Silver Shadows - Elaine Cunningham [136]
Zoastria's gaze swept the assembled elves, coming at last to rest upon the wizened faces of the two elders. She strode forward and clasped the wrist of the aged Ysaltry in a warrior's greeting.
"I remember you well, Ysaltry, daughter of Amancathara. And you, also, although your name comes not readily to my tongue. You both fought bravely in a time long past. Your wisdom and your memories are needed now. We have much to teach your people before battle," she announced in a firm, commanding voice.
The eyes of the forest folk darted toward the place where the elf woman's slumbering form had rested but moments before. Arilyn stood there with a quenched and silent moonblade held in her two hands, but the litter before her was empty. Shadow and substance Kad again become one.
Silence, complete and profound, gripped the elven people. Then Rhothomir went down on one knee before the tiny moon elf warrior. As one, the people of Talltrees dropped to kneel upon the forest floor, pledging to follow the hero who had returned.
The rest of the day passed in council meetings and frantic preparation as the elves prepared to march on the logging camp. Even the lythari clan lingered nearby, listening to the planning. Each person had a role, and all sensed the need to mesh their actions with those of their new allies.
Finally, with the coming of night, Arilyn and Ferret at last had a chance to learn more about the destruction that had taken place in their absence. They sought out Foxfire, and the three withdrew to the shadows of the elves' makeshift camp. The elf women shared a roast haunch of rabbit-the first food either of them had eaten that day-as they listened to his grim story.
The humans came upon us more suddenly than I would have thought possible," Foxfire said quietly. "They knew the way, and they had been forewarned of all our defenses. Their wizard killed our scouts, even blasted the dryads' trees! There were spells of silence about them, I think. If not for the warnings of the birds, they might have come upon us, as well. We were able to retreat into the forest before the wizard's fire was unleashed upon Talltrees, but barely."
"How did you escape pursuit?" Ferret asked.
"They did not pursue."
Arilyn caught the note in Foxfire's voice, the unspoken fear in his eyes. "You believe that we are being baited, drawn into a battle of their choosing."
The war leader met her gaze. "That is so. The humans did this once before. They laid waste to Council Glade and left some of my own arrows among the slain. They let us know where they could be found, and they waited in ambush for us." He paused. There is a matter that lies between me and the human leader. This attack has his stamp upon it."
"What this time?" she asked softly.
For a long moment the wild elf did not respond. "I have told you that I carved my mark upon the face of the human known as Bunlap. The body of one of our scouts-Uleeya Morningsong-was left just beyond the circle of ash. My mark had been cut into her cheek."
Arilyn leaned forward and placed both hands on the wild elFs shoulders. "If the gods are kind to you, you will never come to understand evil men as well as I do. But you may believe what I'm about to say to you."
The male nodded for her to continue.
"When in Zazesspur, I learned that this man, Bunlap, was hired to guard a logging camp from the Suldusk. It would not surprise me if this task proved to be far more difficult than he had anticipated. It is likely that the early battles with the Suldusk tribes ignited his hatred of all elves. You see only the part of the flame he turns toward your clan. No doubt there are others in the forest who wonder what they might have done to deserve such hatred.
"I have known many men like Bunlap. There is never a single, simple explanation for the evil they do. So please, my friend, do not take more of this upon you than you need to carry," she concluded softly.
Foxfire lifted a hand to touch her cheek. Thank you.