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[quote="krwordgazer"] -internal conflict -"ya think?" -love -someone caught red-handed -things start to happen -Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrazy (or just crazy) [/quote] “Is it true?” the voice of the woman startled Stillbreeze, who had been breast feeding Sunsword. Stillbreeze turned to see Skyshade, who was also holding her own newborn cubs, Dusk and Dawn, in her arms. “Is what true?” Stillbreeze asked, puzzled. “That you're considering staying here... with the Pridewalkers... for the safety of your cubs?” Stillbreeze tilted her head. “How did you hear of this? Only Vineweaver knows... and it's not yet been decided.” “Branchsnapper,” Skyshade gestured towards the Pridewalkers who had been lounging in the dawn's early light. “He told us that he had overheard you and Vineweaver possibly staying with them.” Stillbreeze looked over to the lounging Pridewalkers and saw Branchsnapper who seemed to be smiling at her, though she was sure it was just her own imagination. If Branchsnapper was smiling, it was because they loved the feel of the sun on their skin, warming their bodies after a cool night. Stillbreeze looked back at Skyshade and sighed, “It's true. I have brought it up to Vineweaver, that perhaps a war for the Palace is not the right path for us, for the sake of our cubs.” Branchsnapper, laying with the rest of his pride, smiled. All of the pieces were falling into place perfectly. Shadow groaned as he tried to stand. His legs quivered as if they were unable to sustain his light weight. He clutched at his abdomen as if he was preventing something from escaping his insides. Foxhair was immediately at his side. “You are still weak. You were very sick. Vomiting in your sleep... your body is weak...” “I have been weak long enough,” he growled through clenched teeth and refused her hand to help him. Stream's gentle green eyes ached for Foxhair, who wanted nothing more than to help the one she loved. Stream put her hand on Foxhair's shoulder. “Let him be. He is Chief. He needs to show that he is strong to the others.” That night, the Stonehowl Elves celebrated Shadow’s recovery. They sat around a small fire, where Moonsong’s voice carried through the night, as she sang so angelically of Shadow’s great deeds. Her soft blue eyes, which were the gentle color of the sky, looked at her chief and smiled, even the wind blew through her white hair. Treerunner, who sat next to his soul mate, Moonsong, looked from her to Shadow as he nodded, “I knew you would get better, you know. Never lost faith. Losing a Soul Mate has killed many mates who felt such a loss… but I knew you were stronger than that.” Shadow smiled weakly; though he had been walking around, in truth, he needed Foxhair’s support, for he was still very weak from lack of nutrition. “I mourn Joybringer’s loss, still,” Shadow explained, looking at Joybringer’s former tribemates, “but I have let her go. She’s at the Palace now. Waiting for us to recover the Palace from the trolls.” During the Howl for Shadow, Vineweaver suddenly appeared and sat next to Stillbreeze, whispering something in her ear. She looked at him strangely; it was not the shadows from the flame that darkened Vineweaver’s features; it was his mood. Vineweaver stood and looked at Shadow. “Speaking of reclaiming the Palace… Shadow, a few of us have made a choice… to stay with the Pridewalkers.” “What?” Shadow was in disbelief. Though he had been slowly recovering, Vineweaver’s words were like a spear through his heart. “What do you mean ‘stay’ with the Pridewalkers.” “We have cubs, Shadow,” Vineweaver said matter-of-factly. “Stillbreeze and I have a new born, as do Skyshade and Warsong and Wardance. You can’t expect us to bring our cubs into this war. And leaving them with the Pridewalkers, without us to watch over them is out of the question.” Shadow had wanted to say something; to somehow protest; to find a reason to keep his tribe united; but in truth, there were no words, no way to penetrate the logic that Vineweaver had presented. Despite his own internal conflict, he knew Vineweaver was right… “So be it,” Shadow finally said, his voice lowered. The following morning, it was Vineweaver’s voice that woke up the pack and disturbed the tribe. Stillbreeze woke up, reaching to her side for her mate when she heard his voice. He was not there. Startled she looked up and saw him standing between the pack and the pride, calling out Spearclaw’s name. Stillbreeze got up and rushed to Vineweaver’s side. “What are you doing?” “This ends,” Vineweaver growled. “What ends?” Stillbreeze asked confused. “This elf’s infatuation with you,” Vineweaver growled. Spearclaw appeared near the pride and walked over slowly. “What’s the meaning of this?” “I have heard that you have an infatuation with my soulmate,” Vineweaver growled. He could feel the hackles on his neck raise in a defensive manner, the wolf in him was howling wildly. Stillbreeze put her hand on Vineweaver’s shoulder. “Please, soulmate of mine, do not do this.” “I’d listen to her,” Spearclaw said, matter-of-factly. “I was the sole survivor of a Quickdeath attack. I single handedly killed the beast that felled nearly a dozen of my own Pridemates.” Branchsnapper woke to the commotion and stretched. Things were starting to happen. Pieces were falling into place. He had heard last night how Vineweaver announced that nearly half of them would be remaining with the Pridewalkers; and if Vineweaver and Stillbreeze were going to remain with the Pridewalkers, he would have to make a stand against Spearclaw, who had a vested interest in Stillbreeze. Echo and Windfetcher, who also woke up along with everyone else now, gathered around and shook his head. He looked at Windfetcher and shrugged, “Spearclaw is crazy to accept the challenge. Father will kill him.” In a sarcastic tone, Windfetcher raised an eyebrow and looked at her brother and smirked, “Gee, ya think?” Now that everyone had gathered around to see the fight, both Vineweaver and Spearclaw suddenly turned and faced Branchsnapper, “We know your game. You have sought to put us at ends. You have woven the thread of discontent. But the thread has been severed, Branchsnapper. We know what you’re doing. Now everyone here knows you’re scheming. You made a fatal mistake. You underestimated our sense of smell, among the Stonehowl. We have the noses and ears of our wolf brothers. When you were slinking in the trees above Stillbreeze and I, I could smell you. I could hear you when you slinked away like a black serpent.” Branchsnapper knew he had been caught red-handed. Vineweaver threw his spear and it landed just between Branchsnapper’s feet. Vineweaver smiled, “My challenge is with you. And if you defeat me, Spearclaw will challenge you next. If you defeat him, Stillbreeze will challenge you next. If you defeat her, Warsong and Wardance will challenge you next. If you beat them…” Shadow emerged between Vineweaver and Spearclaw, “I will challenge you.” The gleam in Shadow’s eyes showed full recovery. TO BE CONTINUED?