Tribal Dancer
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Stormlight's own history (Part 3)
Stormlight reached the bottom of the dark pool of magic with a hard thud! She lay there for some time as the wind had been knocked out of her. Eventually she roused and sat up, blinking her wolfish eyes. HighOnes! Where in the name of Mantricker was she? Where was Briar? She sent as far as her mind could reach, but she sensed no sign of her beloved wolf. In fact she didn’t sense anyone’s mind out there. They couldn’t all be out of sending range.
She felt ominously alone. The sounds, the smells, and even the feel of things led her to realize she was far from her tribe. Her wolf must have been terribly spooked to leave her like this. Stormlight hoped they would be reunited soon.
Fortunately it was dark and she could easily make her way to the nearest tree. High in the branches she stayed. "In the trees as you please. On the ground not a sound." This was her tribe’s creed. It meant more to her survival than ever before as she spent the next hand of days trying to find a way back to her tribe.
Everything she encountered was different. She came across new flowers, hideous beasts, and giant bugs. The magic was the most puzzling thing. She had always had a good ability to sense things with magic when she came across them. It was everywhere here. Sometimes it was stronger, but always present in some small tingling degree. Some of the beasts she killed were touched with magic. It reminded her of the tales of Madcoil, the beast born of a pool of bad magic in her world. Maybe in this world the magic is like that. Some of it has gone bad, but on a larger scale.
From a carefully guarded distance she was shocked to observe elves traveling with humans and many other sorts of strange companions. In the beginning she thought the elves might be prisoners, but after observing them willingly hunting together she realized they were not the elves of her homeland. These elves coexisted with humans and other beings. These elves dressed and acted strangely, but worst of all they did not respond to her attempts to send to them. They might have furrowed their brow or rubbed their heads because of an odd sensation, but that was all that ever came of it. Had she lost her ability? No, it was there and most of all things her soul name was still at the center of her being. It was the embodiment of all that she was. It is the most precious and sacred thing to her.
Many moons had come and gone. During this time she learned the lay of the land, the best route to travel through the treetops, and to her bewilderment the discovery that she was able to understand the human or common language of this land.
She was up in a tree enjoying some of her most recent kill, when a hunting party passed right under the tree she was in. She froze and the hairs on her neck rose. She barely allowed herself to breathe as her slender, pointed ears keenly picked up the voices. They were angry that the prey they were tracking had been taken. The hunters spoke of strange scents of the thief. Oh HighOnes! They were talking about her. Stormlight hoped the wind wouldn’t betray her to them. It wasn’t until she was sure they’d gone some distance away before she allowed herself to relax and breathe. She would have to be more careful in her choice of prey. She almost became one that day. At least that’s what she felt would be the result of the discovery of her presence in this world.
She pondered the strangeness of her newfound ability to understand them. Stormlight found it hard to accept that she wasn’t on TwoMoons any more. She howled that night. It was a long, sad howl. She was deeply grieved and fell into wolfsong. In the haze of wolfsong she was able to exist harmoniously in the wilds of a world she did not understand. Starsong, the song of her elven blood, kept her from going totally feral and losing herself forever.
She wanted nothing to do with the other beings of this place. She didn’t care that she could speak their words. The past history of her tribe’s hatred of humans would not be so simply overcome
Stormlight peered at the darkening sky and became concerned about her situation. Even a great huntress has her limitations. She knew the rain would weaken her ability to scent the trail, listen for dangers, or even see very far ahead.
She was pushing her limits that day by going farther into the forest than she had dared in the past. Now she had to get back to safer ground. Soundlessly Stormlight worked her way through the treetops. Then it became necessary for her to travel on the ground, as there wasn’t another tree to jump to at that point.
She crept close to the rocky walls and made use of every bit of shadow. The rain began to pour. Drenched to the skin, Stormlight was getting ready to make a dash to a grove of trees just up ahead.
