QuickSpear had never come this far from his holt. Of course, he never would have made it this far without his father whipping him for disobedience. His father had been an almost cruel chief, but he had truly just feared for the lives of his tribe. QuickSpear leapt as he heard a branch crack underneath his feet. He really had to learn how to be quieter. Truthfully, this was the first time he’d made an audible noise, but that didn’t stop him from cursing himself. He quickly leapt into a tree to keep himself from stepping on any more scattered branches or crunching leaves. As he did though, he felt pure terror enter his heart. Someone was near, and he had no idea who it was. He could not see them, which made it even worse, but he could feel their presence. They were not of his small tribe, that much was for sure. **Name yourself, young elf** a Sending entered his mind. QuickSpear had no intention of doing so, but he felt himself Sending back **QuickSpear** He had not meant to. Why had he done so?
StarSinger quickly found the other elf and urged him to tell her who he was. The elf had resisted at first, but then he gave in to the inevitable. StarSinger nodded. She had heard of QuickSpear, the new chief of the Cracked Ice Holt. StarSinger had once tried to make friends with them, but QuickSpear’s great-grandfather had immediately put an end to that. So far, all of the chiefs of that holt had been harsh and cruel, but not without cause. Until Thistle, QuickSpears’ father, they had always been at war with the trolls. But when Thistle came, the holt had been cut off from all others. StarSinger wondered how they had survived, and had spied on them a few times to make sure they had not been destroyed. She had almost been relieved when news came to her of Thistle’s death. Now, maybe a new elf with a new way would lead the Cracked Ice Holt. But QuickSpear, the new chief, seemed ready to run instead of speak with her. **Calm down cub** she Sent and then realized she’d made a mistake.
QuickSpear bristled. The elfess had just called him a cub, yet he was chief of his own holt. **You dare to call me such? And who are you, elfess, that you have such little brain or brawn? I am older than any living member of my tribe. 124 in fact. Don’t even call me a cub**
He thought for a second that he heard a giggle. **Young chief, I did not mean to insult you. Far from it. I know you are a chief and I know how old you are. But can you not sense that I am older? I have lived for 415 years. That makes me a little older than you. I apologize for calling you a cub nonetheless.**
QuickSpear opened his mouth to say he didn’t believe her but closed it again. Indeed, he could smell her age on her. 415 years was a very long time. How could anyone live so long with trolls and humans nearby. He had only been searching beyond his holts borders for five days, and already had found the legendary caverns of the trolls and homes of the humans. Now he had found another elf… what did this mean.
**My name is StarSinger. I have a holt of my own young chief. I am glad you have left the small borders set to you before. Those borders are only in your mind. You are welcome to go anywhere in this forest, though I must warn you, it is very large. Another holt lives in it, though it is far, far from here. More than a seasons travel from here. If you travel from the dark of the large moon till its quarter, in the direction of the rising of the day star, you will come across a large desolate desert, though you probably do not know what I speak of. I shall explain it to you at another time. First you must come with me to my holt. Wild animals prowl around at night, and you do not know all of the dangers lurking in the forest.**
At that moment, as though to emphasize her point, a huge beast’s eyes appeared. StarSinger knew they belonged to GentlePaw, her tiger, but she also knew that QuickSpear had never seen a giant cat before. Warning GentlePaw to stay enough in the shadows as to keep QuickSpear by her side she headed back toward her holt.
QuickSpear followed, afraid of the strange animal hiding in the shadows but eager to see this other holt. She had called it her holt, but surely not, for that would make her chieftess. He bared his teeth in the dark. He had no respect for women who didn’t remain in their places. They did not know how to run a holt and they should not pretend. But as they approached the holt that StarSinger had spoken of, QuickSpear’s thoughts abandoned him. The place was huge. A hundred elves could probably comfortably live in that tree. He bit back a gasp and looked at the tall StarSinger. She bid him enter one of the dens which he did, and had to bite back yet another gasp. There were not furs scattered upon the floor to sleep on. Instead there was a raised platform and upon it lay furs and leather. QuickSpear wondered how this tribe could afford to use leather as something other than clothing. He looked at StarSinger who smiled and gestured to the ‘bed’. **You need rest, young chief** and indeed, suddenly his body felt worn and tired. He stumbled over to the bed and immediately fell asleep.
StarSinger smiled as the chief fell asleep on her bed. It was quite all right with her, she rarely slept as it was. She sat instead outside her den entrance, looking up into the heavens. What she read there was not a good sign. The chief who slept inside was already greatly bitter from the life he’d been deprived of. His father had kept him trapped as he had all the members of that holt. And from what she read in the stars, he would become more bitter before another season had passed. She stood and walked over to NightShade. The growling tiger immediately rolled over onto her back and purred as StarSinger rubbed her. She knew the humans would attack the elf when he next approached them, because he would be after their food stores. StarSinger had thought of offering food to the elf, but she knew his pride would make him throw it back in her face. Well, when dawn came, she’d see exactly what he would find to throw in her face anyhow.
QuickSpear woke to find himself amidst furs and soft leather. He had slept well, better than he had for many nights now. As he stood he remembered the strange elfess who had taken him in. He looked around but she was not in the den with him. He instead went outside and got a bigger shock than he had the day before. There were strange things scattered around the holt, and as he watched, trolls began to come out of these things. They stretched and even greeted the elves that were already up. His mouth almost refused to stay closed as his eyes took in the strange site. Suddenly, his hand went for his spear which he had laid down before going into the den, but it was not there. He turned to see the elfess StarSinger holding it. He let out an angry growl.
**Ah, young chieftain, I did not take hold of your spear so you could not protect yourself. I took it to protect my tribe. Yes, my tribe. I am the chieftess here, like it or not. Look around you. Do those trolls look threatening? No, they are different. They are not cavern trolls and they do not shun the bright day star. They come and trade with us. They mean elves no harm, and we mean them none either. We have a truce. You can trade with them if you like.**
**Trade with them?** QuickSpear spat into her mind. **I would sooner have a hot poker stuck through me by one of the humans than trade with that. You disgrace yourselves by even associating with that. I will not stay here any longer in the presence of one so foolish** QuickSpear turned away and began to storm off.
**You are forgetting something, young chief** QuickSpear was growing angry at being called young chief but as he turned around he realized he had indeed almost left behind his spear, as now it was hurtling straight at him. He leapt aside and caught it.
**Thanks** he snarled before leaping into the trees and disappearing.
StarSinger gazed wistfully after the chief. She knew he would not return until after he had received his ‘wish’ of having the humans stick him with a poker. She looked back onto her tribe. None of them had even noticed the elf. At least that gave her less to explain.
