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krwordgazer wrote: Rain (not a storm, but a steady rainfall) Something new Spring madness A treewee A tragedy The chilling winds that brought with them rain, came as a steady rain. A sign, now that it was not snow falling, that Spring had come. The rain was a much welcomed relief to many, for the bitterness of the frost’s touch was now going to pass, and with the rain, it would replenish the dead, frozen lands, and bring life anew. Shadow sat on a branch, keeping an eye on any approaching humans. The hard rains usually had the humans scattered, searching for food, now that the snow had passed – sometimes getting too close to the Holt. “I hate the rain,” Shadow muttered, his hair stuck to his face. “It’s cold. It’s wet. It makes everything muddy.” “It also gives life,” Sungazer said, sitting next to Shadow. “Without the rain, we would not be here. There would be no life. No rivers. No fish. Nothing.” Sungazer looked at the dark heavens, where rain, like falling tears greeted him. “Snow begins to melt, and rivers and streams swell with runoff and spring rains. Most flowering plants bloom this time of season. The world … comes alive.” “Alive or not,” Shadow grumbled. “It’s still cold. It’s still wet. And it’s still muddy. And those humans don’t make things any easier when they get desperate after the snow fall has passed.” Three nights had passed before the rains had stopped, giving the elves a chance to successfully hunt. As always, with the first hunts of Spring, rather than one large hunting party, the elves broke into smaller groups to see where fertile hunting grounds would be. Shadow brought with him Wildthorn, their Chief, and Purespring, who had only recently began joining in the hunts after proving herself to her brother and Chief. Shadow was looking at the ground, a concern look on his face. “What is it?” Wildthorn said, kneeling down next to the tracks that Shadow was following. “Isn’t that a boartusk track.” “It is,” Shadow nodded, “but look at its size, and the depth of the track that it’s leaving in the mud. If this is a boartusk, it’s the largest one I have ever hunted. This… this is something new.” Shadow stood and looked around, “From here on out, we Send and use silence. I want no mistakes.” Despite the soaked grounds, the trio moved with silence. A treewee leaped out and Purespring let out a small gasp, which was immediately returned with a stern stare from Shadow. ** It’s close, ** Shadow sent. ** I can feel it. Like it’s weight is on our shoulders.** ** I don’t feel it, ** Purespring sent back. ** Because you’re not trained to, yet,** Shadow sent back. ** Ease up on your sister, ** Wildthorn sent to Shadow. ** She’s learning. We all had to learn. ** While Wildthorn was his closest friend, his Soul-Brother, and lover to his sister; he was also his Chief, and demanded respect, despite being younger than Shadow. Suddenly a young human whelp, no more than five cycles ran into the clearing, gleefully and full of joy. ** A human! ** Wildthorn sent. ** I see that, ** Shadow replied. ** But far too young to be hunting on its own. So its parents must be close.** But the young child would never go on to see his parents again. With sudden, and deceptive speed, a boartusk like no other, broke through the brush on the other side. Its massive tusks tore through the child’s lower body. The trio watched in horror as it shook the child about, like a broken rag doll, before slamming it to the ground, that repeatedly driving its hoof into the child’s face and body. Sharp teeth then grabbed the child by the arm and snapped it around. Before any of them could think to move – the human whelp was dead. It hardly ever had a chance to know what ever killed it. ** That’s him, ** Shadow sent. ** Let’s get it now!** Purespring sent. ** No!** Shadow sent firmly. ** If we move in now, it will defend it’s kill with violent aggression like what you just saw. Also, there’s a chance the human’s parents may be coming soon. It’s better that we wait…** ** And let it eat the human whelp?** Purespring asked, horrified. ** It will be full then, ** Shadow said, his tone showing no remorse. ** He will be slower. Easier to kill. ** ** When have you ever been about easy kills?** Purespring asked, still distraught over the notion of the boartusk eating the human. ** Whenever it comes to the safety of the tribe,** Shadow replied back. ** If this thing can kill a human so quickly… it could kill one of our own children just as easily. This isn’t about hunting for food, this about hunting for survival.** Four nights would pass before Shadow would pick up the boartusk’s tracks again. He explained the idea to Purespring and Wildthorn, of how they would net the creature, prevent it from being able to charge and gouge with its massive husks – then all of them would stab it with spears until the unnatural beast was dead. Purespring and Wildthorn pulled the net tight, made by Vineweaver. “This thing could hold a greytusk!” Purespring admired, the work of the tree-shaper. “Well, as long as it can hold an overgrown, overly aggressive, boartusk,” Wildthorn smirked. “Then I will be happy.” Shadow moved through the brush. “Come on,” he said, holding his dagger in his hand. “Where are you?” Shadow tracked it and came upon it devouring a rabbit. Blood decorated the grass and trees. The only way Shadow knew it was a rabbit that the large boartusk was devouring was because of the bloody rabbit ears at his feet. He gritted his teeth, then stood up shouting, “Ayooah!” He charged the somewhat startled boartusk that had never had anything charge it! After the creature regained its composure it rapidly turned the chase around, giving hot pursuit to Shadow. ** Have that net ready, ** he sent as he ran for the clearing where the trap would be sprung. ** Because if you two are mating right now, this is going to be the last time you see me – and that would make me very, very angry!** ** We are NOT mating right now, ** Purespring sent. She looked at Wildthorn. “The nerve of…” In that moment – something happened. She saw Wildthorn in a new way; as he saw her. “Jorn,” she muttered the name that came to her mind. “Bren,” he muttered back. The world melted away as Recognition had captured them as firmly as Vineweaver’s Shadow made it into the clearing and saw the two of them staring at one another. He looked behind him and the boartusk was rapidly gaining. Shadow jumped into the tree that he had planned to. ** Snap out of it!** he sent. It was enough to make Purespring move. Seeing the boartusk charge into the clearing, she dove and tackled Wildthorn out of the creature’s path. “Pucker nuts,” Shadow shouted. “What’s gotten into you two?” He moved across the trees as quickly as he could, and positioned himself at the edge of the clearing where Purespring and Wildthorn had tumbled to. The boartusk now had them in his sights, and charged. With a howl, Shadow leaped out of the tree, firmly grasping his sword. He brought it between the boartusk’s eyes – but not before the boartusk reared its head, and brought its tusks into Shadow’s stomach. Hour passed… “How’s he going to be?” Purespring asked as Stream stepped out of the den. Stream wiped her sweat, soaked blond hair out of her face. “He should recover soon. He’s fortunate that the boartusk died and did not strike again. He would not have been so lucky if it lived even for a moment longer.” Stream felt herself grow weak as she suddenly reached out for someone to steady her. “Now, if you will excuse me, the healing took much out of me.” “He’s going to kill us, when he’s better,” Wildthorn smiled. “At least we weren’t mating,” Purespring smiled, thankful that her brother would recover. “No, not then we were not,” Wildthorn winked. “But…” “You don’t even need to ask,” she said, and grabbed his hand, and led him into the dark of the night, where only the moon and stars watched as they made passionate love.