Cataclysm

Soon the elf and the wolf would leave on an expedition to follow the river downstream, a long trip a long way from home. But for now, they would play! Nighteyes laughed and her cheeks flushed pink as her wolf-friend Silverfurre chased her to the summit of a hillside. Residents of Eight-of-Dreams Holt called this Sunshine Hill as much for its yellow and white flowers as for its sun-drenched exposure. Silverfurre caught up and nipped at Nighteyes' heel. Panting, her dark blue eyes glowing, the elf cried, "You got me! Now we're even!" She flopped down on a bed of fragrant yellow flowers and the wolf stretched out beside her.

The buzzing of bees on the flowers, birdsong, and the far-away drone of other insects were all they could hear. The elf picked flowers and made a circlet for her head, brushed out her long pale hair and re-wove her braid as she watched Silverfurre chase an orange butterfly. The warm sun felt good after a cold winter.

Next she made a larger circlet for Silverfurre's neck, then called the wolf back to her. He sat patiently as Nighteyes brushed out his thick winter coat. Fine hairs caught in the brush. Soon she had to stop and pull the wad of fur out. Before she was done brushing the wolf all over, five handfuls of silky wool had been released to float away in the breeze. "My, my," she said drowsily, "by the way you're shedding, we've got a hot summer coming." But her wolf-friend had already fallen asleep. Nighteyes laid her head down on her bond-mate's broad shoulder and was lulled to sleep by the warm sun and the birdsong.

"Rodents!" exclaimed Nighteyes in disgust, her voice slightly muffled because her head and upper body were thrust into one of the Holt's small storage huts. Sweetwind, waiting patiently next to the silvery-haired huntress, puzzled over the word. Nighteyes' old tribe spoke more formally than most, and had retained some words which had been lost to other scattered descendants of the High Ones. It was not too uncommon for Nighteyes to speak a word which Sweetwind had never heard before. Perhaps this was a curse-word, reflected the brown-haired elf. Nighteyes sure made it sound like one.

With some grunting and tugging, Nighteyes emerged from the store-hole opening with an armload of furs. "Squeakers!" she elaborated in an angry burst, shaking the bundle out. As if to illustrate her point, a good-sized mouse fell from the furs and landed with a squeak. Silverfurre bounded after the creature. His jaws snapped on air a couple of times before the desperate mouse found a little hole to squeeze into. The wolf pawed at the hole, then turned back to his elf-friend, eying the furs expectantly.

Nighteyes, intent on examining the furs, ignored her wolf-friend. "Look at this, Sweetwind! They've chewed holes everywhere!" Sweetwind gasped as her companion held one heavy fur blanket up to the light. Like the night sky strewn with stars, the blanket was scattered with small holes that the light showed through. And some not-so-small holes, too.

"How'd they get in?" asked Sweetwind, dipping her head to the store-hole door. Her head bumped Silverfurre's, as the wolf had evidently decided that better hunting was to be had inside. The elf tried to push the wolf aside, but, hearing more rustling within, he was not to be deterred. The two elf maidens watched his entire body squeeze into the tiny hut.

"Dreamstar sealed every joint!" Sweetwind wailed. "They must have chewed through solid wood!"

"These furs are ruined now," frowned Nighteyes. "The mice must have gotten in during newgreen right after the furs were stored away." Sweetwind picked up her bison-fur cloak from the pile. It disintegrated into several pieces. Fluffs of fur scattered in the breeze. She sighed and slumped against the tree which supported one corner of the hut.

The hut shook, then Silverfurre bounded out, a tiny tail hanging from between his teeth. He ate the mouse in one gulp.

"Well, so much for 'air out the furs for the coming whitecold'," remarked Sweetwind. "More like, 'salvage the scraps for the rag bag.'"

Nighteyes replied with merely a grunt, pulling the remaining furs from the small hut. Together they inspected everything in the storehold. There wasn't much worth salvaging. When they had completed the sorry inventory, Nighteyes sighed. "At least most of the Holt's common furs got stored in the Tree. We won't freeze this whitecold."

"Sure, but all our personal furs were in here," retorted Sweetwind. "Our spare sleepfurs, my fur-lined boots and leggings, and both our beautiful bison-fur cloaks. Those cloaks were only a couple of turns old."

"Those were the warmest cloaks," said the huntress sadly.

"I can't get through the whitecold without my cloak," stated Sweetwind at last. She stood and faced Nighteyes. "If we want to get new cloaks, we have to go after the bison now. Remember, it was just this time of the season that we hunted the herd last time. Are you game to go again?"

The huntress' midnight-blue eyes sparkled. "Leave tonight, then?" At Sweetwind's nod, she stood as well, thrilled already with the thought of the hunt. "I'll ask Dreamshadow and Darkthought, and see if anyone else wants to go."

"Better yet," said the green-clad elf, "let's announce it at the council tonight, then leave in the morning. That way we'll reach everyone at once, and they'll have a bit more time to prepare. And in the meantime," with a sigh, "let's check the other store-holds for invasion, then we can give Dreamchant a full report on that tonight as well."

Nighteyes agreed and the two elves began making the rounds.

