Chapter 19: Nonna and Adar
"It was humans cubs. They destroyed everything." Treestump said answering their question.
"But if humans did it...then why are Cori and Jayra with us if we don't like humans?" Ember asked.
"Because some humans...like them...are nicer than others. The ones who destroyed the forest were mean and hated us. They called us demons." Treestump answered.
"Why are only some humans nice?" Ember asked.
"Because they chose to be." Treestump said.
"Why?" Ember asked.
"Ember, be quiet. You ask too many question." Suntop said hitting his sister on the arm.
"Ow!" Ember said hitting the back of Suntop's head.
"Cubs, no fighting, please." Alex said holding Ember away from Suntop.
"He started it!" Ember objected.
"Well you've finished it, now stop." Alex said with a small smile.
"Yes, ma'am." Suntop and Ember said and the same time.
Treestump smiled at Alex in thanks. She smiled back and got off of Midnight's back.
"Let's rest by what's left of the river." Cutter said and everyone sat down to rest.
The wolves drank what water in the river was there and the wolfriders sat in what shade they could find. Everyone sat down accept Alex and Skywise. They walked together near the tribe but far enough away that Cutter and the others couldn't hear them. Midnight walked beside Alex and Skywise walked on the other side of him. Alex put her hand behind Midnight's ear and scratched it as they walked.
"He didn't mean anything he said, Alex. You know that." Skywise said.
"But he said it despite the fact..." Alex sent.
"Are you going to hate him forever?" Skywise asked.
"I don't know." Alex said looking down at the ground.
"But he's your brother..."
"So...that doesn't mean I can't hate him for saying what he did."
"But you have to forgive him at some point. Don't you?"
"When I want to I will..."
"Skywise we need to find food for the others....are you coming with me and Strongbow or staying?" Cutter sent to him.
Skywise paused for a moment and looked at Alex. He didn't want to leave Alex but he wanted to help find any kind of food that they could for the tribe.
"Go..." Alex said.
"But..."
"Just go, the tribe needs to eat. That's the most important thing right now." Alex said.
"Skywise? Are you coming?" Cutter sent again.
Skywise looked around. Alex looked at him angrily. "Will you just go. I know you want to, you haven't been on a hunt for moons." Alex said.
Finally Skywise agreed and sent to his chief. "I'm coming." And he ran off to join them.
"Finally. You know it takes him forever to decide anything these days." Alex sent to Midnight as she watched him get on Starjumpers back and ride away with Cutter and Strongbow.
"He loves elf friend. Of course he stay with you." Midnight sent.
"Yea....I have a bad feeling about this so called hunt, Midnight." Alex said.
They walked back to join the rest of the tribe. Redlance was trying to make it so that whatever trees were still there he could shape to make some shade for the others. Nightfall was sitting down next to Leetah talking with the cubs. Clearbrook was watching for anything suspicious as was Treestump. Cori and Jayra were playing with their wolves near the tribe. They looked like they were looking for food as well. Alex and Midnight walked past them to see if they could still see Cutter and the others. But they had disappeared. Alex was worried, she kept having the feeling that they weren't looking for food.
"Alex...can we talk?" Leetah asked standing, and walking toward her.
"What for? You need to take care of your cubs." Alex said still watching for any sign of Cutter.
"I'm sorry about making Cutter and the others come on this journey." Leetah said.
"It's not your fault Rayek decided to go with Tyldak. It's his fault if he gets in danger with Winnowill and the gliders." Alex said shrugging her shoulder.
"Winnowill? Gliders? You mean to tell me that that thing Rayek left with...was..." Leetah paused shivering.
"An elf? Yes." Alex finished for her.
"The gliders and this...Winnowill...are elves too?" Leetah asked.
Alex nodded. Only half her attention was paid to Leetah. She was trying to see if she could still sense the others. But now she couldn't and she didn't like that.
"Are we in any danger out here...so far from them?" Leetah asked.
Alex now paid full attention to her friend. She looked at Leetah. "Not unless they send their birds after us."
"Birds? What's so bad about birds?" Leetah asked curiously.
