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Aurthors not the names that have a little * by them are charaters that were
made up by the Author from the Eq Role playing book. Elfquest and all likeness
belong to Wendy and Richard Pini and Warp Graphics cause if they belonged to me
I'd be rolling. Enjoy!
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The night's moons were rising as Quietsong* gathered her young cubs
Sunstorm, Lonestar*, and Dagger* for the tribe council at Howling Rock. She took a
long look at her former mate Pike taking in every detail of his face and body as lovingly
as she did when she first met him many seasons ago in a time gone by. For what
seemed to be an instant his violet eyes met hers. Even though they had been parted
these past eight and two turns of the seasons there is still a great deal of love between
the them, but she knew what she must do.
At the council Quietsong sat with her cubs diagonal from Ember, across from
Pike and next to Teir, who was holding her hand with gentle comfort. Ember stood up,
her fiery red hair shinning in the moonlight,” Wolfriders, we have just finished off another
of the blacksnakes’ creatures and gained a new tribemate,” her voice rang rich in the
night air,” and one of us has a request to make,” she looked at Quietsong,” Healer, what
do you ask of us?”
Quietsong stood up with Teir at her side, she glanced at him for an instant and
than at her tribe,” I ask you, my people, to let me leave the tribe,” she said.
“Why? Quietsong, you must have a reason?” Tyleet asked from her seat next to
her lifemates, Scouter and Dewshine.
Ember answered, “Aye, she does have a reason. She just told me only
moments ago. We both agreed that the whole tribe should take part in this decision.”
“No!” Yun cried out,” You can’t! You and Nightwing are all the family I have
here.”
“I must, sister!” Quietsong replied sadly.
Tyleet stood up and walked to the healer/treeshaper,” Why do you feel you must
go?” she asked as she took Quietsongs hands in hers.
“My cubs! They need their fathers as I need mine.”
Tyleet looked at her,” Come now, my friend. That cannot be the only reason.”
“I am unhappy! Except for my cubs and sisters.... I have no family here. I know
this may not sound like much of a reason but ..... Teir and I discussed it and he agrees
....” Quietsong started when Pike crossed the council rock floor to Teir, knocking him
down.
Pike knelt ontop of Teir with one knee in his ribs and both fists clutching at Teirs
straps,” You encouraged her to go?” he shouted,” Why?! It’s because of you she started
thinking about this! Why?!”
Teir grabbed Pike’s wrists and responded,” It is not because of me, wolf, but
because of you! Face it storyteller, you can’t have your dreamberries and eat them too.”
Pike gritted his teeth,” You lie!”
“Ask her,” Teir dared.
Pike than turned his violet eyes on Quietsong, whose brown/grey eyes were
brimming with not yet shed tears,” Is it true?” Quietsong goes to the two and separate
them. Pike repeats his earlier question,” is what Teir said true?’’
Quietsong just looks at him for a moment, she then turns and dashes down the
pile of rocks she has called home for these past eight and four seasons.
“Oh puckernuts!” Ember muttered,” someone go get her!”
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Instantly Pike ran down Howling Rock to catch up with Quietsong. All the time
thinking what caused these feelings in her, had he really been the source of her
sadness or just part of it. What would he do if she left. There was one thing, however
he knew .... he never stopped caring for her. He finally caught sight of Quietsong, her
long brown hair flowing behind her, "Stop,” he called. She turned her head to look back
at him and kept going until she tripped on a rock and fell to her knees. She had just
managed to prop herself up on a rock when Pike had finally caught up to her. “What is
going on?” he asked as he sat down on the ground next to her.
“Do you care?” Quietsong asked still not looking at him directly, her voice was
barely even in its tone.
Pike looked at her with wide eyes as he said with a hurt tone,” Of course I care.
I don’t want you to leave.”
Quietsong snapped her head around with her mouth open. For a brief moment
she was speechless,” You don’t want me to leave, why," she asked as she stepped
down off the rock and walked a few steps to the top of a hill. She looked over the plains
and at the stars shining bright in the sky. She felt a lump move in her throat and the
heat of her tears as they ran down her face.” You have your family. My leaving will have
no effect on your life.”
Pike got up and walked behind Quietsong. He reached out a hand and placed it
on her shoulder as he said softly,” That is not true....lovemate.”
Quietsong turned and looked at him,” how can you call me that? We have not
been together for almost an eight of turns. That does not describe us anymore. You
are a Lifemate...Krim’s Lifemate. Not mine.” She looked down at her feet, "I am
surprised that you even remembered.”
“Of course I remembered,” Pike said as he gently tilted the healers face up
toward his, "I have never forgotten, even when you disappeared in the High Ones
Palace.”
“That was then. This is now.” Quietsong stated, "we live two separate lives now.
I with my cubs and you with Krim and Sust. Shouldn’t you be with them now,” she
suggested as she averted her eyes. She knew she had to get him away from her. She
couldn’t stand him being near her if his lips could not touch hers, if they could not lay
together in the furs until the next moonrise, as they once had not so long ago. It is
because of this love and desire for him that she had decided that she wanted to leave.
Throughout all these turns she had never stopped loving Pike and it pained her to see
him with Krim. Quietsong remembered when she had first recognized Scouter. Pike
was so understanding about it. He even took it upon himself to help raise the two
daughters that was born to her. She remembered all the times they had laid together
during the day and talked about having their own cub, and falling asleep in his arms.
