Stormsinger's Rest, Part 2

One More for the Road

The group traveled by foot, Duskwhisper in the lead. They had been journeying for an eight of days already, and in that time, they hadn't seemed to get very far. This was mostly because their route had taken them around instead of straight so far. They had left the valley of Greenriver, nestled in the protective embrace of Iceleaper's Heart Mountains, by heading toward sun up and the open end of the mountain range. From there, they had turned northeast, skirting the mountains and heading into the open plain beyond.

The grasses here were chest-high and hard to move through, so the going was slow. Duskwhisper blazed the trail, holding her bow horizontally in front of her to push the grasses down so the route would be easier for the others.

Longrunner would occasionally sprint off to scout ahead, and when he returned, he usually had some small game. When they camped at night, they'd eat their fill of what he brought back and smoked the rest to take as reserves. For the most part, however, they hunted small game and gathered as they went, preferring to keep their reserves full in case of a real emergency.

In this manner, the six elves made their way with seemingly no direction, all blindly following Duskwhisper, save the healer, who was blindly following a call that no other could hear.

But the tedium grew every day. There wasn't any scenery to look at except endless miles of tall grass and the sight of a mountain range behind them that faded a little more with every step forward. The Stories that Smokeweaver told as they walked did little to relieve the boredom. That's why it was to everyone's relief when Duskwhisper called a halt and announced a hunt.

"There's a herd of stripedeer not far from here," she explained.

"'Whisper's right. I can smell them on the wind," Longrunner agreed.

"A hunt!" Twittersong said with delight. "I haven't been on a hunt in moons!"

"And you still won't," Duskwhisper said apologetically. "You're too close to full-term now. If you got hurt, you could lose the kit. As healer, I must insist that you not go." She placed a hand on Twittersong's swollen belly and closed her eyes. How lucky this airwalker was to be having a second child. She hoped that one day, she would know Recognition and have a kit of her own.

"Aww… no fair!" Twittersong pouted.

"Don't worry, Twit! You can keep me company!" Smokeweaver laughed. The gentle storyteller didn't hunt. She had been taught how, but she couldn't bring herself to take a life; even the life of a prey animal.

The two began to set up camp while Duskwhisper, Longrunner, Summerstream and Imberglow began to stalk the deer.

**We'll do it like the females of the maned plainscat,** Duskwhisper open sent. **Surround the herd, select our prey, and leap all at once.**

The four moved stealthily, as a unit. Their minds were open and thoughts flew back and forth to keep them connected and aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses, as well as precise locations relative to themselves as individuals. They slowly surrounded the heard and watched.

**Longrunner, you're the best hunter among us. What do you think? Which one shall we take down?**

**There's an injured buck across from Imberglow, young and otherwise healthy. Do you see it?**

A general feeling of consent buzzed between the four.

**Then we'll take him,** Duskwhisper agreed. **Imberglow, you're the closest. Would you do the honors of leading the attack?**

**Yes! Thanks Duskwhisper!** Imberglow smiled brightly. She was seldom given the chance to show her hunting prowess. She clutched her dagger tightly and tensed to pounce. The few moments between the selection of the buck and the instant she chose to spring seemed to last forever. Then, Imberglow felt the time was right and she ran at the deer.

"Yaaaaah!" she cried as she ran. The outburst startled the herd and sent it bounding away. The buck limped after at about half the speed of the others. Imberglow put on a burst of speed, unaware of anything else but the buck and herself. "You're mine!" she yelled, preparing to leap at him.

But suddenly, a dark green streak appeared from the corner of her vision and tackled the buck. The deer bawled in alarm and Imberglow stopped short in bewilderment. The other Plainsrunners gathered around her and watched as an elf with darker skin than any of them had wrestled with the buck, skillfully evading his sharp antlers, then pulled out a long knife and slit the beast's throat. The stripdeer's mad braying was instantly silenced and his heavy carcass fell to the ground.

"Thank you," he said to the fallen stripedeer, "for the nourishment you will provide. Let your blood spill on the ground and sustain the plants at my feet."

Duskwhisper was stunned. Who was this strange elf? Longrunner was cautious. He didn't know if this elf could be trusted, so he resolved to keep quiet. Summerstream was interested. Twittersong had come from a different tribe, and here was evidence of yet another tribe of elves! Imberglow was furious.

"What's the big idea?!" she demanded. "He was my kill!"

"My, what a fiery temper," the new elf grinned. "Already yelling without a proper introduction."

"Excuse me," Duskwhisper said, "but who are you and what gives you the right to take down a deer we were hunting?"