"These are big birds. Really big birds..." Alex said spreading her arms to show what she meant.
"Oh dear..." Leetah said putting her hand to her lips.
"The elves themselves are a danger Leetah. Winnowill can kill someone like that if she wanted to." Alex said snapping her fingers.
"What is she?" Leetah asked.
"A healer...like yourself...but she causes pain instead of healing."
"Why would anyone---"
"Mother! Uncle Cutter and the others are gone. We can't find them anywhere. The wolves can't either." Cori said running toward Alex and Leetah.
"What?!" Leetah said surprised.
"We can't find them. We don't know where they went." Jayra said worried.
"They left?! Where would they go? What about the food?" Ember asked.
"They went to Blue Mountain..." Alex said looking at Midnight.
"Why?" Ember asked.
"They went alone!" Leetah asked horrified.
"They didn't want the tribe to be put in danger...they knew I was right about the gliders being too dangerous for us...so they went without us. And they took Strongbow." Alex said.
"But why?" Moonshade asked.
"It was Cutter's fault...he knew I was right but didn't want everyone to know he was wrong...he left me here...the only one who that black snake is after...and he left all of you here so you wouldn't get in danger. How stupid can he be!" Alex said.
"Stupid enough to protect his family and friends." Pike said.
"Yea but...he'll get killed. They weren't supposed to set foot in the Blue Mountain again...and now they're headed to get Rayek."
"What are we going to do?" Nightfall asked.
"What we always do...follow our chief." Redlance said with a sigh.
"We can't!" Alex said quickly. "Do you not understand what I'm saying? These elves are killers."
"But what choice do we have?" Dewshine asked.
"I'm sure we have some chance..." Scouter said.
"All of us against all of them...there can't be that many...I mean if we're small then they should be too...right?" One-Eye asked.
"They don't have many...but they have things that we do not. We can't take chances." Alex said.
"I want my lifemate by my side, Alex. He shouldn't go off alone. We are always together." Moonshade said.
"And Cutter is our chief." Clearbrook said.
"But..." Alex couldn't protest against them.
It was many against one. What could she do? She looked at the ground and sighed. Then she looked around at the tribe who was with her.
"You are the chief's sister! You should know to stick by him at all times! You should be taking us to him right now." Scouter said.
"I think I'll agree with the lad on that one...We should be with Cutter." Treestump said.
"Looks like I can't argue with this bunch." Alex sent to Midnight, who whined.
"Mother...are we going to see that bad lady we saw so long ago?" Jayra asked.
Alex slowly nodded. The tribe looked at her with happy faces. Especially Moonshade. She was glad that she would be with her lifemate, safe and sound again.
"We can't leave now though...it's dark and everyone is tired. We need to rest." Alex said.
The tribe didn't object to that because she was right. Everyone was tired. They all fell asleep. The sky was easily seen with out the trees blocking the view. Alex watched the stars. She didn't feel like she was tired. Everyone was asleep around her and Jayra and Cori were asleep next to her. She knew something bad was going to happen when they entered the Blue Mountain again. She didn't know what it would be but she knew it was bad.
Meanwhile while the tribe slept Cutter, Skywise and Strongbow were traveling still. They wanted to get as far away from the tribe as possible before resting. They didn't want anyone following. They traveled without rest for the first night. When they thought it was safe they were in a forest that they could rest in, in the trees.
They slept as though they were with the tribe. They were sound asleep. The wolves rested on the ground below them but kept their ears perched to listen for anything unusual.
The next morning they woke and continued their journey. "Should we have gone off and left the tribe like this?" Skywise sent.
"It's for their own good. Alex was right. Blue Mountain is dangerous. I didn't want Leetah and the cubs to know how dangerous. And I didn't want to put the tribe in danger." Cutter sent.
"But was it right to not tell Alex?" Strongbow asked.
"She would have wanted to come with us. And I can't let her do that. Right now she is responsible for taking care of the tribe." Cutter said.
"But what if the tribe doesn't agree with that? What if they don't listen to her warnings about how dangerous this journey is and they follow us?" Skywise asked.