"So, Nighteyes and I have decided to replace our bison-fur cloaks as soon as possible by leaving in the morning for the plains. It's the right time of the season to catch the bison on their migration route. A few turns ago she and I went with Darkthought and Dreamshadow to the plains. It was a good hunt, and I'm sure some of you remember the tasty meat we brought back." There was a general murmur of assent. "We had to leave a lot of it for the scavengers, though, since just the four of us couldn't carry all the meat back. This time I hope a lot more people can go. If you've never hunted off a herd before, you'll enjoy the experience. Anyone who wants to join us can meet us at dawn at the base of the First Tree."

Dreamshadow stood when she was finished. "I'll be the first to meet you," he said, smiling at the thought of a visit to his beloved homeland, "but I hope you don't have your heart set on hunting off the herd, plains-sister. When the weather is unusually hot like this summer we've had, the herd often travels early, as their watering-holes dry up sooner." Sweetwind's face fell, for Dreamshadow knew whereof he spoke - the bison plains were those where his old tribe used to live. "But there'll be hump-shoulders to hunt, don't worry," he continued. "My tribe knew all the places where the herd's stragglers are likely to be found."

Darkthought stood as well. "Then it will be a good hunt!" he proclaimed.

Nighteyes, who had already changed into her hunting leathers, was swept up in excitement, and stood and howled. Sweetwind saw an answering gleam in the eyes of several Wolfriders that suggested the hunting party would be a good-sized one.

"One question," called Moontracker from his perch on a branch next to his sister Nightwind, who was large with pregnancy. "How long do you expect the trip to take?" Everyone knew why he was asking--Nightwind's cub was due to be born in just a few dances of the Child Moon. There was no chance that Moontracker or his half-brother Icefire would be away from their mateless sister when her time came.

"No more than two eightdays if we can hunt off the herd," replied Sweetwind. "It may be a little longer if we have to track down lone animals, as Dreamshadow says." Moontracker turned to Icefire and they conferred.

"That's cutting it too close," stated Icefire finally. "Count us out."

Sweetwind was a little disappointed - she knew the Ambersong elves had spent some time living on the plains before coming to Eight-of-Dreams, and had hoped that Nightwind's condition wouldn't prevent the rest of them from coming. Their experience would have been an asset to the party.

But even as Icefire spoke, Sweetwind happened to see Dreamstar shoot a pleading glance at his lovemate, Nightwind's sister Willowsinger. Now, there was still a possibility. Sweetwind knew that 'Star was still feeling stressed-out from taking over the cheif's-duties while Dreamchant had been away on the recent journey downstream. She was pretty sure that he was itching to get away from the Holt in his own right. He would probably be able to convince Willow' to go, since she didn't share the overly protective attitude of her brothers. It would be interesting, all right, to see just who did show up the next morning.

Everyone had their provisions packed and seemed ready to go, waiting only for some sort of signal. Nighteyes looked expectantly at Sweetwind, so the green-eyed elf cleared her throat and called out, "All who're going along to the plains, let's begin!" A spontaneous howl arose from Nighteyes and the other Wolfriders. Those who had not yet mounted their animal-friends did so; those with no bondbeast, or those like Sweetwind and Darkthought, who did not ride their bondbeasts, simply shouldered their packs and began.

Torch kept pace with Sweetwind and Nighteyes at the front of the group. After a little while he began walking backwards, sometimes half-hopping, half-stumbling over tree roots and other obstacles, as he counted heads, pointing to each elf in turn.

"... and Dreamstealer taking up the rear, that's thirteen," he concluded. "And counting myself, that's fourteen. A big group!"

"You counted yourself already," corrected Nighteyes. "That was the first thing you did."

"Oh, well, then." The firestarter turned around and walked forwards once more. "Thirteen, then. Maybe someone else will join us before we leave the Holt."

"Why? What's wrong with thirteen?" asked Sweetwind.

Torch hefted his grip on his metal-tipped walking stick a little higher. "It's unlucky for a hunting party to have thirteen members."

"Who says?" demanded Sweetwind. "I never heard of that."

"That's what they believe in my old holt."

Nighteyes, from Silverfurre's back, sniffed. "I never heard of that, either."

"Why did they think that?" asked Sweetwind. "Did something bad happen whenever thirteen elves went on a hunting party?"

"Thirteen elves never did," replied Torch. "Someone would stay behind rather than make a party of thirteen."

"You'd better not even be thinking of staying behind!" the archer threatened. "Unlucky, my ears! That's all a bunch of mouse droppings!"

"And after yesterday, we know our mouse droppings!" added Nighteyes lightheartedly. "If you go back, Torch, you have to clean out the floor of that storage hut for us!"

The red-headed elf grumbled a little, but he continued on with his friends. He enjoyed a good adventure a lot better than moping around the Holt. Still, when they passed into the part of the woods which marked an informal boundary to the Holt area, Torch shot a glance back to see who was there. There were exactly ten elves following the archer, the huntress and the firestarter who were in the lead.

She'd never thought of herself as the leader type. To be sure, several times on the downstream journey Dreamchant had left the archer in charge while the Chieftess was busy elsewhere. But on this hunting trip, everyone seemed happy to defer to her on account of her previous bison-hunting experience and because the whole hunt seemed to be her idea to start with.