"Maybe," he replied, "I was hunting him first. Maybe you're on my tribe's territory and I can claim First Right to the game here. Maybe I was helping you. Maybe I was showing off for Miss Manners here," he indicated Imberglow. "There are a number of things it could have been."

"Well, what was it?" Summer stream asked.

"And who are you?" Imberglow demanded.

"Dear maiden, I am Jrean of the Soundmakers," he said with a flourish and a bow. He seemed unmoved by these four strange elves. Perhaps he was aware that other tribes roamed the earth.

"Well, Jrean," Duskwhisper said, intentionally drawing his attention away from Imberglow. "We are the Plainsrunners, or, rather, a small group of the Plainsrunners. I think it's only fair that you share what you took from us."

"I don't see it as taking it from you. I see it as getting there first."

"You knew we were there!" Imberglow hotly said. "How could you not? We were sending almost constantly!"

"Unless, that is… " Duskwhisper interjected. She really wished Imberglow would calm down. "… you can't send…?"

Jrean laughed with an appealing ring. **Oh, I can send, all right!** He then went back to talking. "But when I'm hunting alone, I close my mind to avoid distraction."

"Then you do have a tribe?" Summerstream asked with interest.

"I do… but we're rather far away from them. You see, I needed a change. Something was missing from my life. So I decided to take a journey."

"Then why close your mind when you hunt?" the healer asked.

Jrean shrugged. "Force of habit."

"It seems we're at an impasse, Jrean. You honestly didn't know we were there, and even if we weren't hunting first, there are more of us to feed. We have two other tribemates back at the camp, one of which is with child. Why don't you join us at the camp, at least for the night, and we can all share the buck."

"That sounds delightful!" he readily agreed.

"Duskwhisper, no!" Imberglow interjected in frustration. She stomped her foot angrily. "I can't believe you sometimes!"

The healer watched in bewilderment as the maiden of a little less than two eights stormed off.

** **

"So, you're saying that you're all following Duskwhisper out of friendship?" Jrean asked, taking another bite of deer shank. "Mmm, this is good!"

"That's right!" Smokeweaver said, blushing a little at his compliment. She might not hunt, but she cooked up what was hunted to a taste than the Plainsrunners prized. "Duskwhisper is Longrunner's and my best friend! The three of us have been together since we were little."

"And she saved both Imberglow's and Twittersong's lives when Imberglow was being born. Her quick thinking and great healing skill kept them both alive after a difficult birth."

"So, you're a healer, too?" Jrean asked. Duskwhisper nodded in reply. "What are you looking for anyway, Duskwhisper?"

"My father," she said.

"Your father?" Longrunner asked, perplexed. "But he's been dead for three turns! Please don't tell me you've forgotten the longtooth attack!"

Duskwhisper looked coolly in her amber-haired friend's direction. "Summerset was not my father," she said levelly. "Well, my father perhaps, but not my sire."

"It's all right. Only Fleetdoe and Eagle-Eye knew for the longest time. Smokeweaver and I only found out a few eight-of-days ago."

"Ooh! Intrigue and mystery!" Jrean grinned good-naturedly.

Duskwhisper smiled as she stuffed another roast tuber in her mouth. **I think my father—his name is Stormsinger—is calling me. I'm following his lead.**

"What about you, Jrean? Tell us about the Soundmakers," Summerstream asked like a small child waiting for an especially exciting story. Duskwhisper let her attention wander as her stomach filled. Her interest shifted from their guest to mother and daughter, who were sitting a ways away from the fire.

"I don't know, kit," Twittersong was saying. "I mean, he is handsome."

"Mother, looks aren't everything! He's also rude and forward and presumptuous…" Imberglow protested. "He stole that buck from me! The kill was to be mine!"

Duskwhisper rolled her eyes. Was she still going on about that? Well, age would mature her. She was young yet.

"So you've told me a hand of times." The airwalker rubbed a finger in her ear to indicate that her daughter's volume was a bit excessive.

As the emerald-eyed healer mused over this, there was a tap on her shoulder. When she looked up, Longrunner was holding a wineskin in her face. The outside had spots stained the color of dreamberries. The healer smiled and gratefully accepted it. After a few swigs, she passed it on. Soon, the small party of elves were rosy-nosed and tipsy with the dreamberry juice, and they started to break up to sleep and conduct in other activities.