Cutter was silent. "He's right Cutter. Knowing the tribe...they will want to follow you wherever you go. No matter how dangerous." Strongbow sent.
"But it might be better that they do...because the three of us can't handle Winnowill on our own. She's too strong...I mean she did kill Lord Voll, remember Cutter?" Skywise said.
"I remember..." Cutter said. "But we have to try."
They were silent for a while. They rode on the wolves when there was no place to climb and when there were trees they let the wolves rest and they jumped from tree to tree.
Back in the dead forest everyone is waking up to the sound of a bird. Alex jerked awake when she heard it, thinking it was one of the gliders' birds. But it wasn't it was just a normal bird that liked to annoy everyone.
They all packed up and got ready to follow Alex to the Blue Mountain. Leetah was worried about Cutter and the others as was Moonshade and the rest of the tribe. Alex knew that Skywise and Cutter knew not to mess with the gliders but she was worried that since Strongbow knew nothing about them, he might get them in trouble and when Alex and the others got there they would be dead or in cages or something even worse. She didn't want to think about it.
They left the forest and walked as much as they could to give the wolves a little rest before they had to be ridden. They walked all day. Some, like Ember and Suntop, got tired and had to ride on the wolves. But the others were able to walk for a while longer. They finally made it to another forest. Midnight whined.
"Elf friends been here..." He sent to Alex.
"When?" Alex asked.
"Last night." Midnight sent."
"Ok good. They were here. We need to find them before they reach the Forbidden Grove. Petal Wing!" Alex yelled looking around.
Petal Wing came flying out of a tree. It had been flying around everyone's head and resting on the wolves.
"Yes, Yes soft pretty high thing call?" It asked.
"Do you think you can get to the Forbidden Grove from here?" Alex asked.
"Petal Wing find home home from anywhere." It said flying away.
"Hey wait!" Alex said and Petal Wing flew back.
"We have to FOLLOW you. Don't just fly away."
"Soft pretty high things hurry hurry. Petal Wing know where to go." It said and everyone followed the bug.
They followed Petal Wing all day and night. Midnight sniffed the air when it was time to rest. He could faintly smell the three wolfriders. Alex knew that they were getting closer but they weren't sure how close.
They stopped for the night and Petal Wing rested in Leetah's hair with a sigh. It knew it was going to see it's friends again soon.
While they rested Cutter, Strongbow and Skywise did too. But they were cautious because of the nearby hut that had a humans scent to it. Cutter had been injured by a squirrel earlier and he needed to rest because the bite seemed to be getting bad. They slept above the human's home. But later that night Cutter fell out of the tree and landed next to the human woman who had just come out of the hut.
The woman slowly moved toward Cutter. Skywise and Strongbow jumped down to protect him but the woman's mate came out of the hut and made sure the woman was able to bring Cutter into the hut. They couldn't stop the woman from picking Cutter up and taking him inside.
"She wants to help him. He looks very sick." The man said.
"You help us?!" Strongbow said angrily in human tongue.
"Yes little one. She called your friend a 'sky spirit.' She wants to help him so either let her and come inside to rest or go away." The man said.
Strongbow and Skywise looked at each other. They thought for a moment. "Maybe they are like Cori and Jayra..." Skywise considered.
"I say we don't trust them but go watch out for Cutter and keep him safe." Strongbow sent.
Skywise nodded and they went inside the strange hut with the man. They watched the woman gently wash Cutter's face and rewrap the bite on his hand. She gave him something that would help with the poisoned bite.
Skywise and Strongbow sat holding their weapons ready just in case the humans tried anything. But they didn't and Cutter was fine. He wasn't being hurt by the woman so maybe they were like Cori and Jayra. But Strongbow and Skywise still kept watching the humans to make sure. But after a while they fell asleep.
"The grace us with their presence, Adar." The woman whispered.
"These do not look like your 'sky spirits' Nonna." The man said.
"But do you not see the ears? And hands? They are just like those of the sky spirits. They must be the children of the sky spirits since they are small..." The woman said.
"But they keep wolves with them..." Adar said.