**If there's one thing I miss most about the plains,** sent Darkthought, **it's this feeling of openness. It's much easier to see humans or other enemies before they get near you.**

Dreamshadow and Sweetwind nodded in agreement, but Moon Dreamer, clinging low on Starsinger's back, sent, **That's exactly what I don't like about the plains! I feel so exposed out here!** Several of the forest elves nodded; Willowsinger laughed.

**There's advantages to both places, then, isn't there? You just have to keep an eye out further around yourself out here.**

Just then, Darkthought's hyenas, who had been a little ahead of the group, grew excited, and Bladegrin ran back to her elf-friend, pulling on 'Thought's tunic with her teeth to hurry him on.

The group quickly saw what was making the hyenas circle and sniff the ground. Even the forest elves did not need to be told that the bison herd had been here. The grass had been trampled underfoot by many hoofed animals; large and plentiful droppings indicated the beasts' size. The freshest traces were several days old.

**You were right, Dreamshadow,** sent Sweetwind with a sigh. **They've come and gone early.**

**Don't despair. Every turn when the herd had gone and we had finished butchering our kills, my tribe would send hunters into the canyon area towards sun-comes-up. I was one of them, of course.** Several elves who had known the Tallstalker since he'd joined the Holt noted that he spoke with pride untempered by the bitter anger he'd held for so long. His hatred toward the humans who'd slaughtered his people had festered within him for so long that it had seemed an irrevocable part of him. Even after turns of work with their dream-healer Chieftess it still flared up now and then. It seemed to happen less and less, though; the fact that it did not do so now, when reminiscing of his tribe, boded well for the final outcome of his mind-healing.

**Without fail, each turn,** he continued, **some hump-shoulders would get sidetracked into the canyon system rather than continuing on their path toward sun-comes-up. If we search through the canyons, our trip may not have been in vain.**

"Let's go, then!" cried Sweetwind, and the party turned towards sun-comes-up, following the wide path of the bison herd. It was about a half a day more of travel, and all were ready to camp for the night when they came to the entrance of the canyon system.

Sweetwind could see how the bison might get confused. The path of the herd crossed over a dry creek bed which headed south; to the north side, the creek bed cut through a rise in the land and into a large bowl-shaped area. When the thirteen elves entered the bowl, four exits could be seen: the creek bed they'd followed at the south end, and three similar-looking cuts in the bowl wall which led towards sun-comes-up.

**Aha,** exclaimed Darkthought. **Any bison who wander down the creek bed into this basin are liable to try to get out over there, since they know they're supposed to go towards sun-comes-up.**

**But they could just go up to the rim of the bowl, and look around,** protested Torch. **It's a very gentle slope!**

**You forget, these things are eight times as heavy as a blackneck,** replied Sweetwind. **They'll never climb if they see a level way to go. Besides, they're not even as smart as a blackneck. In fact,** she stated, rapping her knuckles on the firestarter's head, **they're only about as smart as you.**

**Aye, I must be pretty dumb to let you talk me into coming along on this wild-bison chase of yours,** he countered. Sweetwind stuck her tongue out at him.

She then announced, "Let's camp on the rim of the bowl, everyone, since we are smarter than a bison, and we'll continue our wild-bison chase in the morning." That was enough to get everyone doffing their packs and arguing about whether to make a camp-fire.

"There are four main canyons which the hump-shoulders are usually found in," he explained. "The leftmost canyon entrance branches into two of them and the other two entrances are direct connections. They're pretty long canyons, it takes two or three days to search each one from end to end."

"Are the canyons in sending distance from each other?" asked the hunt leader.

"No, once you've traveled a ways in they diverge too much."

"It looks like at least one bison went into each entrance. Perhaps we should follow just one pathway."

"Don't forget, Sweetwind, we won't be the only predators in the canyons. Without the protection of the herd, the stragglers are usually done for in a hand of days. It will be a gamble to choose one pathway."

"Then let's split up and cover them all. Listen up, everybody! I want us in four groups: Darkthought, you take Dreamstar and Willowsinger; Torch and Dreamstealer, go with 'Shadow; Sky Arrow and Truedreamer, stay with me; Nighteyes, take Shadowcat and Brighteyes. Moon Dreamer--you're going to be our communication." Moon' peered out from under his unruly bangs and gave her a 'somehow-I-knew-this-was-coming' look. "Every evening before sunset you can fly from group to group. The first group that gets a bison will be joined by the rest. The canyon walls aren't too steep to climb, are they?" she asked 'Shadow.

The brown-eyed elf replied, "No. The plan is a good one."

Moon' interjected, "Why don't I just survey the area from the sky and tell you where the bison are? It's not all treed over like in the forest."

"If that worked, my tribe would have sent our bond-hawks out to scout for us," replied 'Shadow. "The canyons diverge too much. It takes too long for a hawk to survey the whole canyon system while the hunters wait. A group of hunters can be halfway down the canyon before the bird is finished."

"Then let's not waste any more time," said Sweetwind. "Let's go!"

Moon' joined 'Arrow in the hunt leader's group after getting a rough idea of how the canyons were laid out from 'Shadow. The four groups diverged to their separate paths.

Waiting for his return, Truedreamer kept watch at the meetpoint, the deepest center part of the canyon, while Sweetwind and Sky Arrow searched for game down several twisting dry creekbeds which branched away from the main canyon. By the time Moon' arrived at dusk, all three elves were at the meetpoint skinning and preparing two long-ears and a rattler.

