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krwordgazer wrote: Bright-metal (steel) A secret Doing the impossible A new life of some kind (new creature, new person, new pet, any kind of new living thing) “A Tale Of Two Soul Mates” _______________________ It was the best of times, it was the worse of times. Shadow had brought the tribe together like they never had before. For the first time, since any of them could remember – they truly felt like one large family. Shadow stared outside the cave as the snow continued to cascade from the sky. They were low on food and the snowfall provided very little game. Shadow spun and faced his tribe who had huddled near the back of the small cave. “We can’t wait here for the snowfall to pass.” He shook his head. “We have hunted the small game that has wandered onto the snow – it’s time we find ourselves game that will feed us all.” He drew his blade and held it in front of him, the bright steel glistened, reflecting his green eyes. “Treerunner, you come with me to scout. Foxhair, Stream, and Skyshade are with me. We go to hunt today to feed the tribe and give enough skins so that Stillbreeze has something to make leathers with!” “I want to hunt with you!” Windfetcher stood up defiantly staring at Shadow. Shadow raised an eye brow and forced Foxhair to stifle her giggle. “You, little Chieftess, have to remain here to watch over the rest of the tribe. You will be Chieftess in my absence.” “Me?” Windfetcher was stunned. “Not Sungazer? He’s the elder!” “I resent that remark,” Sungazer smirked. “You’re right,” Shadow smiled. “He is the Tribe Elder. But you are clearly next in line as the Chieftess of the tribe. You must care after Stillbreeze and little Sunsword.” Shadow ran his fingers through Windfetcher’s auburn hair. A short while later… Treerunner scouted ahead. He squinted his eyes as he peered through the snow. He had picked up the trail of a snowbear – while it would provide much meat for the tribe and furs for Stillbreeze to work with – a snowbear, during snowfall, was a dangerous hunt. Something that big suddenly becomes virtually invisible when it wants to – until it strikes out with its deadly paws. Springwater, Treerunner’s wolf bond suddenly tensed up. The snowbear was close. Treerunner scanned the blurry white horizon once again. “I don’t see the cursed thing,” he muttered to himself. “But I know it’s there – and it knows we’re behind it.” The hunted had suddenly become the hunter as the snowbear suddenly reared up, emerging from the snow itself – its massive paws striking Treerunner. Large gashes ripped through his leathers, and through his skin. Instantly the snow around him became a soft pink color. It was within an instant – that the black figure emerged from the white snow; a sharp contrast to the softness of the purity of the snow; Mooneyes was black, fangs were barred, and riding on top, emerging with blade in hand was Shadow. Shadow plunged his blade deep into the snowbear’s back while Springwater, Treerunner’s wolf, stayed close to his friend – snarling, growling and nipping at the snowbear, keeping its attention off of the mortally wounded Treerunner. The snowbear easily flung Shadow from its back – and focused on the two wolves that now stood between it and its meal. Like the elves, the snowbear had not had much luck acquiring much meat during the snowfall. It was hungry and desperate for food; which made it much more dangerous than any other snowbear. As the fight continued, the snow seemed to fall with the same fury. Foxhair jumped from Elkheart and quickly unleashed a number arrows into the snowbear that only seemed to anger it further, but did little else. Skyshade and her wolf, Gemchaser, ran circles around the furious snowbear as its massive paws sought to make a connection and end her circling torment. While Skyshade, normally like her sun colored hair, was a warm and welcoming spirit – on the hunt, she became very serious – her green eyes were focused on the snowbear and keeping it away from Treerunner. Using her spear, Skyshade was able to keep her distance from the gleaming claws of the snowbear. Stream in the meantime, used her wolf Callbreaker, to keep the snowbear occupied while she pulled Treerunner away, a pink trail of blood flowing from the wounds across his chest. The snowbear would not be fooled. The new threat became Stream who, to the snowbear, was stealing its food. Ignoring everything else and fighting through the pain of Shadow’s blade, Foxhair’s arrows, and Skyshade’s spear; the snowbear pressed forward. ** {Stream! Be careful it’s moving towards you!