By The Finders
"Ha! A little snow never stopped me!" Sahkshen called from the warmth of the fur-lined den.
"Oh no?" Duskwhisper scooped up a handful of snow from off the branch and hurled it at her lovemate, hitting him squarely in the chest. "Well what about your chieftess and healer? Snowstreak and Windweaver are working night and day trying to make us all suitable clothes for the whitecold, and until they are ready no one is going out too far in this weather. Especially alone!"
Sahkshen opened his mouth to protest, but a well-thrown snowball hit his face before he could say anything more. Tarn burst into a fit of giggles that subsided quickly.
"But Mother, what are we gonna do about food? I'm hungry!" he whined.
"Don't worry, kit." Duskwhisper stroked her son's hair tenderly. "We've been storing food in a cave that I had Crystal seal off. It's next to the river. We'll go fetch some right now."
** **
**All right, everyone! Settle down!** Duskwhisper sent to her gathered tribe. They all stood next to the rocks that the water cascaded from in warmer seasons. Each held a fur or blanket tightly around their shoulders to keep out the biting wind. "Crystal, if you would."
"Gladly, Chieftess."
The maiden placed her hand against the sheer rock wall and concentrated. It didn't take much before the rock began to bend and retreat in on itself, revealing the opening to the cave. Duskwhisper stepped inside.
"Imberglow!" she called. "Bring the torch you're holding. Crystal shaped some holders for some other torches along the wall, and we need to light them!"
"Coming!"
Not one to be left behind, Tarn scampered in after the firestarter. "Wow!" he exclaimed, his voice reverberating off the walls. "It's so big in here! Listen to the ECHOS!!"
**Tarn, please!** Duskwhisper sent above the racket her son was causing.
"Sorry, Mother," he grinned apologetically.
Imberglow handed her torch to the chieftess and went about lighting the other eight torches, each one making it easier to see inside the dark cave. Duskwhisper held the original one so she could take a look around. She had an odd feeling gnawing in her stomach. Something was terribly wrong here.
"Where is it, Mother? Where's all the food you said was here?"
As Imberglow lit the last torch, Duskwhisper shakily set the one she was holding into an empty bracket. She tried to remain calm even though her heart was poundig harshly against her ribcage. She didn't want to alarm the other Finders, but she didn't know how to explain that...
"It's gone!!" Imberglow shrieked, her voice echoing madly. "All of our stored food is gone!!"
In an instant, the rest of the Finders were crowded into the small cave. Desperate cries of, "Where did it go?" and, "What will we do?" were thrown back and forth across the cramped quarters.
"Everyone stay calm!" Duskwhisper called above the noise. "There's got to be a logical explanation for this!"
"Of course there is," someone said from near the far wall. Everyone looked over. It was Darkskyfire. He stood, leaning against his bow, a scowl of pure hatred darkening his pale features. "It was trolls." He moved aside to reveal a gaping hole in the ground, the dirt around it freshly broken.
Crystal gingerly knelt down and picked up some loose dirt. "This... wasn't moved by magic," she said. "I can always tell since I'm a rockshaper."
Of course it wasn't!" a voice bellowed from within the hole. The Finders all backed away from its gaping maw. "What do trolls need magic for when we have tools and muscles to move ground and rock alike!"
Two bulky hands came up from the hole and gripped a bit of ground on each side. Then, a lumbering body heaved itself the rest of the way through. Before the startled, frightened, and angered elves stood a female troll, a pickax slung over one shoulder. She had grey-green skin and a wart swelled from her down-turned nose. Her course, brown hair was tied roughtly back into a knot and her clothes were covered with mug and grime. She was the first troll many of them had ever laid eyes on. But Duskwhisper had a feeling she wouldn't be the last.