With her attention focused on the destination in front of her she did not realize that a wolf was watching her. The beast saw the opportunity and rushed her from behind. Stormlight heard the growl as four large paws landed on her back. Huntress and wolf went tumbling to the wet grass. Stormlight blocked with her left hand as her other grabbed out her dagger. Painful was the terrible grip of the beast’s jaws on her arm, but just as terrible was the force with which she struck her dagger into its side. The wolf yelped and halted its attack only long enough for Stormlight to get to her feet. She had no desire to kill a cousin to her kin, but the wolf gave her no choice. These wolves lacked the elven blood and she just was not able to make it change its raging mind. How terrible the bad magic is in this land to make animals filled with unnatural desire to kill. It’s just not the Way.
Fur and braid flew about as the two remained locked in a battle both were helpless to walk away from. Then from the sky relief came in a loud explosion of lightening striking the ground near them. The wolf fell as it was stunned by the blast. The force threw Stormlight back and down the bank of a river. She was unconscious, but momentum kept her rolling down into the river where she was washed away with the current.
Rain beaded down his shield and armor as a paladin returned from a trip to Clarendon. The ground shook beneath his feet as he witnessed the lightening strike in the distance. It wasn’t unusual to see lightening, but the force of that particular strike was cause for concern. He understood that the unusual most likely meant strange and unexpected things would come to pass. Be it good or evil his god would guide his steps.
The rain began to let up as darkness began to fall. He reached a bridge. The wood was slick and so the Paladin went slower than usual. No sense risking a fall into the river with all his armor on. Lightening crackled across the sky briefly shedding light on someone lying at the river’s edge. Cautiously he went to investigate. Had a villager drowned or worse been murdered? He looked around to see if this might be a trap. Seeing no present danger the paladin checked for signs of life. It was an elven female and she lived, but barely so. He drew in a sharp breath as he inspected wounds that should have ended her life. She was stained with blood and smears of mud as she hung lifelessly in his arms. He carried her to town.
At the inn there were many gasps and whisperings as the patrons stared with fear. Fortunately the inn keeper knew of the Paladin's good deeds and wasn’t surprised at all.
"What poor soul have ye’ rescued from death’s clutches this time lad?" the inn keeper inquired. It was good to have a paladin around.
"I've never seen her before." he replied.
"Shall I send up the usual supplies?" the innkeeper asked with a knowing smile. He was used to the paladin showing up like this and sent up some of the women with bandages and medicines.
The Paladin paid for the room and supplies. He asked the women to stay to bathe the elven maiden and he paid them extra for their service. The women protested when they discovered the maiden’s sharp fangs. He assured them that the female would be out of it for some time because of the head trauma she had. The women left and he himself saw to the bandaging of her wounds.
When he was finished he pulled the blankets around her. He thought she must be a hunter by the kind clothes she wore. He admired the shape of her face. He had not seen an elf like her before. With one finger he gently lifted the elf’s upper lip to examine those pearly fangs. Was she animal or vampire? Surely his god did not guide him out in the rain to save a vampire. No, it had to be something else.
He set up a shrine on a low table with candles so that he could worship and pray to his god. He set his armor aside and knelt down.
In her dreams Stormlight thought she was being carried to the Palace so her spirit could join the HighOnes and those of her tribe that had passed on before her. She heard voices and thought they were calling to her, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. As she regained consciousness she realized she was not among the HighOnes.
Panic griped her as the strong human scents filled her nostrils. She barely opened her eyes, not knowing what she might see. –Troll Dung!- She was in a human’s dwelling. Her eyes glanced over and her ears flattened against her head as she saw him kneeling there, speaking in a hushed tone. Her hatred burned hot.
-Where are my clothes?- She ran her hands across her body. –A dress? He put her in a dress!- She would tear his throat out for putting his hands on her. Glowering eyes looked around for dagger. –Dung!- It was no where to be seen. No matter she would do it with her bare hands and teeth. As she raised up her head ached and her wounds throbbed, but her adrenaline was taking over for now.
He heard a stirring behind him and looked around with a smile on his lips. "Good! You…have…awoken.." His voice trailed off as he beheld not a maiden sitting up in bed, but instead a feral creature with long, auburn curls tumbling around her. She was in a crouching position ready to leap at him.