"Guardians...perhaps. The sky spirits can do anything." Nonna said with a small smile.
The night went on and the three wolfriders slept peacefully and were watched closely by the humans. The next morning Strongbow and Skywise woke to find Cutter sitting up and looking at his hand.
"What happened?" He sent to them.
"You fell out of the tree last night. The humans brought you inside this hut and the woman took care of you." Skywise sent.
"The man told us to come in and watch them if we didn't trust them...so we did." Strongbow sent.
"Ah...little spirits...your awake." Nonna said coming into the hut.
Cutter looked at the woman. She smiled at him. "I see your feeling better." She said.
Cutter just smiled a little. Skywise and Strongbow reached for their knives but didn't take them out. They knew that Cutter would tell them otherwise.
"Did you take care of me last night?" Cutter asked the human.
The woman looked at Cutter. "You speak out tongue little spirit?" She asked a little surprised. "Yes...I took care of you last night. My mate Adar watched for your guards to make sure they didn't attack us last night."
"The wolves?" Cutter asked Skywise.
Skywise and Strongbow nodded. "They were trying to protect us last night...I think that woman's mate burned Nightrunner's eye." Strongbow sent.
Cutter stood up and walked outside. The woman as well as Strongbow and Skywise followed.
"My name is Cutter."
"Little spirit, it is nice of you to check on us like this..." Nonna said. "I am Nonna. This is my mate, Adar." The woman said pointing to the man.
"These are my friends...Skywise and Strongbow." Cutter said.
"Why are you so far from your home little ones?" Nonna asked.
"We...got lost..." Cutter said looking at Skywise and Strongbow.
"Shall we take you back?" Adar asked.
"Please." Skywise said.
"We wish to return to our home." Strongbow said.
"Adar, we must take them back...they are only children...what if the pale one in charge gets angry because they got lost?" Nonna said.
"Then I guess we should take them back to the mountain." Adar said with a sigh.
Cutter, Strongbow and Skywise smiled at each other. The humans smiled when they saw how happy their 'sky spirits' were.
"It was humans cubs. They destroyed everything." Treestump said answering their question.
"But if humans did it...then why are Cori and Jayra with us if we don't like humans?" Ember asked.
"Because some humans...like them...are nicer than others. The ones who destroyed the forest were mean and hated us. They called us demons." Treestump answered.
"Why are only some humans nice?" Ember asked.
"Because they chose to be." Treestump said.
"Why?" Ember asked.
"Ember, be quiet. You ask too many question." Suntop said hitting his sister on the arm.
"Ow!" Ember said hitting the back of Suntop's head.
"Cubs, no fighting, please." Alex said holding Ember away from Suntop.
"He started it!" Ember objected.
"Well you've finished it, now stop." Alex said with a small smile.
"Yes, ma'am." Suntop and Ember said and the same time.
Treestump smiled at Alex in thanks. She smiled back and got off of Midnight's back.
"Let's rest by what's left of the river." Cutter said and everyone sat down to rest.
The wolves drank what water in the river was there and the wolfriders sat in what shade they could find. Everyone sat down accept Alex and Skywise. They walked together near the tribe but far enough away that Cutter and the others couldn't hear them. Midnight walked beside Alex and Skywise walked on the other side of him. Alex put her hand behind Midnight's ear and scratched it as they walked.
"He didn't mean anything he said, Alex. You know that." Skywise said.
"But he said it despite the fact..." Alex sent.
"Are you going to hate him forever?" Skywise asked.
"I don't know." Alex said looking down at the ground.
"But he's your brother..."
"So...that doesn't mean I can't hate him for saying what he did."
"But you have to forgive him at some point. Don't you?"
"When I want to I will..."
"Skywise we need to find food for the others....are you coming with me and Strongbow or staying?" Cutter sent to him.
Skywise paused for a moment and looked at Alex. He didn't want to leave Alex but he wanted to help find any kind of food that they could for the tribe.
"Go..." Alex said.
"But..."
"Just go, the tribe needs to eat. That's the most important thing right now." Alex said.