} ** Shadow sent. But the warning came too late. The large bear reared up again, standing well over ten feet tall, eyes locked on Stream, teeth gleaming, drool salivated from its mouth; and with its two massive claws brought it down on Stream, who barely had enough time to put up her arms and save her face from being removed. ** {NO! ** Shadow sent. ** High Ones, no!} ** Shadow jumped on the snowbear once more, and plucked an arrow out from the snowbear’s chest, and with all of his might shoved it through the snowbear’s eye. The bear roared, throwing Shadow off, but soon after struggling to remove the arrow, which Shadow broke, collapsed to the side. Foxhair jumped to Stream’s side, the reflection in her eyes was enough to know how serious Stream’s wounds were. Foxhair looked up at Shadow who was wiping away his own blood from the wounds he had earned during the battle with the snowbear. “What do we do? Stream was our healer… and she’s hurt… terribly and so is Treerunner!” “We need to get back to the cave,” Skyshade said, looking at Shadow. “Someone must be able to help them.” “Yes,” Shadow said quietly. “There is just one problem.” “One problem?” Foxhair looked at Shadow. “I see more than one problem. But what’s the one problem you see?” “The snow,” Shadow pointed around him. “It’s covered our tracks. Only Treerunner was keeping track, as the scout, as to what direction we were coming from.” Foxhair looked around here. The snow continued to fall. All around them was a white blanket. In every direction. Smooth, untouched snow. Except for where they were standing. “Oh,” Foxhair suddenly muttered. “This can’t be good.” “Throw Treerunner and Stream over Springwater,” Shadow pointed to the two downed elves. He looked at Skyshade and Foxhair, “Cut the snowbear up to a manageable size and have Callbreaker and Mooneyes tug as much of the bear meat as we can.” Shadow took the point lead in front of the others, followed by Foxhair on the back of Elkheart, who stayed next to Springwater, who whined – not about carrying both Treerunner and Stream – but whined because the wolf was concerned about his best friend. Skyshade was on the other side, riding on Gemchaser. Callbreaker and Mooneyes tugged a large portion of bear meat in a set of leathers that Stillbreeze had put together. The snow froze the bones, made each move forward twice as difficult as the last step. What felt like days, was probably only hours, when Shadow raised his hands and signaled the others to stop. Foxhair jumped off Elkheart and moved to Shadow’s side. “What is it?” “Tracks,” he pointed down at the snow. “Like I’ve never seen before.” The tracks were large – yet not deep into the snow. They were circular, but barely seemed to make any indent in the fragile, freshly fallen snow. “How does something with so big and round of a foot not leave a deeper impression within the snow?” Foxhair asked. “I’m not sure,” Shadow admitted. While he may have been one of the best hunters in the woods, virtually impossible to see or follow; in the snow, he felt as if the entire world could easily spot him. They followed the tracks for several hours and came across a cave. Within the cave they found crude weapons. But whatever had made the tracks had come and gone – their scent was cold. “Treerunner and Stream need to stay here,” Shadow said. “Foxhair, you stay with them. Mooneyes, Callbreaker – you stay also. We will come back for you.” Shadow turned to Skyshade, “You come with me.” He had selected Skyshade to come because she had been a more experienced hunter than Foxhair; however Foxhair was also a better warrior. So if whatever it was came back to the cave that they had followed them to – she would be able to defend herself and the others. Shadow and Skyshade followed the tracks until they saw smoke in the distance. Shadow signaled Skyshade. They moved around and came to stand over a small ledge where down below they could see five figures sitting around a fire. They huddled around the fire, covered in warm furs. ** {Elves?} ** Skyshade sent. ** {I don’t see any bond beasts,} ** Shadow sent. ** {The fire makes it impossible to catch their scent.} ** ** {Look!} ** Skyshade pointed. ** {One is applying some kind of herb to the other that is wounded… If nothing else they have a means to at least possibly help Treerunner and Stream… even if we have to take it from them.