He moved very slowly and she growled dangerously. "I mean you no harm. You are…" She didn’t let him finish and leaped at him, knocking him over. She was very strong, but praise his god that he was stronger. She snarled and snapped at his face and throat. She was determined to kill him. He was determined to get her, a wild thing, to see reason. This was going to be good.
Stormlight could sense he was about to over power her. She slashed his chest with sharp nails and leaped towards the door. Finding it locked she thew herself against it again and again.
The Paladin had just about enough of that. He picked himself up and saw that he wasn’t cut too deeply. He glared at her as he came closer. She looked around with fear and anger in her eyes. With her back against the door she lashed out with those sharp nails. A deep guttural growl emitted from her throat gave a serious warning.
He towered over her by at least two feet, but he hadn’t laid a hand on her that is not until she lunged at him again as he started to speak. His words meant nothing to her. She just wanted to escape.
He grabbed her by the arms, spun her around, and crossed her arms in front of her. Held her tight, lifting her up off the floor. He simply waited for her to wear herself out. He said nothing as he waited with his mind focused not the struggling female, but on his god.
Oh was Stormlight ever panicked now being pinned up against this brute! She did kick hard and most likely left deep bruises on her captor. Her struggling made her wounds begin to bleed again and her head was pounding in pain. She had no choice but to lessen her fight.
As her movements diminished, he began to whisper quietly. He knew that her elvish ears would be able to hear him. "Quiet little one. I found you dying on the riverbank and brought here to tend to your wounds. This is how you repay my kindness?"
Stormlight only kicked at him again in response. She was hurting badly, but her desire to escape was unwavering. He simply waited her out and then continued, " I will not harm you. I’m not sure who or what has caused you to be so fearful, but I am not like that."
At that Stormlight passed out from the pain in her head. When she awoke she found herself back in bed. The first thing she feels is the residual magic. –He used his magic on me!- She was angry. She sat up and checked herself over. Her mind had not been violated as far as she could tell. To her brief surprise she discovered her wounds to be almost healed. –Was this human a magic healer?-
Stormlight looks to where the human is sitting at his table, watching her. –Why hadn’t he just killed her?- She didn’t like what she was thinking next. She had heard the tale’s of what trolls did with their female elven slaves. Her eyes burned with a green fire of hate.
The Paladin could see his guest was awake and from the look in her eyes she was still very hostile. "I know you are not from this world. I can help you." He said calmly. Stormlight narrowed her eyes and for the first time spoke his words, "I want my clothes." He raised an eyebrow, "Well that’s a start." He points to the end of the bed. "I had them cleaned for you." With that he stood up and turned his back.
Stormlight could have attacked him again, but she knew that without her weapons she was no match for him. So she flung the gown to the floor and put on her hunting leathers. She yanked on her boots and headed for the door. It was locked. She growled and slammed her fist on the door. "Let me go!" she demanded
The Paladin walked to the door, getting out his key as Stormlight kept her distance. "I never intended to keep you. I just wanted to help you." He stated. He pulled her dagger from where it was tucked in his belt. "I will give this to you when we are outside." Stormlight finished braiding her hair and reached for it, but he held it away and repeated reassuringly, "When we are outside."
Upon leaving the inn, the Paladin kept his word, but as he handed the dagger to her he asked, "What is your name?" Stormlight snatched the dagger out of his hand and was gone.
Two seasons had passed since Stormlight’s dangerous brush with a human. She had yet to find her wolf. It was hard being alone, but she refused to speak to other elves of the world. She had no trust of anyone. Stormlight continued in her ancestral hatred of humans despite the unbelievable mercy of the human healer.
Traveling through the thick under brush, Stormlight was tracking rabbits. She liked their tender meat and soft pelts. "Dung!" she hissed. She could hear fighting up ahead. Any chance of hunting rabbits in this part of the woods was ruined. Normally she’d just leave. She cared not for who was killing whom as long as she was not involved. Grumpily she turned to go, but the voice caught her attention. She recognized it.