"Skywise? Are you coming?" Cutter sent again.
Skywise looked around. Alex looked at him angrily. "Will you just go. I know you want to, you haven't been on a hunt for moons." Alex said.
Finally Skywise agreed and sent to his chief. "I'm coming." And he ran off to join them.
"Finally. You know it takes him forever to decide anything these days." Alex sent to Midnight as she watched him get on Starjumpers back and ride away with Cutter and Strongbow.
"He loves elf friend. Of course he stay with you." Midnight sent.
"Yea....I have a bad feeling about this so called hunt, Midnight." Alex said.
They walked back to join the rest of the tribe. Redlance was trying to make it so that whatever trees were still there he could shape to make some shade for the others. Nightfall was sitting down next to Leetah talking with the cubs. Clearbrook was watching for anything suspicious as was Treestump. Cori and Jayra were playing with their wolves near the tribe. They looked like they were looking for food as well. Alex and Midnight walked past them to see if they could still see Cutter and the others. But they had disappeared. Alex was worried, she kept having the feeling that they weren't looking for food.
"Alex...can we talk?" Leetah asked standing, and walking toward her.
"What for? You need to take care of your cubs." Alex said still watching for any sign of Cutter.
"I'm sorry about making Cutter and the others come on this journey." Leetah said.
"It's not your fault Rayek decided to go with Tyldak. It's his fault if he gets in danger with Winnowill and the gliders." Alex said shrugging her shoulder.
"Winnowill? Gliders? You mean to tell me that that thing Rayek left with...was..." Leetah paused shivering.
"An elf? Yes." Alex finished for her.
"The gliders and this...Winnowill...are elves too?" Leetah asked.
Alex nodded. Only half her attention was paid to Leetah. She was trying to see if she could still sense the others. But now she couldn't and she didn't like that.
"Are we in any danger out here...so far from them?" Leetah asked.
Alex now paid full attention to her friend. She looked at Leetah. "Not unless they send their birds after us."
"Birds? What's so bad about birds?" Leetah asked curiously.
"These are big birds. Really big birds..." Alex said spreading her arms to show what she meant.
"Oh dear..." Leetah said putting her hand to her lips.
"The elves themselves are a danger Leetah. Winnowill can kill someone like that if she wanted to." Alex said snapping her fingers.
"What is she?" Leetah asked.
"A healer...like yourself...but she causes pain instead of healing."
"Why would anyone---"
"Mother! Uncle Cutter and the others are gone. We can't find them anywhere. The wolves can't either." Cori said running toward Alex and Leetah.
"What?!" Leetah said surprised.
"We can't find them. We don't know where they went." Jayra said worried.
"They left?! Where would they go? What about the food?" Ember asked.
"They went to Blue Mountain..." Alex said looking at Midnight.
"Why?" Ember asked.
"They went alone!" Leetah asked horrified.
"They didn't want the tribe to be put in danger...they knew I was right about the gliders being too dangerous for us...so they went without us. And they took Strongbow." Alex said.
"But why?" Moonshade asked.
"It was Cutter's fault...he knew I was right but didn't want everyone to know he was wrong...he left me here...the only one who that black snake is after...and he left all of you here so you wouldn't get in danger. How stupid can he be!" Alex said.
"Stupid enough to protect his family and friends." Pike said.
"Yea but...he'll get killed. They weren't supposed to set foot in the Blue Mountain again...and now they're headed to get Rayek."
"What are we going to do?" Nightfall asked.
"What we always do...follow our chief." Redlance said with a sigh.
"We can't!" Alex said quickly. "Do you not understand what I'm saying? These elves are killers."
"But what choice do we have?" Dewshine asked.
"I'm sure we have some chance..." Scouter said.
"All of us against all of them...there can't be that many...I mean if we're small then they should be too...right?" One-Eye asked.
"They don't have many...but they have things that we do not. We can't take chances." Alex said.
"I want my lifemate by my side, Alex. He shouldn't go off alone. We are always together." Moonshade said.
"And Cutter is our chief." Clearbrook said.
"But..." Alex couldn't protest against them.