Moon' landed on the ground in hawk-form and changed to elf-form in a crouching position, from which he threw himself flat onto the ground. "Oomph," was all he had to say, but he sent, **I'm exhausted! I can't move a hair. Let's camp right here!**

Sweetwind looked at him, aghast. **NEVER camp in a gully!** she sent emphatically. **A flash flood could come along at any time!!**

"What's a flash flood?" asked Sky Arrow.

"I asked Dreamstar one time why they don't have any in the forest," mused the hunt leader. "We discussed it and decided that it must be because the tree roots in the forest are thirsty and help the ground absorb the rainfall. But out here there's only grass, and its roots are thin. When it rains, the ground doesn't absorb the water very well and it starts to run off right away. It gathers into streambeds like this and picks up speed-and the faster it goes, the less the ground absorbs." She turned and pointed "upstream" of the canyon floor to emphasize her point. "It runs down the streambed even far, far away from where the rain fell. As if the entire Waterfall filled this creekbed when it was dry a moment before."

Truedreamer rose as if he had been struck, shock written on his features.

"Don't be alarmed," Sweetwind added quickly, rising to reassure him, "there's not much danger if you can respond right away when you hear the flood approaching. It's safe enough to travel and hunt in the lowest part of the canyon. It's just not safe to camp, or to sleep, or ..." she draped one arm around Truedreamer's shoulders, and her voice dropped to a purr, "... or any other activity where you become oblivious to your surroundings." Getting no response to her flirt, Sweetwind used her arm to push Truedreamer back to a seated position. "Come on, let's all eat something, then we'll move a little way up towards the canyon wall and camp there. Moon', did any of the other groups have anything to report?"

Moon' heaved a sigh and rolled over onto his side, facing the other three elves. "No. Dreamshadow's group found a bison skeleton, picked clean by scavengers. Darkthought's hyenas are excited about some trail they scented, but Willowsinger says it smells more like a tusker. Nighteyes' group found nothing, like us."

'Arrow waved a juicy piece of long-ear under his nose, and Moon' perked up, coming to a cross-legged sitting position. The elves all felt the hunger of the trail and for a while there was no conversation except the mumbled, "Try this rattler--it's great," and "Pass the dried fruit." The others didn't notice that True' looked more morose than usual. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts rather than merely absorbed by his meal.

They moved just a little way along the slope of the canyon side and started striking camp in an area decreed safe by the plains elf. Moon' seemed pretty well recovered from his shapechanging venture and did his full share in setting up the camp. As soon as all was done, Moon' and 'Arrow excused themselves; "to become oblivious to our surroundings," giggled 'Arrow.

Sweetwind attempted to flirt with True' again (she'd become intrigued by him during the trip and had resolved to get to know him better) but it was no use. She fell back to small talk but that did no better. They sat awhile in silence. She was about to give up and go to sleep when the Wavedancer abruptly asked, "Does Nighteyes' group know about the danger of the flash flood?"

"Oh, sure," replied the hunt leader through a yawn, "'Thought and 'Shadow and I made a proper plains elf out of Nighteyes on our last trip. I made sure to put a plains-experienced elf in charge of each group. They'll be fine." She nestled her head against Stifler's bony shoulder and was soon fast asleep.

He sat up. The whites of his eyes seemed to glow with their own eerie light. He started to hyperventilate as was usual after one of his truedreaming attacks and, realizing what was happening, he put his head down and practiced the breathing exercises he had learned to calm himself. Sweetwind sat back and waited for him to return to normal.

Moon' and 'Arrow appeared, alarm on their faces and not a stitch on their bodies. "What's--" started Moon'.

"It's all right, True' was just having one of his dreams," Sweetwind reassured them, but it was little reassurance to any of the elves. When Truedreamer had a nightmare, it was time to start worrying.

At last the brown-maned elf got a grip on himself and looked up, but he immediately sank his face into his hands. "No, no, no ..." he moaned.

"Tell us," prompted Sweetwind. Truedreamer seemed to want to reply, but he began sobbing. Sweetwind put her hands on his shoulders again. "Tell us," she repeated more sternly.

True' gulped a few times and began. "When ... when Brighteyes and Shadowcat arrived at the Holt last newgreen, I had a dream ... just a little one ... where a huge cliff of water crashed down on them ... it didn't feel very imminent ... the only thing I could think that it might be was a tsunami, but we're all safe enough from that at the Holt. I ... I would have said something if they had ever planned to journey to the sea shore." His voice choked, and 'Arrow offered him a waterskin. He took a few gulps.

"So you've had the same dream again just now?" asked Sweetwind anxiously.

"Yes ... it was a little clearer ... they were in a canyon, and the water came roaring down and ..." he stopped again. He started to raise the waterskin to his lips once more, then looked down at it. He tossed the skin away from himself, as if he never wanted to touch water again. "It was a flash flood."

"Moon', take wing! Go and warn them right now!" ordered Sweetwind with urgency.

But the self-shaper had already begun to change into an owl. In a few moments he beat soft-feathered wings and flew away into the night.