Stormlight climbed up into a tree to get a better look. She recognized that armor. Then she growled low as she remembered how he had her pinned. She decided to watch him fight and he was doing well. She admired his skill despite how she felt about what had transpired before. Then he got into some trouble with poisons and traps the enemy used against him. It was clear he would be killed. Stormlight couldn’t believe what she was doing as she began to let arrows fly. Her tribe mates would have killed her for it, but something in her wouldn’t let someone so undeserving die.
After it was all over she remained in the tree, shaking. What had she done? Gone against everything she’d ever known that’s what she’d done.
The Paladin slashed through the air, seeing no more attackers he dropped to his knees. –Who had come to his aid? Praise to his god who ever it was!- He eventually got up and began looking around to see who had shot the arrows. "Hello?" This was odd. Usually one would stay around to see that the other was well.
Stormlight watched him and with every step he took her mind was changing everything she ever knew about humans. She let loose one more arrow. It swooshed just over the human’s head and stuck into the ground. He spun around with his own bow aimed high. There she was that same elf, from earlier that year, just looking down at him. He was surprised and concerned. He too remembered their last meeting and how it was.
"I mean you no harm. I just wanted to help." She said with a smirk.
"What is your name?" he quickly asked. He didn’t want her to go away without telling him this time.
"I am called Stormlight." It was good to finally know the mysterious elf.
Over the next few days they began to hunt and travel together. They had become friends, but didn’t always stay together. She insisted on denning up in a tree at night while he stayed at an inn. Sometimes he was gone doing the will of his god and she would be out hunting on her own
He patiently showed her the ways of this world so that she could interact with others. In the winter he convinced her to purchase a room at the inn. Since her plant shaping skills had diminished she was not able at the time to shape a tree home for herself, Stormlight agreed to the idea of a room of her own at the inn. In the passing years she trained diligently, remembering her Grandmother’s lessons in order to regain some of her plant shaping powers. Some day she will surpass her Grandmother…someday.
He became her mentor. That is what she called him, Mentor. Many turns of the season had come and gone. Her mentor was aging and had retired from fighting. He continued teaching her the things she needed to know to survive in this world. In time her mentor passed on to be with his god after a life well lived.
Her travels brought her to several lands. There were forests to explore there. She longed to find a new tribe for herself.
Stormlight reached the bottom of the dark pool of magic with a hard thud! She lay there for some time as the wind had been knocked out of her. Eventually she roused and sat up, blinking her wolfish eyes. HighOnes! Where in the name of Mantricker was she? Where was Briar? She sent as far as her mind could reach, but she sensed no sign of her beloved wolf. In fact she didn’t sense anyone’s mind out there. They couldn’t all be out of sending range.
She felt ominously alone. The sounds, the smells, and even the feel of things led her to realize she was far from her tribe. Her wolf must have been terribly spooked to leave her like this. Stormlight hoped they would be reunited soon.
Fortunately it was dark and she could easily make her way to the nearest tree. High in the branches she stayed. "In the trees as you please. On the ground not a sound." This was her tribe’s creed. It meant more to her survival than ever before as she spent the next hand of days trying to find a way back to her tribe.
Everything she encountered was different. She came across new flowers, hideous beasts, and giant bugs. The magic was the most puzzling thing. She had always had a good ability to sense things with magic when she came across them. It was everywhere here. Sometimes it was stronger, but always present in some small tingling degree. Some of the beasts she killed were touched with magic. It reminded her of the tales of Madcoil, the beast born of a pool of bad magic in her world. Maybe in this world the magic is like that. Some of it has gone bad, but on a larger scale.
From a carefully guarded distance she was shocked to observe elves traveling with humans and many other sorts of strange companions. In the beginning she thought the elves might be prisoners, but after observing them willingly hunting together she realized they were not the elves of her homeland. These elves coexisted with humans and other beings. These elves dressed and acted strangely, but worst of all they did not respond to her attempts to send to them. They might have furrowed their brow or rubbed their heads because of an odd sensation, but that was all that ever came of it. Had she lost her ability? No, it was there and most of all things her soul name was still at the center of her being. It was the embodiment of all that she was. It is the most precious and sacred thing to her.
Many moons had come and gone. During this time she learned the lay of the land, the best route to travel through the treetops, and to her bewilderment the discovery that she was able to understand the human or common language of this land.