But what seemed not so long to her was like a lifetime to him. He couldn’t even see the
truth right before his eyes. Oh, how she wished Cutter and Redlance were here. They
were always able to ease any pain that her soul carried. Now, she felt that she needed
her souls’ brothers with her more than ever.
“Tell me why you want to leave?” Pike pleaded.
“Because I still love you!” Quietsong answered her voice starting to break up as
she looked into Pikes eyes with tears racing down her face, “And you don’t even know
you have a cub.”
“A cub?” Pike repeated in disbelief as both of them once again sat on the grassy
plain. He looked at Quietsong questioningly,” what do you mean a cub?”
Quietsong slowly nodded her head as she said,” Yes, we have a cub. Remember
the last time we were together? That last joining gave us a cub.”
“Did you use your healer skills...like Rain did with me?” He asked.
Quietsong shook her head, brown hair swaying side to side, "No! I guess the
High Ones thought that it was time. The cub is out of recognition, not helped along by
magic like Tyleet, but is yours and mine all the same.” She placed a soft hand on his
cheek,” Little Dagger is your daughter.”
Pike imagined the little fire-haired, dreamberried eyed girl that always managed
to make him smile with her laugh...much like her mother. She was his. The image of
the care-free child danced in his memory like a moth that flutters about a flame. He
should have guessed but Quietsong had recognized so many times more than any
Wolfrider that he naturally like most of the tribe assumed that Dagger was a product of
another recognition kept secret. Than it dawned on him, "does she know.. my daughter I
mean?” There was an edge of excitement in his voice.
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Back at Howling Rock Krim fussed and fumed at what seemed to her a foolish
request.” Paugh, asking to leave the tribe. Selfish is what she is. Just trying to get
attention.”
Nightwing*, Quietsong’s identical twin sister who shared every physical feature if
not personality, got up and stalked over to the Go-Back,” How dare you call my sister
selfish. There is not a selfish bone in her body, and she’s proved it time and again. If
any one in this tribe is selfish, it’s you Go-Back.” She yelled.
At the these words Krim started to pull a fist back to hit the healer,” I am not
selfish, you magic strutting twit.” she yelled as she threw the punch and grazed
Nightwings chin, pushing her back a few feet.
Nightwing held her head down, her long rich brown hair hid nearly all of her face.
She raised her hand and touched the spot on her cheek where Krim had hit her. Slowly
there came a low growl from Nightwing’s throat. Her head suddenly snapped up, Her
eyes blazing and hair flying about her, she looked pure evil, a force fury that no one
would want turned against them. Swiftly she flew through the air to attack but her
lifemate Sharpspear and brother Starwise*jumped in front of her and tightly wrapped his
arms around her waist so she could not move,” No!” he shouted,” Don’t waste your time.
Go-Backs are dense enough as it is.” He knew that she was angry enough to lift them
both in the air.
Krim strutted back and fourth in front of Nightwing,” What’s the matter? Can’t
fight your own battles?” she taunted.
Nightwing once again tried to move toward Krim, when her Lifemate would not
let her go she yelled,” No one else feels the same way you do. They don’t want her to
leave because they’ll miss her, but you, you want to condemn her. After all she gave up
for you.”
“What she ever given up for me?” Krim spat out disgusted.
Sharpblade turned toward Krim,” She has a point. Look at you. Quietsong
sacrificed one of the most important thing in her life... for you.” as he poked a finger in
her face, "she gave up Pike. My soul brother, so your son can have a father. Like she
and her siblings never had. But nawww she never sacrificed anything for you.” he
concluded sarcastically as he picked up his ever present spear.
Krim paused as if to think about it for a moment. She looked at Nightwing, "What
does it matter now? He doesn’t love her anymore.”
Just then Dagger, who had broken away from her older brothers grip walked
over to Nightwing and said, "I want my mother."
Nightwing glared up at the Go-Back turned Wolfrider and said, “you’re right
Lifemate. She isn’t worth my time or energy.” Even though she was as hot-tempered
as any angry wolf, she did have the common sense she personally felt that Krim lacked,
she gathered up her twins’ daughter and went to comfort the child.
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It was late afternoon when Quietsong began to stir from her long sleep. Only it
was not the sleep wearing off the woke her but the smell of meat being burned dancing
in her nostrils. She opened her eyes and saw Pike sitting by a fire cooking the meat.
“Pike!” she said with a hint of fear in her voice, “What if there are humans around? What
if they see the smoke?!”
Pike turned and grinned at her in his own impish way. “I went hunting earlier...no
humans in sight.”
Quietsong looked at the story-teller as if she didn’t quite know if she should take
his word for it. She then closed her eyes for a half second and shrugged her shoulders.
Amoung the tribe she and her sister were some of the best senders. She easily picked
up from his mind that he told the truth so she relaxed a little as she crawled to a spot to
sit next to Pike.
He handed her a piece of the cooked meat. It was fully cooked but not exactly
raw. “You remembered.” She said quietly as she accepted the offering and started to
chew. This was how she and her family had eaten their kills before she joined her
father’s tribe. Oh she liked the meat raw, like any blooded wolfrider but eating her meat
like this reminded her of her mother. It seems like a lifetime ago that she was gone.
“Thinking about your mother?”
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What will happen next?
Back to the Holt