It was many against one. What could she do? She looked at the ground and sighed. Then she looked around at the tribe who was with her.
"You are the chief's sister! You should know to stick by him at all times! You should be taking us to him right now." Scouter said.
"I think I'll agree with the lad on that one...We should be with Cutter." Treestump said.
"Looks like I can't argue with this bunch." Alex sent to Midnight, who whined.
"Mother...are we going to see that bad lady we saw so long ago?" Jayra asked.
Alex slowly nodded. The tribe looked at her with happy faces. Especially Moonshade. She was glad that she would be with her lifemate, safe and sound again.
"We can't leave now though...it's dark and everyone is tired. We need to rest." Alex said.
The tribe didn't object to that because she was right. Everyone was tired. They all fell asleep. The sky was easily seen with out the trees blocking the view. Alex watched the stars. She didn't feel like she was tired. Everyone was asleep around her and Jayra and Cori were asleep next to her. She knew something bad was going to happen when they entered the Blue Mountain again. She didn't know what it would be but she knew it was bad.
Meanwhile while the tribe slept Cutter, Skywise and Strongbow were traveling still. They wanted to get as far away from the tribe as possible before resting. They didn't want anyone following. They traveled without rest for the first night. When they thought it was safe they were in a forest that they could rest in, in the trees.
They slept as though they were with the tribe. They were sound asleep. The wolves rested on the ground below them but kept their ears perched to listen for anything unusual.
The next morning they woke and continued their journey. "Should we have gone off and left the tribe like this?" Skywise sent.
"It's for their own good. Alex was right. Blue Mountain is dangerous. I didn't want Leetah and the cubs to know how dangerous. And I didn't want to put the tribe in danger." Cutter sent.
"But was it right to not tell Alex?" Strongbow asked.
"She would have wanted to come with us. And I can't let her do that. Right now she is responsible for taking care of the tribe." Cutter said.
"But what if the tribe doesn't agree with that? What if they don't listen to her warnings about how dangerous this journey is and they follow us?" Skywise asked.
Cutter was silent. "He's right Cutter. Knowing the tribe...they will want to follow you wherever you go. No matter how dangerous." Strongbow sent.
"But it might be better that they do...because the three of us can't handle Winnowill on our own. She's too strong...I mean she did kill Lord Voll, remember Cutter?" Skywise said.
"I remember..." Cutter said. "But we have to try."
They were silent for a while. They rode on the wolves when there was no place to climb and when there were trees they let the wolves rest and they jumped from tree to tree.
Back in the dead forest everyone is waking up to the sound of a bird. Alex jerked awake when she heard it, thinking it was one of the gliders' birds. But it wasn't it was just a normal bird that liked to annoy everyone.
They all packed up and got ready to follow Alex to the Blue Mountain. Leetah was worried about Cutter and the others as was Moonshade and the rest of the tribe. Alex knew that Skywise and Cutter knew not to mess with the gliders but she was worried that since Strongbow knew nothing about them, he might get them in trouble and when Alex and the others got there they would be dead or in cages or something even worse. She didn't want to think about it.
They left the forest and walked as much as they could to give the wolves a little rest before they had to be ridden. They walked all day. Some, like Ember and Suntop, got tired and had to ride on the wolves. But the others were able to walk for a while longer. They finally made it to another forest. Midnight whined.
"Elf friends been here..." He sent to Alex.
"When?" Alex asked.
"Last night." Midnight sent."
"Ok good. They were here. We need to find them before they reach the Forbidden Grove. Petal Wing!" Alex yelled looking around.
Petal Wing came flying out of a tree. It had been flying around everyone's head and resting on the wolves.
"Yes, Yes soft pretty high thing call?" It asked.
"Do you think you can get to the Forbidden Grove from here?" Alex asked.
"Petal Wing find home home from anywhere." It said flying away.
"Hey wait!" Alex said and Petal Wing flew back.
"We have to FOLLOW you. Don't just fly away."
"Soft pretty high things hurry hurry. Petal Wing know where to go." It said and everyone followed the bug.