She was up in a tree enjoying some of her most recent kill, when a hunting party passed right under the tree she was in. She froze and the hairs on her neck rose. She barely allowed herself to breathe as her slender, pointed ears keenly picked up the voices. They were angry that the prey they were tracking had been taken. The hunters spoke of strange scents of the thief. Oh HighOnes! They were talking about her. Stormlight hoped the wind wouldn’t betray her to them. It wasn’t until she was sure they’d gone some distance away before she allowed herself to relax and breathe. She would have to be more careful in her choice of prey. She almost became one that day. At least that’s what she felt would be the result of the discovery of her presence in this world.
She pondered the strangeness of her newfound ability to understand them. Stormlight found it hard to accept that she wasn’t on TwoMoons any more. She howled that night. It was a long, sad howl. She was deeply grieved and fell into wolfsong. In the haze of wolfsong she was able to exist harmoniously in the wilds of a world she did not understand. Starsong, the song of her elven blood, kept her from going totally feral and losing herself forever.
She wanted nothing to do with the other beings of this place. She didn’t care that she could speak their words. The past history of her tribe’s hatred of humans would not be so simply overcome
Stormlight peered at the darkening sky and became concerned about her situation. Even a great huntress has her limitations. She knew the rain would weaken her ability to scent the trail, listen for dangers, or even see very far ahead.
She was pushing her limits that day by going farther into the forest than she had dared in the past. Now she had to get back to safer ground. Soundlessly Stormlight worked her way through the treetops. Then it became necessary for her to travel on the ground, as there wasn’t another tree to jump to at that point.
She crept close to the rocky walls and made use of every bit of shadow. The rain began to pour. Drenched to the skin, Stormlight was getting ready to make a dash to a grove of trees just up ahead.
With her attention focused on the destination in front of her she did not realize that a wolf was watching her. The beast saw the opportunity and rushed her from behind. Stormlight heard the growl as four large paws landed on her back. Huntress and wolf went tumbling to the wet grass. Stormlight blocked with her left hand as her other grabbed out her dagger. Painful was the terrible grip of the beast’s jaws on her arm, but just as terrible was the force with which she struck her dagger into its side. The wolf yelped and halted its attack only long enough for Stormlight to get to her feet. She had no desire to kill a cousin to her kin, but the wolf gave her no choice. These wolves lacked the elven blood and she just was not able to make it change its raging mind. How terrible the bad magic is in this land to make animals filled with unnatural desire to kill. It’s just not the Way.
Fur and braid flew about as the two remained locked in a battle both were helpless to walk away from. Then from the sky relief came in a loud explosion of lightening striking the ground near them. The wolf fell as it was stunned by the blast. The force threw Stormlight back and down the bank of a river. She was unconscious, but momentum kept her rolling down into the river where she was washed away with the current.
Rain beaded down his shield and armor as a paladin returned from a trip to Clarendon. The ground shook beneath his feet as he witnessed the lightening strike in the distance. It wasn’t unusual to see lightening, but the force of that particular strike was cause for concern. He understood that the unusual most likely meant strange and unexpected things would come to pass. Be it good or evil his god would guide his steps.
The rain began to let up as darkness began to fall. He reached a bridge. The wood was slick and so the Paladin went slower than usual. No sense risking a fall into the river with all his armor on. Lightening crackled across the sky briefly shedding light on someone lying at the river’s edge. Cautiously he went to investigate. Had a villager drowned or worse been murdered? He looked around to see if this might be a trap. Seeing no present danger the paladin checked for signs of life. It was an elven female and she lived, but barely so. He drew in a sharp breath as he inspected wounds that should have ended her life. She was stained with blood and smears of mud as she hung lifelessly in his arms. He carried her to town.
At the inn there were many gasps and whisperings as the patrons stared with fear. Fortunately the inn keeper knew of the Paladin's good deeds and wasn’t surprised at all.
"What poor soul have ye’ rescued from death’s clutches this time lad?" the inn keeper inquired. It was good to have a paladin around.
"I've never seen her before." he replied.