It was easy to retrace his evening flight and it was not too long before he was flying over a rock formation that thrust into the sky near where he'd met Nighteyes' group not so long ago. Descending towards the canyon, his heart skipped a beat as he saw that he was undoubtably too late. Flood had razed the floor of the canyon. Mud still oozed here and there. He'd talked to the group as they stood next to two huge twin boulders whose sides had touched. Now he saw that those seemingly immovable giant stones had been brushed aside like pebbles and were now many elf-lengths apart, a little way down the canyon.

Moon Dreamer wasn't sure where the group had been planning to camp- there was still a chance that they had camped in safety. Following the floodpath upstream, he closely scanned the area from one side of the canyon wall to the other. There were plenty of places the flood waters hadn't reached, but if they'd camped in any of them, he could find no trace.

While he was searching, a break in the cloud cover opened up and a little moonlight shone through. High Ones bless you, Child Moon, he thought as the landscape became easier to search. After he had searched a while upstream, he admitted to himself that he had gone further than the hunters would have gone before settling in for the night. He turned around and headed back to the meetpoint, still searching all the while, then began the grimmer task of searching downstream from the meetpoint.

Flying slowly, scanning every inch of the floodpath for some sign of the hunters amidst and alongside the rubble, finally something caught his eye. It was about halfway back from the group's meetpoint to the bowl where the canyon's mouths were that he found Nighteyes.

She was lying face down, her right arm clutched around a rock that jutted up from the mud. Her left arm lay at an unnatural angle and her long white hair streamed away from her head as if it were water, still rushing downstream and attempting to carry her with it.

Moon' feared she was dead. Landing and changing to elf-shape simultaneously, he quickly lifted her head to check her breathing. He realized she was alive because bright red blood sprang fresh from a wound on her head when he moved it; but for that sign, it was hard to tell. She was barely breathing.

Wanting to get her to shelter as soon as possible, Moon' stood and surveyed his surroundings. There was a cliff ledge that looked like it had a series of caves in it on the canyon wall not too far away. They were well above the water line, in case another flood struck. Praying to the High Ones that there were no beasts living inside them, he leaned down and gently gathered Nighteyes into his arms. It was at about that point that Moon' realized Nighteyes was naked. Well, almost: her left boot was still on, but the floodwaters must have ripped the rest of the leathers off her body as it had swept her halfway down the canyon.

Moon' flushed a deep red and was grateful that no one was around to see his awkwardness. He may have just spent half the night in wild bodydancing with Sky Arrow, but his body still had unpredictable, unwanted reactions. He kept his eyes fixed on Nighteyes' decently clad left foot as he carried her up to the ledge.

The ledge was broad enough to strike camp on at its broadest point, but the little caves that opened into the canyon wall off the ledge were very shallow. He laid the elf maiden carefully down on her back, in the cave nearest the broad part of the ledge. The cave was only barely deep enough to shelter her. If rain fell straight down, she would stay dry; but if the wind blew, it was almost like being out in the open. However, the sky was growing still clearer and Moon' didn't expect bad weather. Besides, this was the only shelter he could give her at the moment.

Moon' now braced himself to examine her injuries. Nighteyes had a rather bad abrasion on her left side beneath the breast so, trying not to touch her breasts themselves, he gently probed the area to try to see whether any ribs were broken. Unfortunately, without Nighteyes awake to tell him how much it hurt, he couldn't tell. He turned to her left arm and straightened it out. There was no doubt that it was broken above the elbow, but the skin was not broken.

The only other injury he could find, besides minor cuts and bruises, was the head wound. It was a fairly small cut to the skin but it must have been caused by a heavy blow, for the area was swollen like a piece of fruit.

Moon Dreamer knew that the most important thing for badly injured elves like this was to keep them warm. However, he had no blanket and could see nothing nearby to serve as one. The only thing he could do for her now was to summon a healer as soon as possible. But, ironically, the hunting party's healer seemed lost without a trace. Dreamstealer and his herb-lore were second best but they would have to do.

Moon' shifted to wolf-form and left marks on the ledge on either side of the cave. That would keep all but the most desperate predators away until help arrived. He then went to the edge and leaped, shifting back to owl-form as he fell. He took a good, long look at the ledge, the caves and the canyon area so he could tell the others exactly where to go. Then he wheeled around and began flying his fastest toward Dreamshadow's groups' canyon. He hoped Dreamstealer had brought a healing kit along with him.

Sweetwind chewed her lower lip with anxiety. Truedreamer had obviously suspected the meaning of his older dream by the time they had camped, thus his question about Nighteyes' expertise. Why hadn't he spoken up then and there? She knew he hated his true-dreaming power, which had only brought him grief. Did he really hate it so much that he had to pretend it didn't exist? Did he think that denying it would make it go away?

After Moon' had left them, she was sorely tempted to push True' for more details, and to chew him out for not speaking up about a possible danger to the group. But she could see that, as anxious about the safety of her hunting party as she was, True's emotional state was even worse.

Sky Arrow produced a small horn of dreamberry wine from her pack and made him drink it. He calmed down a little and finally sat quietly.

"I need to go back for my leathers," 'Arrow whispered. "Will you come with me, Sweetwind?"

After the two had gotten out of Truedreamer's earshot, 'Arrow confided, "Moon' and I were still ... awake ... before we heard True's scream."

