______________________________________________________________________
It was a distant whine that tickled at the edge of the elf’s hearing. He was known among the inhabitants of the Red Tree Forest as their king and took his responsibility as their chief protector very seriously so that he felt compelled to personally investigate every disturbance in his realm. It was through this desire that the elf’s feet began to glide across the forest’s floor. His movements were swift, but light and precise so that hardly a blade of grass or errant leaf could attest to his passing as he rushed ever onward. The wind whipped past his ears as he traveled faster and faster until the trees became a red-brown blur around him.
A blue bird with a long feathered tail squawked in protest at his passing when the King of the Red Trees came too close and blew it off course forcing the bird to land awkwardly in a bush or risk crashing into a tree. The King turned his attention to his winged subject to make sure it had come to no harm. Forgive me my passing, the King of the Red Trees pushed the thought at the little bird, but did not slow his pace so that if there was a response he did not hear it.
Then as suddenly as he started, the elf stopped running and for a moment his dark, flowing hair shot past his face as if it was still trying to continue on without him. The King of the Red Trees knew he still had a great distance left to travel, but now he recognized the sound for what it was and what it implied gave him a chill down to the bone. The King drew his bow and hurried once more redoubling his efforts. He now knew he was following the sound of a babe crying… and the snarling of beasts.
The King shimmied up a hardy red tree without slowing his pace and began to leap from one branch to the next. His feet unerringly found the strongest limbs and best footing as befitted one born of the forest all in an effort to gain a vantage point over the forest’s predators that were quickly surrounding the youngling.
A grey wolf growled hungrily as it pulled at the calf of a dead elf woman. From her dress, the King of the Red Trees knew her to be a member of one the city clans. The elf-sister must have traveled a fantastic distance before finally being run down, but this could not be the work of a lone wolf. Even a city elf could avoid a single wolf.
The King moved closer being mindful of the living shadows below him. A pack of wolves closed in all around the elf’s corpse. The King notched an arrow and took aim at the one worrying at the mother’s calf. The crying was much louder now that he was so close to the source. His superior ears were nearly deafened by the child’s wails. It was clear that the sound was coming from underneath the dead elf and the wolf was determined to reach the babe protected under its lifeless mother.
Let her go, the King whispered to the wolf, and I will let you live.
The grey wolf looked up at the King of the Red Trees, but did not let go of the leg he held tightly in his maw. This is no concern of yours, elf. What is done is done. It is the cycle of life that your kind values so much. Is it not? We have our kill and there is nothing you can do to change that.
It was true. There was nothing he could do for the city elf…
You misunderstand me, wolf. I do not seek to take your kill. I only want the youngling.
The other wolves began skulking surreptitiously in the King’s direction. He was safe from them in the tree, but they could prevent him from reaching the babe if they truly wished it.
Maybe we want the elf-cub too, the wolf snarled, We will eat to our satisfaction.
Then be satisfied with the one that you have already killed! I will not allow the elf-babe to die as well! The King snapped.
At that the grey wolf did finally drop the leg he had been holding so tightly. His gaze was malicious and for a brief moment the King knew dread, but he did not fear for himself.
The wolf considered for a moment and then made an offer. A compromise, then? What if we agree not to kill the young one, elf? The wolf’s demeanor was harsh and threatening. The idea of compromising did not sit well with a creature used to getting what it wanted without the need for debate even if the compromise was its own device. What if we choose to make her one of us instead? She could be a wolfen roaming the forest among us. She could be Pack. In Pack she would find strength and safety. In Pack she would find a new family to replace the one lost this day. Would you deny her that? With that last thought, the King felt a sense of pride shine from the wolf.
I would, the King of the Red Trees answered without a moment’s hesitation. He released an arrow and it flew at the wolf before the predator could react. The air split just above the beast’s head and the arrow bit into the wood of a nearby tree with a loud thwump. A warning shot.
The wolf growled and his pack joined in so that the forest was alive with the angry sound drowning out the crying youngling. We are Pack, elf! That may mean little to you, but to us Pack is all that matters. You can kill me, but my Pack-brothers and Pack-sisters will hunt you down. You cannot end us all.
Can’t I? The King whispered nothing more. Instead, he let that thought with all of its self-assurance and calm sink into the wolf’s mind as he made a show of readying another arrow and took aim once more.
After a long silence the grey wolf relented. Take the loud one. She grates on my nerves anyway.
The King of the Red Trees stored his bow and moved from tree to tree until he was above the dead elf-sister and her baying child. Then he leapt nimbly down from his perch into the midst of the wolves. He pulled his knife and stood defensively between their pack leader and his prize as he lifted the mother’s body to uncover the elf-babe who continued her weeping unabated.
The wolf snapped at the King and kept him from grabbing the child. The Pack advanced on the King forcing him to either ignore the exposed youngling or drop his guard.
Foolish elf, the wolf whispered coldly, You threaten our Pack and moments later jump into our waiting jaws. You are brave, elf, but we are many. We are Pack.
Another wolf snapped at the King of the Red Trees. This time it came from his right, but the animal bit nothing but air when the elf twisted away from him and delivered a kick to its body pushing the second wolf away.
The grey wolves inched closer prepared to pounce in an instant. The King of the Red Trees smiled knowingly.
Wolf, you mistake me for a human. I understand what it means to be Pack. I know your strength. The King raised his empty hand to the trees and lowered it again in a swift chop. In response a rain of arrows from unseen hands fell down all around the wolves causing many to jump back, but none were harmed. I am Shatala, King of the Red Tree Clan. We are not so different. You are Pack and we are a clan. We are an assembly of warriors sworn to protect the Red Tree Forest, but we are a family as well. We take strength from one another and defend each other as brothers and sisters in arms. Using the pack leader’s own words against him, the King added, You can kill me, but my Clan-brothers and Clan-sisters will hunt you down. You cannot end us all.
The wolf nodded reluctantly. You are Pack. After a few moments more of thought, he added, Shatala, King of the Red Tree Clan, take the elf-babe, but leave the meat for us and there will be no more bloodshed between our kinds, indicating the elf woman’s body.
The King gave a short nod in return. Very well. I will take the youngling and leave you to your meal. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the babe and bounded into the tree taking his leave of the wolves. He held the child securely against him as he bounced between trees, but she felt safe in his arms and stopped her howling turning to coos instead.
After a time the King stopped to regard the child. He held her up and away from him to get a good look at the youngling. Her legs kicked with strength that was surprising for one so small and she swung her arms at her sides enthusiastically. She would make a strong protector of the forest in thirty or so years.
“Welcome, daughter of the Red Tree Clan.”
No comments:
Post a Comment