} ** Shadow sat on the ledge contemplating what to do next. He had spent most of his life striving towards peace with the humans when they were in Stonehowl. But these days were different. Two of his tribesman were seriously wounded. The others were waiting for them to return with food, on the brink of starvation, though none of them would have ever complained. He heaved a deep breath. ** {We take it,} ** he sent to Skyshade. Skyshade, who was normally playful, turned and looked at her chief. This was a painful choice for him. She also knew that this was probably the best choice. The smile faded, her eyes locked on the five targets below and a small snarl formed on her upper lip. She embraced the wolf blood within her. The hunt was on. Moving silently down the ledges, both Shadow and Skyshade waited until they were in position – then, with a shout from the top of their lungs, they charged the small encampment. Skyshade jumped on one and drew her dagger out – only intending to use it if needed – this was going to be a scare tactic – frighten them – keep them off balance and flee with the medicine with no blood spilt. When she landed on the male, she had her dagger drawn, her eyes were animalistic, her teeth were just as dangerous as her blade. The terrified figure looked up at her, hands in front of his face. What happened next, she had not expected. ** {Deran,} ** she sent unexplainably. “Hren,” the male figure trapped beneath her grasp muttered. “Away from my brother!” another voice shouted and snapped her back to reality – too late to see another figure move with a quickness, toppling over her and pulling their own blade on her throat. But then the truly unexpected happened. “Hren,” he stammered. “No,” she whispered. “This isn’t possible… Duhran.” Shadow was snarling and holding his sword to the woman’s neck that he had grabbed. “Release her or I cut the woman’s throat!” Shadow growled. With amazing force, Skyshade pushed the figure off of her. “Shadow! No! They’re not humans! They’re not humans!” “Humans?” the fifth figure asked, also a female. “How do you know?” Shadow shouted. “I just do,” Skyshade stammered as she stood up, looking at the one she had tackled – then the one who tackled her. How was it possible? How? She closed her eyes – she said the names again. And then she knew it. She knew every secret. Every corner of their souls. Skyshade suddenly felt weak. She stammered, barely able to stand. Shadow kept the blade on the young elf woman’s throat. “What have you done to her? Tell me, or so help me, this gets real bloody, real fast.” “We’ve done nothing,” the figure male that she had tackled said, pulling back his fur hood, revealing black hair and brown eyes and pointed ears. “You’re… elves… like us,” Shadow stammered. He shook his head. “What have you done to my tribesmate?” “Your mate,” the second male said, who had jumped on her, “is … fine as can be expected.” He pulled back his hood and revealed an exact duplicate of the first one who had pulled back his hood. “By the High Ones,” Shadow stammered. “What trickery and magic is this?” “It’s not magic,” the woman who he still held said. “They’re twins, you oaf!” “She speaks the truth, elf,” the third male said. “My name is Riverfall. Who you hold so firmly in your hands is Daymist. Next to me is Joybringer. The two twins you have met are Warsong and Wardance.” “I am all right,” Skyshade said leaning on her chief. “Release the one they call Daymist.” “What have they done to you?” Shadow asked, supporting her. “They? They have done nothing,” Skyshade sighed. “It is what the High Ones have done.” “What do you mean?” Shadow asked. “I have Recognized them,” Skyshade choked the words. “Which one?” Shadow asked confused. “Both of them,” she replied. “Both of them?” Shadow was more confused than before. “The twins,” she said. Shadow looked at the twins. “High Ones,” he muttered. Never before has his tribe experienced identical twins like the two that stood before them. Two halves of the same person, the same soul. Recognition with one was Recognition to both. Skyshade had done the impossible. In the course of thirty seconds, she had experienced Recognition – twice! DEFINITELY TO BE CONTINUED… NOTE: It's the magic of writing, when sometimes the story writes itself. Last night I had a dream about ElfQuest - and in the dream, one person Recognizes one twin - and then Recognizes the other. Something, that to my knowledge has never happened in ELFQUEST before. (Correct me if I am wrong!) So when I decided to write this Grab Bag, I knew someone was going to Recognize a twin - and Recognize them both within seconds! Who it was going to be and how it was going to happen - I had no idea. I opened up a fresh, clean, barren WORD document - and then got out my notes on Stonehowl - and the story came alive!