"Yes?" replied Sweetwind, thinking, They retired shortly after nightfall and they were still at it after midnight? And Torch thinks I'm insatiable!

"Just before he cried out, I heard a distant rumbling sound ... I thought it might be thunder. But after reflecting ...." She turned her head to look the hunt leader straight in the eyes. "I'm afraid it may have been the sound of a flash flood."

"So his dream may have been not of the future, but of the very same moment," concluded Sweetwind. She wanted to curse, but no words seemed adequately bitter. "He knew the meaning of his first dream last night before we went to sleep! Why didn't he say something then?! It would have been simplicity itself for Moon' to warn them before we retired." Her voice rose with rage. "Elves could be hurt, or dead! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"

The hunt leader turned, but 'Arrow placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Sweetwind, stop. He can't help it. It's like a sickness, can't you see? He feels bad enough already. Leave it to Dreamchant. He needs a dream-healer."

Sweetwind stood still. She was shaking with rage, but she listened to 'Arrow's words and knew she was right. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down.

"Look, Sweetwind, I may be wrong about what I heard. Moon' could still be there in plenty of time to warn them. Look at it this way, suppose you'd put Truedreamer in a different group? There would have been no way to send a warning at all."

Sweetwind snorted a laugh without humor. "I almost put him with Nighteyes. Then he really would have witnessed it." She sighed, and sank down to seat herself on a rock. "This hunt is over, whether anything's happened or not. The risk to the newcomers is too great while we're on the plains." She rested her chin on her hands and collected her thoughts, while 'Arrow collected her clothing and got dressed.

They returned to the campsite and sat down. Truedreamer was curled up on his side with his eyes closed, either asleep or courting sleep. Sweetwind said, "I'll send Moon' out at dawn to tell the other groups to return to the bowl as soon as possible. If something has happened, then I'll plan around that."

Sky Arrow lay down with her cloak as a blanket and tried to go to sleep, but watching the sky for her lovemate's return kept sleep from her. Sweetwind continued to sit and think over her alternatives. She wished they could start moving now, do something besides just sit, but it wouldn't do for Moon' to return to an empty campsite.

The clouds broke up and Child Moon moved slowly across the sky. Both maidens shivered in the deathsleep chill and wondered what was keeping Moon' so long. It was about halfway between midnight and dawn when 'Arrow leapt to her feet, crying, "He's coming!"

Shortly, Sweetwind received his sending as well, and the news was not good. Before he landed he managed to tell them all that he had seen and done before flying to Dreamshadow's group. He landed and switched to elf-form to make communication easier.

"I told 'Shadow's group what happened, and gave them sending-pictures of the best route to get to Nighteyes' location. 'Stealer has his healing kit well stocked, luckily. They were cutting across the canyon side when I left. They're all on foot so I expect they won't reach her until mid-morning," he told them breathlessly. "If the flood swept Nighteyes halfway down the canyon, it could have taken the others further. I'd like to continue searching beyond where I found her." He looked at Sweetwind with an expression she'd recently learned was that of looking to the leader for orders.

Sweetwind thought rapidly. "First, please send to us a picture of where Nighteyes is, how we can get there and where Darkthought's group is. Then meet us at Nighteyes' location when you have anything to report."

Moon' spent a few moments in an embrace with his lovemate, sending to her and to Sweetwind pictures of landmarks and the lay of the land, then he shapeshifted and was aloft again.

They watched the owl fly away for a few moments. Then the hunt leader told Sky Arrow, "Take Gold-Eyes and Starsinger to Darkthought's group. Between them and Bitterblue, the whole party can travel mounted. They need speed the most since they're farthest away. Meet us at Nighteyes' ledge as soon as you can." She hugged the Wolfrider good-bye, then cried, "Swiftcat's speed to you!" as 'Arrow leaped onto Gold-Eyes' back.

Sweetwind and Truedreamer were hastily breaking up camp before she was out of sight. In no time the two elves and Sweetwind's bond-friend Stifler were on their way.

When the sun had risen past two handsbreadths' up in the sky, Sweetwind, True' and the swiftcat began descending from a rocky hillock and saw the canyon below them. It was dark with mud and littered with rubble. As they began picking their way down the slope, they saw 'Shadow, 'Stealer and Torch hurrying across the canyon floor. She didn't call for them to wait for her. She wanted the healer to reach Nighteyes as soon as possible.

Once the two elves and the spotted cat reached the canyon floor, they recognized the ledge Moon' had told them to look for, a short stretch away. They could see 'Shadow climbing back down from the ledge. His bond-hawk Fastclaw was circling above the canyon as if hunting.

Sweetwind and Stifler broke into a run and met 'Shadow as he reached the canyon floor.

"How is she?" cried the archer.

"She's still alive," said Dreamshadow. He turned to walk along the canyon.

"Where are you going?"

**Searching,** he replied. **There are still two elves missing.**

She opened her mouth to tell him that Moon' had already searched the stretch of the canyon, but shut it again. There was no harm in 'Shadow's searching, he might find something Moon' had missed and besides, there was little else for him to do for the remainder of the day. Instead she said, "Please be back here at nightfall. I expect Darkthought's group to be here by then, and I want to see everybody together." The Tallstalker nodded and continued in the direction Fastclaw had flown.