The healer looked for Longrunner. His warm, strong arms would feel good around her tonight. She had shared his furs many, many times before and was hoping to do so now. That was the nice thing about him being one of her best friends. She could join with him when she felt an urge to with no commitment. It wasn't as if she feared commitment, but she was determined not to fall in love until she Recognized, and then, only with him.

She searched a bit longer, parting grasses and following sounds until she found him, already in Smokeweaver's bare, drunken embrace. With a wry grin, Duskwhisper let them be and went to find a good place to contemplate the stars.

** **

"Duskwhisper! Duskwhisper, wake up!"

The healer opened her eyes to a morning light that was far too bright. "Oog," she eloquently replied. "My mouth feels like I slept with a wad of fluff seeds in it."

"Drink this," Smokeweaver offered a carved wooden cup to her soul sister.

"Just so long as it's not more dreamberry juice," Duskwhisper replied with a crooked smile. She accepted the cup and took a sip. The tea inside was the temperature of the air and bitter, but she tasted white willow bark in it and knew it would help with her throbbing head. She placed one hand to her temple and healed the headache as well as the rest of the hangover. "I like being a healer," she confided in Smokeweaver. "I get to spoil myself."

"Healer, come quick!" a young voice called. "Twittersong… She's… the kit!"

"Oh no! It's too soon!"

Duskwhisper ran for all she was worth, following Imberglow to her mother's side. She knelt by Twittersong. The glider's face was wracked with pain, and her eyes were glossy.

"Save her…" she whispered to the healer. "Save my daughter…"

Duskwhisper closed her eyes, unaware of the audience she was attracting. She quickly channeled her healing energy, feeling her entire body grow warm with its force and power. She didn't care what happened to her, just so long as Twittersong and the unborn child were saved. And, if she could help it, the child wouldn't be born just yet.

All other names shed, she was now the Healer. She focussed her healing power, sending it to her hands which were outstretched over Twittersong, then released the internal dam she had set up and let it all flow out. With her Healer's Eye, she located and calmed the spasms in Twittersong's womb. 'Not yet,' she kept thinking. 'Too soon.' She sent a sedating influence to the mother's mind, relaxing her body until the contractions stopped entirely. Then, with her magic, Duskwhisper formed another amniotic sac from the substance of Twittersong's body to keep the unborn girl alive for the next few moons. She pushed her magic further, surrounding the premature kit and healing any small injury she may have suffered, as well as giving her a general boost of energy.

When Duskwhisper finally lowered her arms, she felt incredibly dizzy. She hadn't done anything that harrowing in a long time. She opened her eyes and wiped the sweat from her brow. Twittersong was sleeping peacefully, a worried Summerstream cradling her.

"Twice," he was saying with a hoarse voice. "That's twice now you've saved her."

"Summerstream, I'm sure she could have lived through it, but I’m not so sure about the kit."

"Still, 'Whisper. Because of you, they're both all right."

The healer nodded, and felt herself tipping backwards. Longrunner caught her, and Smokeweaver was at her side.

**Rahl? Are you okay?** Smokeweaver lock-sent, using her soul name.

**I'm fine, Eyr, but that was tough.** Duskwhisper responded in kind.

**Sleep now, heroine,** the cook smiled, tears sparkling in her eyes. **They're fine because of you.**

**I'm no heroine. I'm a healer. It's what I was meant to do.** While Duskwhisper's mind was still active, her body rested in deep slumber.

** **

When Duskwhisper awoke again, it was mid afternoon. She immediately got up to check on Twittersong, who was also awake and feeling fine. Smokeweaver was overseeing the smoking of the rest of the deer, adding spices and herbs here and there to improve the taste and the length of preservation. Jrean and Longrunner were with her. Duskwhisper waved as she approached.

"Welcome back to the waking world!" Smokeweaver giggled. Longrunner hugged the healer gently and led her to the smoky fire.<

"That was amazing what you did for Twittersong!" Jrean said. "I've never seen healing of such skill and power! Egret, the healer of my tribe, would have delivered the baby, and try to save the mother. I've never seen a healer actually stop the labor!"

Duskwhisper smiled. "I couldn't do that," she replied. "Twittersong isn't due for another three moons at least! It's possible that the kit would have survived, but not on this journey. We don't know how far we have to go."

"Speaking of journeys…" Jrean said.

"Oh, right! We'll be giving you a ration of the dried meat to take with you, of course," Duskwhisper said.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could go with you. Maybe your quest's end will be mine as well."

The healer smiled. "Well, of course, Jrean! We'd be glad to have you along! Welcome to the Plainsrunners." She clasped his wrist in a hearty handshake, then left the fireside to tell the others.

** **

TBC…