The next night, Tyleet took little Rayek to see Moonshade. "You see the problem," she explained as the child eyed the tanner's tools curiously. "Rayek!" She tugged his hand sharply. "Stay out of that!" Sulking, he put the lid back on the pot of dye. "He can't go on wearing Suntop's old things." As if to prove her point, the leggings he was wearing chose slipped down around his ankles.

Moonshade, who until that moment had been regarding them stonily, couldn't stifle a smirk. "No, I suppose not," she said. Rayek glowered at her as he hitched his pants back up. Sighing reluctantly, she knelt down in front of him. "Well, come here cub," she ordered. He looked to Tyleet, who smiled encouragingly, then he stepped forward. Moonshade spent awhile measuring him with her hands. "Yes," she said at length, "I've got enough scraps to put something together." "So you'll do it?" Tyleet asked with relief.

"Of course I'll do it," the tanner sniffed. "I wouldn't leave any of our tribe running around unclothed." She glanced pointedly at the child. "No matter the… history."

Tyleet stiffened. "Thank you," she said woodenly. "Come, Rayek." Moonshade did not watch as they left or she would have seen Rayek twist his head around and stare at her consideringly as Tyleet dragged him along.

A few nights later…

"Rayek, sweet, do you want me to chew your meat for you?" Tyleet asked.

"Eeeeeyich!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in horror.

"Then why won't you eat some more?" she prodded. She pulled another scrap of meat from the kill and held it out to him. "Here."

He shook his head again, though he looked at the offered food with a look of repressed longing. "I've had too much," he said halfheartedly.

Treestump raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Have you now, lad?" he asked. "Then why can I still hear your stomach rumbling?" Rayek muttered something and scuffed at the dirt with his toe. "What was that?"

Clearbrook, who was sitting closer to the little adoptive family than Treestump, hid a smile in her hand. "He asked for some vegetables," she said.

"I like meat!" Rayek said defensively. "I'm just… tired of it," he admitted almost guiltily. His eyes darted from adult to adult as he waited for the admonitions to start.

Ekuar chuckled. "Well, little Brownskin, why didn't you say so?"

Tyleet stood up and ruffled Rayek's hair affectionately. "We all could use some. I'll go get them." Rayek brightened.

"I'll come help!" he said, bounding out of his seat. He grabbed Tyleet's hand and started dragging her away, ignorant of the questioning look she sent to Clearbrook. Clearbrook frowned slightly but shrugged her shoulders.

Their concern seemed unwarranted. Though the other elves quieted as Rayek approached them, they kept any hostility well under control. Rayek asked each group politely for the vegetable baskets and they handed them over politely in their turn. The tension mounted as he walked up to Cutter's group. The chief's face hardened but he said nothing as Leetah handed over the basket of greens. Leetah watched with some amusement as Rayek stacked the basket on top of the other two he already had. The total tower was nearly as tall as he was but he refused Tyleet's aid as he struggled to pick it up.

"Why don't you let Tyleet help you, kitling?" Leetah asked gently.

"ughf Because -I'm- helping –her-," was his response. With Tyleet following him watchfully, he picked his way back to their seats carefully. As he passed Pike, Skot and Krim, trouble struck. Skot leaned casually back, sticking one foot right in Rayek's way. He stumbled over it and fell, landing on the baskets. The bottom two were fine but the top one tumbled off, spilling the greens all over the forest floor.

To everyone's astonishment, when Rayek stood up there were tears in his eyes. "You did that on purpose!" he accused, sounding dangerously close to crying.

"Me?" Skot replied, grinning nastily, "never!"

Rayek's hands curled into fists. "You did too!" He blinked back the tears as his voice rose. "You tripped me! You made me waste food!" Skot laughed in his face.

Rayek hit him. He stood there for a moment, looking shocked. Skot lunged for him but Tyleet snatched him out of the way. She settled Rayek on her hip, staring down at Skot angrily. Then she glanced around at the other Wolfriders. Most looked vaguely concerned but there were enough smirks. Another glance at Cutter revealed a smug smirk on his face too. She clenched her jaw tightly and felt tears start up in her own eyes. Spinning on her heel, she stalked back to her den. She could hear Ekuar hobble along after them but she was more concerned with her small charge.

Rayek lay against her with his head buried in her shoulder. "They hate me," he sobbed into her neck. "They hate me."