True' had caught up by then so together they ascended to the broad ledge. Torch and Dreamstealer were kneeling next to the shallow cave. Nighteyes was now wrapped in 'Stealer's cloak, but when Sweetwind dropped to her knees and took her friend's hand, it felt dreadfully cold.

'Stealer peeled back one of the unconscious elf's eyelids and murmured, "Good." He turned to Sweetwind and said, "I've given her a stimulating potion and she seems to be responding. I hope she'll awaken soon, so I want to set her arm before she does." Sweetwind broke the heads off some of her arrows to make a splint while 'Stealer dressed the head wound. He quickly set and splinted the arm, then turned his attention to the gash in Nighteyes' side.

"Mmmmm," he clucked in concern. "She's got some broken ribs ... I can't tell how bad it is in there."

"I don't want her walking or riding, then," stated Sweetwind. "I sent Sky Arrow to fetch Darkthought's group--Torch, when they get here, will you and 'Arrow please make a stretcher out of your staffs?"

Torch gave her a dumbfound look. "You must have had less sleep than we did!" he said. "Willowsinger and Dreamstar and his pouch of seeds will be here, too. All you have to do is tell them whether you want the stretcher made out of oak or of beech."

The archer hit herself on the forehead with the heel of her hand. How could I have forgotten we have two treeshapers coming? she thought. "Ugh! You're right, Torch, as usual."

After Sweetwind, Torch, and True' had helped 'Stealer bind the injured maiden's ribs, True' laid his own cloak over her and said in a very small voice, "I think I ought to go searching for the others."

"Good idea," said Sweetwind, and she lock-sent to Torch, **Keep an eye on him, will you? He's not himself today.**

**For you, anything,** replied the firestarter. He stood and said, "I'd like to join you, True'."

"Be back by nightfall, you two," Sweetwind called after them.

He took the wineskin 'Stealer offered him and gulped more of the potent stuff than either elf had ever seen him consume. When he noticed them looking at him, he muttered, "Headache. Do you have anything for a headache?" As 'Stealer opened his healing kit Moon' took a deep breath and said, more strongly, "I think I've changed forms as many times since last night as I had my whole lifetime before last night! I can't go on!" He made a face at the nasty-tasting powder the herbalist poured onto his tongue, and asked for water to wash it down.

"There's not much to report," he told them after he'd drained the waterskin. "I searched from this point down to the bowl, and followed the creekbed, which the floodpath followed, a couple more leagues to where it met a river. At that point it was dawn so I changed from owl to hawk. Found nothing. Searched around the river, flew back up the canyon, searching all the way up to where I met them last night. No signs. Saw the other two search parties; they hadn't seen anything yet either."

He grabbed his pack from where Sweetwind had dropped it and took out some jerky. "How's Nighteyes?" he asked around a mouthful.

"I'm concerned," 'Stealer said, taking a nip of the wine himself before putting the skin away. "I expected her to wake up before now. I think the blow to her head was more serious than I thought."

Moon' tried to nod in acknowledgment but lost control to a huge yawn. "Excuse me," he apologized. "I think I'll take a little nap now." He curled up into a ball and was soon asleep.

His brooding was interrupted by an involuntary gasp when he looked up. From the top of the canyon directly above Nighteyes' ledge, a tree towered up into the darkening sky. Its limbs spread broadly out like beckoning arms. The Tallstalker recognized it to be the same variety as the Holt's Mother Tree, and although not so large as the Mother Tree it was an extraordinary specimen to find here in the plains. It had to be treeshaping magic. Darkthought's group must have arrived some time ago.

The muscular plains elf climbed up to the ledge. Several elves greeted him; he saw that everyone was gathered around the injured huntress. She was laying, still unconscious, on an elaborate oaken stretcher. In addition to several sturdy handles, the stretcher had four short legs, one at each corner, so that it could be set down and its occupant would still be suspended comfortably on the cloak that stretched across the frame.

Dreamstealer was just completing an examination of his patient. He stood and spoke to Sweetwind, so that everyone could hear: "We need to get Nighteyes back to the Holt now. I'm not sure I can keep her alive much longer. She needs healing I can't give her."

'Shadow waved his arm out towards the canyon. "There are still two elves out there somewhere. We can't leave them." Fastclaw, perched on his other arm, gave a cry that echoed concern.

Sky Arrow stood to face 'Shadow, crossing her arms in a posture of rebuttal. "If Moon' can't find them in hawkform from the air, how are we going to be able to find them? Better to save the elf we can save than the two we can't find!" She turned to Sweetwind for guidance, and all the other elves did likewise.

It was, perhaps, the most agonizing kind of decision which a leader must face. Sweetwind knew the decision was hers alone: should they stay or go now? Should they continue a grueling, possibly futile search at the cost of Nighteyes' life? Or should they abandon the lost ones to their fate by leaving? There was, of course, another alternative: some could stay with 'Shadow while the rest took Nighteyes back. But the thought of splitting the group up again left a bitter taste in her mouth. It may have been the wrong decision to split into four groups in the first place, and the onus of that decision weighed heavily on her. She wanted the group to stay together now, at whatever cost. So a decision to stay or to go must be made.

