“So your folk have a Holt?” Skyfire asked. She had one hand enwrapped in her human cubs and the other on her wolf’s head.
Dreambrook shrugged. “Sort of. We mostly travel around the world. This Holt is just for winter.”
“Where do you go?” The human pup asked. It was only the second time Dreambrook had heard him speak.
“Anywhere. Sometimes we go down to the sea where we live in the caves for a week or two. Sometimes we go to the frozen north to see our cousins, the Go-Backs. Sometimes we go in the plains where there isn’t much game or water.”
Skyfire looked at him. “Why do you go someplace if there isn’t any food or water?”
“It makes us tougher.” Dreambrook thought for a moment. **Some people might not like your cub.**
**What?!? Why not?**
**A few turns ago, humans attacked our camp. They killed little less then half out tribe.**
**That’s sad**
**That’s not all. When we went to their camp for revenge, they killed more of us, including our war leader, Oldskye.**
**They killed your chief! How horrible!** Skyfire was genuinely shocked.
**Our chief? No pretty one, we have no chief. Only war leaders. They lead us into battle.**
**Battles? With who?**
**Humans, trolls, other elves…**
**Elves don’t kill Elves!**
**I’d give my soul to believe that.** They didn’t talk anymore.
When they came to a clearing, Whisper showed up. She looked straight past Skyfire and her eyes fell on the human pup. She looked from the pup to Dreambrook.
Dreambrook walked up to her. “Whisper, it’s…”
“Y…you took a human to our Holt. I’m calling council!”
She took a small whistle out of her vest and blew it shrilly.
Before long the whole tribe was in the clearing. Jen’l was looking at Dreambrook like he would have liked to kill him. He probably would have called death-fight, but there were more important matters. He turned to Skyfire.
“You travel with a Human?!?” Skyfire nodded.
“He’s harmless. Besides, you can’t judge all humans just because a few caused trouble.”
“A few killed half our tribe.” Sharp Claw turned accusing eyes at Dreambrook. “Have you forgotten that?”
“But this is a pup. And it hasn’t done anything to us.” Wolf Fang protested. “If humans caught one of our pups…”
“Our pups are to well trained. Humans could never sneak up on them.” Whisper howled.
Skyfire snarled. “Sun can do anything a elf cub can do. He has never hurt any of you, and I don’t see what all the fuss is about.”
“Wolf Fang’s right. It hasn’t done anything to us. And Skyfire has raised it for years without problem. Why don’t we give it a try for while? What could it hurt?” Dreambrook looked around. “Is anyone willing to kill a cub?”
“I think he’s cute.” Seashell went up to the cub and tickled him under his chin.
Brightfire snorted. “You think? Since when do you think?” Seashell stuck her tongue at the older woman.
“I think we should put it to vote.” Sharp Claw suggested. Jen’l nodded in agreement.
“We need Redbird, Treemoss, and Newleaf. Where are they?”
“Is one a redhead?” Everyone looked at Sun.
Seashell nodded. “Yup! Redbird is a redhead.” Sun nodded.
“They’re out by an apple tree. They were up in the branches. I forgot until now.” Skyfire smiled.
Brightfire took out a whistle identical to Whispers and blew it loudly. The tribe waited a few minutes silently. Then…
“Move! It might be important!”
“It’s probably just another tribe council.”
“Can we go back to eating apples when it’s over? Puh-lease!”
Three cubs jumped out of a bush and landed in front of the tribe.
"Good, we’re all here now. You three, These two new folk arrived. We’re casting vote on whether we want them to stay."
Brightfire looked at the newcomers. the long sword strapped on Skyfire's back caught her attention. A human cub, raised by elf, would not be a danger, and there was always room for fighters. She made her decision. "I say let them stay, at least for now. If she keeps that cub away from humans, what danger could there be? And fighters are needed."
"I thought you didn't like humans Brightfire." Whisper looked at her slyly.
"I'm no human lover but this pup's never hurt us. And this Skyfire person says he can do anything an elf pup can do so why not? You don't have a problem with that do you?" Brightfire turned to Whisper. Whisper narrowed her eyes and said nothing.
Redbird looked around. "I'm with Mother. Sun's never done anything to us. What could it hurt?"
Jen'l snarled. "I'm with Whisper."
Sharp Claw nodded."Me too. All humans are alike and all are killers."
Treemoss and Newleaf pouted. "We want it too stay! There's noone else to play with 'cept Redbird and he's no fun!" Treemoss looked at the adults. "Why can't he stay?"
Skyfire looked around the circle of elves. So many! Se wodered what humans could have done to them that some of these elves hated them all. Her eyes moved nervously from elf to elf, wondering how the tribe would decide. There was no she'd let them take his life, she'd fight and flee before that happened. But she didn't want to leave this new tribe of elves. "He won't pose you any threat," she pleaded. "Even though they're not born with it, humans can learn grace and agility. He can send, too."
"What?" Whisper was amazed. "Humans can't send!"
"Not naturally, no," Skyfire replied cooly. "But they can be taught. Humans and elves aren't so different. Humans just have to learn what elves know by instinct."
Sun looked up at Skyfire. **Mommy,** he sent. **I wanna stay. There's lots of cubs here, and I don't think you wanna leave either.**
The Wanderers were took by surprise. Skyfire hadn't lied. "I told you he could send," she said. "He may as well be an elf."