"Shall I send up the usual supplies?" the innkeeper asked with a knowing smile. He was used to the paladin showing up like this and sent up some of the women with bandages and medicines.
The Paladin paid for the room and supplies. He asked the women to stay to bathe the elven maiden and he paid them extra for their service. The women protested when they discovered the maiden’s sharp fangs. He assured them that the female would be out of it for some time because of the head trauma she had. The women left and he himself saw to the bandaging of her wounds.
When he was finished he pulled the blankets around her. He thought she must be a hunter by the kind clothes she wore. He admired the shape of her face. He had not seen an elf like her before. With one finger he gently lifted the elf’s upper lip to examine those pearly fangs. Was she animal or vampire? Surely his god did not guide him out in the rain to save a vampire. No, it had to be something else.
He set up a shrine on a low table with candles so that he could worship and pray to his god. He set his armor aside and knelt down.
In her dreams Stormlight thought she was being carried to the Palace so her spirit could join the HighOnes and those of her tribe that had passed on before her. She heard voices and thought they were calling to her, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. As she regained consciousness she realized she was not among the HighOnes.
Panic griped her as the strong human scents filled her nostrils. She barely opened her eyes, not knowing what she might see. –Troll Dung!- She was in a human’s dwelling. Her eyes glanced over and her ears flattened against her head as she saw him kneeling there, speaking in a hushed tone. Her hatred burned hot.
-Where are my clothes?- She ran her hands across her body. –A dress? He put her in a dress!- She would tear his throat out for putting his hands on her. Glowering eyes looked around for dagger. –Dung!- It was no where to be seen. No matter she would do it with her bare hands and teeth. As she raised up her head ached and her wounds throbbed, but her adrenaline was taking over for now.
He heard a stirring behind him and looked around with a smile on his lips. "Good! You…have…awoken.." His voice trailed off as he beheld not a maiden sitting up in bed, but instead a feral creature with long, auburn curls tumbling around her. She was in a crouching position ready to leap at him.
He moved very slowly and she growled dangerously. "I mean you no harm. You are…" She didn’t let him finish and leaped at him, knocking him over. She was very strong, but praise his god that he was stronger. She snarled and snapped at his face and throat. She was determined to kill him. He was determined to get her, a wild thing, to see reason. This was going to be good.
Stormlight could sense he was about to over power her. She slashed his chest with sharp nails and leaped towards the door. Finding it locked she thew herself against it again and again.
The Paladin had just about enough of that. He picked himself up and saw that he wasn’t cut too deeply. He glared at her as he came closer. She looked around with fear and anger in her eyes. With her back against the door she lashed out with those sharp nails. A deep guttural growl emitted from her throat gave a serious warning.
He towered over her by at least two feet, but he hadn’t laid a hand on her that is not until she lunged at him again as he started to speak. His words meant nothing to her. She just wanted to escape.
He grabbed her by the arms, spun her around, and crossed her arms in front of her. Held her tight, lifting her up off the floor. He simply waited for her to wear herself out. He said nothing as he waited with his mind focused not the struggling female, but on his god.
Oh was Stormlight ever panicked now being pinned up against this brute! She did kick hard and most likely left deep bruises on her captor. Her struggling made her wounds begin to bleed again and her head was pounding in pain. She had no choice but to lessen her fight.
As her movements diminished, he began to whisper quietly. He knew that her elvish ears would be able to hear him. "Quiet little one. I found you dying on the riverbank and brought here to tend to your wounds. This is how you repay my kindness?"
Stormlight only kicked at him again in response. She was hurting badly, but her desire to escape was unwavering. He simply waited her out and then continued, " I will not harm you. I’m not sure who or what has caused you to be so fearful, but I am not like that."
At that Stormlight passed out from the pain in her head. When she awoke she found herself back in bed. The first thing she feels is the residual magic. –He used his magic on me!- She was angry. She sat up and checked herself over. Her mind had not been violated as far as she could tell. To her brief surprise she discovered her wounds to be almost healed. –Was this human a magic healer?-
Stormlight looks to where the human is sitting at his table, watching her. –Why hadn’t he just killed her?- She didn’t like what she was thinking next. She had heard the tale’s of what trolls did with their female elven slaves. Her eyes burned with a green fire of hate.
