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krwordgazer wrote: Something or someone falling from a high place A question of trust First vague signs of spring Rain Baby booties Music The wind blew gently across the treetops. The trees swayed and danced to the sound of the distant storm. Already a light sprinkle of rain was beginning to fall. There would not be much more of the rain – Spring was not far. Already the trees and plants were showing signs of the approaching change of season. Suncaller sniffed the air. The rain and wind stirred the plants, the trees, the very mountains – and brought with it so many different scents. Suncaller took them all in. Named Suncaller for his blond hair, and sky blue eyes – though he preferred the sun’s delicate rays over the rain – he was someone who loved everything for what it was. Everything has good, just as everything has bad. But he rarely saw the bad. Perhaps to a fault. His love mate, another male by the name of Blackstar, was his opposite in every manner. He saw only the bad things in life. He saw only the negative. The sun was too hot. The rain made the hunts more difficult. Nothing was ever good enough. And perhaps this was Suncaller’s attraction to his mate. The idea, the notion that he could one day, perhaps change Blackstar’s view of the world. After all, he saw only the good in Blackstar – despite his negative outlook on everything. “Aren’t these scents amazing?” Suncaller turned to his lovemate. “I hate the rain,” Blackstar growled. “You know this.” “Forget the rain, forget that you’re wet – listen to the wind, hear the wind – it speaks of the things it’s carried from the woods, the mountains, even the lakes!” Suncaller smiled. “It smells like mud,” Blackstar said plainly. Suncaller extended his arms. “Nonsense! You’re missing the point, lovemate!” It was that moment. He would never be sure what over took him. Why he did what he did. Blackstar suddenly reached out and shoved Suncaller. “What are you doing?” Suncaller screamed, his arms flailing to grab something – anything. But the rain, the wind, the very things he had loved so much – made everything slippery. Impossible to hold onto. Blackstar watch, devoid of emotion, as the one who had been his lovemate fell from the heights of the tree – falling, striking a large branch with his back, his eyes pleading all the way down – questioning – but Blackstar felt nothing as his lovemate fell all the way, twisting and bending, and flipping, like a broken doll, until he finally struck the bottom with a loud, sick, and twisted thump. Blackstar climbed down the tree cautiously. He looked at Suncaller’s empty eyes. Dead. Not a single bit of emotion twitched in his heart. He instead tilted his head back and let out a howl. It was mere moments before most of the tribe had arrived, to see the horrified scene before them. Blackstar was kneeled over Suncaller, weeping madly. “What happened?” Shadow asked, immediately sliding down next to Suncaller to check if he was alive – knowing before his hand ever touched the flesh – the answer. “Humans,” Blackstar cried. “Humans.” He wept more. “What do you mean humans?” Shadow asked. “The humans came – saw him in the tree, I presume – and throw rocks and sticks at him – and struck him from the tree – just as I came, I saw him fall – the humans saw me and fled.” “The humans did this?” Shadow asked. It seemed… unusual. The humans had been leaving the elves alone for some time now. They almost respected one another’s distance and hunting grounds and rarely crossed one another – and when they did – there was no hatred – only a silent parting. Why would the humans do this? “We have to do something about the humans, Shadow,” Treerunner said. “They can’t be allowed to get away with this. Not… Suncaller. He’s never hurt… anyone. Anything. This is too much. You asked us to forgive them – to forget what they had done when they took our chief Wildthorn and your sister – how many more Shadow? How many more must die at their hands?” Weeping upon Suncaller’s chest, none saw as Blackstar smiled. Now Shadow would either march them against the humans – or lose face with his tribe, which is what Blackstar suspected – and decline attacking the humans. Allowing him to slide in as the new chief who would demand action. Sungazer, who had lost his mate to the humans long ago, stared at his lifeless son. “How many more, Shadow? How many?” Blackstar suddenly stood. “We must take action against the humans! They have brought this war upon themselves! Will you deny us our justice, Shadow?” Shadow stared at Blackstar. There was something there – in the tone of his voice – a hatred. But – something was missing. Compassion. For someone who had lost their love mate – his voice only seemed to ring of hatred – and no compassion. Not even a rain drop of compassion. Shadow tilted his head. Suddenly – it dawned on him – perhaps Blackstar wasn’t telling the truth. Humans were known for murdering one another – often for position within the tribe. Usually they murdered their chief, in order to take their place. Some were more devious. More tricky. Shadow suddenly felt that he wasn’t alone in studying the humans. He wasn’t alone in knowing what they were capable of. Blackstar. “We will have council and discuss this,” Shadow said, buying himself the time. Later that night, before the council of the tribe… Shadow waited in the darkness; observing the humans. They listened to their music as they pointed on their drums. A mother made a small little outfit out of leather, including little shoes for her infant. These humans were not celebrating the death of an elf they had killed out of hatred. They were celebrating life. Shadow looked over his shoulder. Back to where his tribe would be waiting for him soon. But … how could he convince them? How indeed…