She spoke in a leader's firm voice that wavered just a little. "Everyone ready yourselves for traveling. We leave immediately." She slowly turned her head, looking into the faces of everyone as they watched her. "The tree marks a spot to anyone who's left behind. We'll leave half our supplies here. Just in case."

"Has she awakened?" the Chieftess asked. Sweetwind shook her head. 'Chant kneeled on the sleeping elf's other side and held a hand to her forehead.

"As I told you before, she's fine now. She's sleeping normally- and she needs it. You need it too. Go now. She'll awaken after dawn."

Sweetwind shook her head again. "I can't. I feel responsible. I have to be here for her." She looked her Chieftess in the eye. "It's all my fault. She didn't have enough experience on the plains. I shouldn't have sent that group out. We didn't have to take all four pathways. Three would have been enough. Or I could have put Willowsinger in her group- I forgot Willow' has plains experience." She dropped her head, shame burning her eyes. "I just ... I should have done something different," she mumbled.

Dreamchant sighed. At last I have a chance to talk to her alone, she thought. "It's hard when a hunting party comes back empty-handed," she said softly. "It's harder still when they come back with an injury, and still nothing to show for it. But those don't begin to compare with losing people. I can't say anything," her voice grew more forceful, "about your decision to split into four groups, and how you chose those groups. Yes, you should have remembered that Willowsinger is plains-experienced. A leader has to know her people inside-out. But I don't know the plains, so I can't judge that decision." She glanced down at Nighteyes. "I'm a healer, though, so I can judge your other decision. You brought Nighteyes back just in time. She wouldn't have lasted another night.

"Returning when you did was the right decision. And you decided it the right way, too. If you'd held a council, it would have taken all night. Some of those people were pretty unhappy about leaving off the search." Sweetwind looked up again, nodding, remembering especially Dreamshadow's barely-contained rage as the party had rushed home. "If you'd spoken any less firmly, from what I've heard, you'd have had a challenge in your face. And any delay would have cost this elf's life." 'Chant straightened up. "By all that I can judge, you've done the right things.

"You should have come to the Howl tonight for the lost elves. The stories that were told reminded us all that a Wolfrider would rather die on a hunt than anywhere else. That goes for most other elves, too. Tomorrow night's Howl will be for Silverfurre. You and Nighteyes will both be expected. You should howl for them all tomorrow, Sweetwind. It's the Way. It will help you come to peace with what happened."

The black-haired elf stood and walked to the window of Nighteyes' hollow. Dawnglow outlined her chief's-lock in gold. "To be a leader is to care for every one of your tribe like your own child. To lose one hurts more than to die yourself. If they died because you chose wrong, you can't just hang your tail and whimper. You must learn from your mistakes, because the ones who are left are depending on you. I'm proud of you, that you stayed in control while you were out there." She turned back again and stood next to Sweetwind, touching her shoulder. "Don't break down now. Let's help each other face this loss."

As the dawnglow from the window brightened, the sleeping elf's long thick eyelashes began to flutter like a silver moth's wings. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the silhouette of the Chieftess and the hunt leader, silent and still, solemn with the news that they had to, somehow, tell her.

Nighteyes sat at the window of her hollow in the Mother Tree, listening to Dreamsinger far below singing a melancholy tune. The sad song and the cold, overcast sky suited her mood. With one elbow on the shaped wood sill and her chin resting in that hand, her other hand toyed absently with the single wolf's tooth that hung from her silver torc. It was from her first wolf-friend, Rainchaser. At least this wasn't stripped away from me as well, she thought. The loss of her beloved daggers and her red oak bow was hard to bear but was as nothing compared to the loss of Silverfurre. Her second wolf-friend, also snatched away violently from her during the prime of life, as Rainchaser was. That hurt the most. Perhaps in the spring Heelsnapper, the chief female of the Holt's pack, would bear a litter and she, Nighteyes, would get a new wolf-friend. But until then she was alone, without even a memento of her departed friend. Rainchaser's tooth had comforted her so in the time before Silverfurre came.

There was a soft sound at the door to her chamber. She turned and saw Sky Arrow standing shyly there, holding something in her hands. The white-haired elf beckoned the auburn-haired one inside.

'Arrow spoke gently, as if she was afraid how Nighteyes would respond. "Gold-Eyes and I were searching for nuts in the woods by Sunshine Hill today, and we found this." She held out the object in her hands. "I thought you might like to keep it."

Nighteyes reached out for the object-an empty bird's nest, cut away from its branch. It fit perfectly into her two cupped hands. She was puzzled by the gesture until she saw that the nest was entirely lined with a soft silvery wool. She sniffed at the nest and her nose confirmed what her eyes suspected: the lining was from Silverfurre's coat. At the scent a memory flashed into her mind, of a sunny spring afternoon, a chasing game, happy golden time together. Shed fur pulled out of a brush and set floating on the breeze, to be found by a nesting bird and used; finally to be returned, seasons later, to she who had released it.

When she raised her face from the nest, her dark blue eyes were shining with tears. "Thank you," she said.

'Arrow left and Nighteyes returned to her seat at the window. Dreamsinger had changed to an upbeat tune, and, clasping the little nest close to her heart, the elf huntress thought back on her many happy memories. She smiled.