where we stand if we made even the slightest movement for our weapons.
At this moment, I felt the tattoo begin to twitch and writhe under my shirt, but fought it off with the knowledge that these elves were merely guarding their territory and homes from unannounced visitors.
Upon closer inspection of this potentially dangerous new opponent, the trained part of my brain made mental notes as my eyes took him in from head to toe.
This elf was about a hand shorter than Dusk, probably twenty or thirty pounds lighter, but lean and full of methodical movement in his quick muscles. He looked young, of course, not as young as me, but possibly in his twenties. Elves, of course, age differently than us humans do, but I have to base my experience on something!
He was wearing greens, browns, and grays. His clothing was, well, savage! And looked like it had been made by a wild seamstress who killed the animal right before she sewed it back together for clothes! There were all manner of leaves, sticks, brambles, and other plants weaved about into his jerkin, breeches, and boots. In his tanned hands he held a rather strong looking bow, fitted with an arrow.
All of these details sank in, but it was his steady, fierce gaze from beneath his deep green eyes and his war-painted face that made shudder inwardly, knowing full well that I was very much in possible mortal danger!
Just as all of this was going through my mind, the elf spoke, "Uuma ma' ten' rashwe, ta tuluva a' lle." he said, holding his bow and arrow steadily, making sure neither Dusk nor I meant to fight.
To this, Dusk said, "Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha, Ooro. "
"Amin sinta lle?" the elf asked. I could tell by his inflection at the end of the statement.
"Dusk Sandsong." Dusk stated his name.
At this, the Elf lowered his bow with a surprised look, as if seeing Dusk for the first time again.
"A! Dusk Sandsong. Amin sinta thaliolle e dagor. Lle fiose amin." he said. And while I still didn't understand a word of the Elvish, I did understand that this elf knew of or had known Dusk, and with that, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"We were not expecting you so soon." the Elf said, switching to common. "Yes, I admit it is too soon, Ooro. But the Golden Asp has passed." Dusk explained, indicating me.
At this, the elf looked at me with a fresh perspective, whistled toward the woods, and knelt in front of me on one knee, his right hand over his chest, in a strange salute. "I am Ooro, Shadow's Son. Welcome to the Queendom of Our Lady Llylenwie Heartsleaf."
"Well met Oo-row." I said with a bow, pronouncing his name carefully. "I am Umbra Theron, and I have come for training."
With a rather surprised look to Dusk, who only nodded, Ooro stood up and motioned the other two elves of his scouting group who had been in hiding over to our position. They looked like living trees being that they were so covered in branches and leaves! And their wildly painted faces continued to surprise me.
"Well, Shadow's Son, don't keep us waiting!" Ooro said. "Let's see the Snake!" And with that, I made three new friends as I rolled up my sleeve to prove my heritage to these strange elves of the wild forest.