They followed Petal Wing all day and night. Midnight sniffed the air when it was time to rest. He could faintly smell the three wolfriders. Alex knew that they were getting closer but they weren't sure how close.
They stopped for the night and Petal Wing rested in Leetah's hair with a sigh. It knew it was going to see it's friends again soon.
While they rested Cutter, Strongbow and Skywise did too. But they were cautious because of the nearby hut that had a humans scent to it. Cutter had been injured by a squirrel earlier and he needed to rest because the bite seemed to be getting bad. They slept above the human's home. But later that night Cutter fell out of the tree and landed next to the human woman who had just come out of the hut.
The woman slowly moved toward Cutter. Skywise and Strongbow jumped down to protect him but the woman's mate came out of the hut and made sure the woman was able to bring Cutter into the hut. They couldn't stop the woman from picking Cutter up and taking him inside.
"She wants to help him. He looks very sick." The man said.
"You help us?!" Strongbow said angrily in human tongue.
"Yes little one. She called your friend a 'sky spirit.' She wants to help him so either let her and come inside to rest or go away." The man said.
Strongbow and Skywise looked at each other. They thought for a moment. "Maybe they are like Cori and Jayra..." Skywise considered.
"I say we don't trust them but go watch out for Cutter and keep him safe." Strongbow sent.
Skywise nodded and they went inside the strange hut with the man. They watched the woman gently wash Cutter's face and rewrap the bite on his hand. She gave him something that would help with the poisoned bite.
Skywise and Strongbow sat holding their weapons ready just in case the humans tried anything. But they didn't and Cutter was fine. He wasn't being hurt by the woman so maybe they were like Cori and Jayra. But Strongbow and Skywise still kept watching the humans to make sure. But after a while they fell asleep.
"The grace us with their presence, Adar." The woman whispered.
"These do not look like your 'sky spirits' Nonna." The man said.
"But do you not see the ears? And hands? They are just like those of the sky spirits. They must be the children of the sky spirits since they are small..." The woman said.
"But they keep wolves with them..." Adar said.
"Guardians...perhaps. The sky spirits can do anything." Nonna said with a small smile.
The night went on and the three wolfriders slept peacefully and were watched closely by the humans. The next morning Strongbow and Skywise woke to find Cutter sitting up and looking at his hand.
"What happened?" He sent to them.
"You fell out of the tree last night. The humans brought you inside this hut and the woman took care of you." Skywise sent.
"The man told us to come in and watch them if we didn't trust them...so we did." Strongbow sent.
"Ah...little spirits...your awake." Nonna said coming into the hut.
Cutter looked at the woman. She smiled at him. "I see your feeling better." She said.
Cutter just smiled a little. Skywise and Strongbow reached for their knives but didn't take them out. They knew that Cutter would tell them otherwise.
"Did you take care of me last night?" Cutter asked the human.
The woman looked at Cutter. "You speak out tongue little spirit?" She asked a little surprised. "Yes...I took care of you last night. My mate Adar watched for your guards to make sure they didn't attack us last night."
"The wolves?" Cutter asked Skywise.
Skywise and Strongbow nodded. "They were trying to protect us last night...I think that woman's mate burned Nightrunner's eye." Strongbow sent.
Cutter stood up and walked outside. The woman as well as Strongbow and Skywise followed.
"My name is Cutter."
"Little spirit, it is nice of you to check on us like this..." Nonna said. "I am Nonna. This is my mate, Adar." The woman said pointing to the man.
"These are my friends...Skywise and Strongbow." Cutter said.
"Why are you so far from your home little ones?" Nonna asked.
"We...got lost..." Cutter said looking at Skywise and Strongbow.
"Shall we take you back?" Adar asked.
"Please." Skywise said.
"We wish to return to our home." Strongbow said.
"Adar, we must take them back...they are only children...what if the pale one in charge gets angry because they got lost?" Nonna said.
"Then I guess we should take them back to the mountain." Adar said with a sigh.
Cutter, Strongbow and Skywise smiled at each other. The humans smiled when they saw how happy their 'sky spirits' were.