The wolf-chief was swift but desperation lent Rayek wings. He was buried deep in Ekuar's embrace when Cutter, with Leetah and Tyleet in tow, caught up. "Now then, what's the matter?" Ekuar was saying. He patted Rayek's back but the child simply shook his head and continued his fierce, silent sobbing. With a glance at her chief, Tyleet stepped up and put her hand on Rayek's shoulder.
"Rayek, sweet little cubling," she murmured. He stiffed. "Shhhh," she stroked his hair. "Cutter didn't mean that."
A small sound came from the small figure, much muffled by Ekuar's cloak. It sounded like "Prove it."
Cutter's hand was balled into a painful fist but a touch from, and a glance at, his lifemate determined him. Rayek, he sent. With a mix of anger and dread the child turned toward him. You cannot lie in sending. Truth? Grudgingly, Rayek nodded. Then-- he took a deep breath, when I tell you that I simply meant that we wouldn't trade our people like tools and that I am sorry, you will believe me. There was a long, tense silence as Rayek searched Cutter's eyes, weighing his words. Then he nodded, once. Solemnly Cutter returned the nod.
Leetah knelt down. "Tell me, child," she said. "Why did you think your parents had…had traded you?"
Rayek shrugged. His sending still stung with recent pain but he was clearly trying to work past it. We need a plant-shaper. Because of the drought.
"Don't worry," Leetah smiled with all the assurance of fore-knowledge. "Everything will be all right. I'm sure you're a great help to your parents."
The response was blunt and merciless. I'm not. Before she could protest, he continued. I kill plants. I pull the wrong ones. I don't water them right. Father doesn't like it when I help. I hate the stupid gardens anyway! he added defiantly. Then, with a familiar suddenness and intensity, he changed tracks. Why don't you like me? His eyes bored into Cutter's.
Cutter growled, the challenge bringing his wolfish nature to the fore. "That's a question for another time!" He turned and stalked away. Rayek watched him go, a considering look that seemed older than his years on his face.
Patience huffed contentedly. Her elf-friend and her elf-friend's new cub (who didn't smell anything like her but elves were strange creatures) had at last come down to the wolf dens for a visit. Even now her big furry ears were getting a good scratch as Tyleet watched Rayek edge toward the rest of the pack. The pack surrounded the young elf taking cautious sniffs. Rayek threw a look back at Tyleet that could only be described as terrified but she only smiled and he, unwilling to be shamed in front of her, swallowed hard and tried to remain still.
The scent of fear coming from the cub made the pack edgy. One of the lower wolves got too close to the alpha and was swiftly disciplined. The commotion almost knocked Rayek off his feet and he stumbled, stepping on another wolf's tail. That wolf spun around and gave him a good nip for the affront and the child screamed. Quickly Tyleet and Patience waded in and plucked him out.
Other elves that were nearby hurried over to see what had happened. "For Freefoot's sake," Skywise snorted, "are all Sun Villagers so pathetic? So much fuss over such a little scratch."
Look at him! Strongbow grumbled, Eyes the size of Mother Moon and stinking of fear. No wonder the wolves reacted.
Leetah glared at them. "You two hush!" she snapped. "Have a little compassion." Her hands were on her hips and she was ready to lecture.
"Leetah?" Tyleet's concerned voice forestalled Leetah's speech. The healer turned to see what was the matter. Rayek stood stock-still, his hand clutched over the injured arm and his face a mask of horror. "He seems to be all right, but he won't respond," Tyleet appealed.
"Come now kitling," Leetah smiled, kneeling down next to them. She put her hand over his. "It's not so bad." His brow knit as he frowned. His mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to speak but in the end he simply shook his head. Leetah frowned too; he was on the verge of panic. "Tyleet, lock send with me. Perhaps then he will believe us." Together their minds reached out and touched--
Terror. Stark terror and anger coming from somewhere else. He didn't understand. He was swamped. Any moment now he was sure he would be overwhelmed. His arm-- it stung. It was just a scratch that would stop hurting soon...
No, his arm throbbed and when the shock wore off the pain would be horrific. His arm was shredded to the bone and blood dripped to the sand with a heavy sound. The wolves were sniffing anxiously, concerned by the elves' odd behavior. They weren't wolves, they were jackals and they were circling in for the kill...
He could feel two presences with him, elves that he knew he trusted in this strange green-growing land. He was going to die out in the rocks and suddenly he wanted his parents-- or ANYBODY to help him-- more than he ever had before but they were safe in the village and he was alone... Which is the truth? he begged.
Tyleet and Leetah exchanged a quick shocked glance then reached out and drew the child into a tight embrace. We are the truth, they sent. Feel us. Hear the breeze in the leaves, smell the bark and earth that surrounds you.
Feel the ground between your toes because you've lost your shoes again, Tyleet added seperately. Rayek blinked and shakily smiled the universal child's smile at her-- the one that says "Oops. Got caught. But I don't regret it!"
"Better now?" Leetah asked kindly.
What was that? Rayek asked.
The healer hesitated a moment. "Like a dream," she said. "Now it's back in dreamland. Let's leave it there."
Rayek nodded vigorously.
"So what was that?" Cutter asked her later when they were in their den. The twins were asleep and Skywise was off with Aroree.
"A memory."
"A memory!"
Leetah nodded sadly.
"Is it coming back to him?"
Leetah moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were thoughtful. "I don't know. It was just a fragment of a memory, really, triggered by circumstance. Maybe more will come back now, maybe not. After an experience like that, he's probably locking himself down even tighter than before."
Cutter made an irritated motion. "After an experience like what? He got nipped by a wolf and it reminded him of a hunting accident. He survived it."
"When will you let Ember hunt alone?"
Leetah's question came out of nowhere and left Cutter blinking. "What?"
"Ember is eight now. How old will she be when you let her hunt alone?"
"I-I don't know. It depends on her skill and her maturity."
"When do you think that will be?"
"If I had to guess, I'd say when she's twelve and even then no big game on her own. Why?"
Leetah's thoughts were far away. She could still feel the lonliness that Rayek had projected. It was more than lonliness, she now realized. He had felt abandoned by those who were supposed to care for him. "Rayek," she said quietly, "was nearly the same age as Ember when those jackals attacked."