The Paladin could see his guest was awake and from the look in her eyes she was still very hostile. "I know you are not from this world. I can help you." He said calmly. Stormlight narrowed her eyes and for the first time spoke his words, "I want my clothes." He raised an eyebrow, "Well that’s a start." He points to the end of the bed. "I had them cleaned for you." With that he stood up and turned his back.
Stormlight could have attacked him again, but she knew that without her weapons she was no match for him. So she flung the gown to the floor and put on her hunting leathers. She yanked on her boots and headed for the door. It was locked. She growled and slammed her fist on the door. "Let me go!" she demanded
The Paladin walked to the door, getting out his key as Stormlight kept her distance. "I never intended to keep you. I just wanted to help you." He stated. He pulled her dagger from where it was tucked in his belt. "I will give this to you when we are outside." Stormlight finished braiding her hair and reached for it, but he held it away and repeated reassuringly, "When we are outside."
Upon leaving the inn, the Paladin kept his word, but as he handed the dagger to her he asked, "What is your name?" Stormlight snatched the dagger out of his hand and was gone.
Two seasons had passed since Stormlight’s dangerous brush with a human. She had yet to find her wolf. It was hard being alone, but she refused to speak to other elves of the world. She had no trust of anyone. Stormlight continued in her ancestral hatred of humans despite the unbelievable mercy of the human healer.
Traveling through the thick under brush, Stormlight was tracking rabbits. She liked their tender meat and soft pelts. "Dung!" she hissed. She could hear fighting up ahead. Any chance of hunting rabbits in this part of the woods was ruined. Normally she’d just leave. She cared not for who was killing whom as long as she was not involved. Grumpily she turned to go, but the voice caught her attention. She recognized it.
Stormlight climbed up into a tree to get a better look. She recognized that armor. Then she growled low as she remembered how he had her pinned. She decided to watch him fight and he was doing well. She admired his skill despite how she felt about what had transpired before. Then he got into some trouble with poisons and traps the enemy used against him. It was clear he would be killed. Stormlight couldn’t believe what she was doing as she began to let arrows fly. Her tribe mates would have killed her for it, but something in her wouldn’t let someone so undeserving die.
After it was all over she remained in the tree, shaking. What had she done? Gone against everything she’d ever known that’s what she’d done.
The Paladin slashed through the air, seeing no more attackers he dropped to his knees. –Who had come to his aid? Praise to his god who ever it was!- He eventually got up and began looking around to see who had shot the arrows. "Hello?" This was odd. Usually one would stay around to see that the other was well.
Stormlight watched him and with every step he took her mind was changing everything she ever knew about humans. She let loose one more arrow. It swooshed just over the human’s head and stuck into the ground. He spun around with his own bow aimed high. There she was that same elf, from earlier that year, just looking down at him. He was surprised and concerned. He too remembered their last meeting and how it was.
"I mean you no harm. I just wanted to help." She said with a smirk.
"What is your name?" he quickly asked. He didn’t want her to go away without telling him this time.
"I am called Stormlight." It was good to finally know the mysterious elf.
Over the next few days they began to hunt and travel together. They had become friends, but didn’t always stay together. She insisted on denning up in a tree at night while he stayed at an inn. Sometimes he was gone doing the will of his god and she would be out hunting on her own
He patiently showed her the ways of this world so that she could interact with others. In the winter he convinced her to purchase a room at the inn. Since her plant shaping skills had diminished she was not able at the time to shape a tree home for herself, Stormlight agreed to the idea of a room of her own at the inn. In the passing years she trained diligently, remembering her Grandmother’s lessons in order to regain some of her plant shaping powers. Some day she will surpass her Grandmother…someday.
He became her mentor. That is what she called him, Mentor. Many turns of the season had come and gone. Her mentor was aging and had retired from fighting. He continued teaching her the things she needed to know to survive in this world. In time her mentor passed on to be with his god after a life well lived.
Her travels brought her to several lands. There were forests to explore there. She longed to find a new tribe for herself.
