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krwordgazer wrote: A reflection (in a mirror, a pond or whatever) Something hot A star or something star-shaped, like a starfish. Tainted blood-- this can be wolf blood or something similar, or it can be blood tainted by poison, venom or disease. “Watching it won’t make it go away any sooner,” Foxhair said from inside the cave, her body turned ever so slightly so she could see Shadow; who had once again, gone to the mouth of the cave to see if the snow had let up. “Just tired of sharing stories of our past while I am worried about our future,” Shadow said, grimly. “This snow has not let up. We have managed to catch small game like snowbirds and furjumpers – but that won’t keep us fed for long.” Foxhair slowly turned around and faced the others. She looked to Stillbreeze with pleading eyes. Stillbreeze knew what Foxhair was asking – to share another story – one that would take Shadow’s mind off of what was going on now – and take him back to the past – where he might find some happiness and comfort. “You know who I would like to tumble and grab right now?” Stillbreeze suddenly blurted out. Shyshade, who had missed the exchange between Foxhair and Stillbreeze, looked at her rather puzzled by her sudden outburst. “I have no idea…” She said, itching the top of her head, still perplexed by Stillbreeze’s unusually timed comment. “Starmane,” Stillbreeze said. “I wish Starmane were here.” Shadow turned his head slightly at the mention of his older sister. Foxhair leaned forward, adjusting slightly. “How well did you know Starmane?” “How well did I know her?” Stillbreeze could barely contain her smile. “She was my Soul Sister in every sense of the word.” “I am sad I never got to know her that well, before everything happened,” Foxhair said, her tone more subdued. “Well then let me tell you about her,” Stillbreeze declared. “Our grumpy Chief over there,” she said pointing over to Shadow, “can jump in and correct me if I get any of the details wrong.” “I’m almost afraid to hear some of the things you and my sister did, when she was alive,” Shadow muttered beneath his breath and turned his attention back towards the cave entrance – though he was intently listening to Stillbreeze as she began her tale about Starmane. “You see, it all started with Starmane’s birth,” Stillbreeze began. A STAR IS BORN “Push, Wintermoon, push!” Runningspring was speaking with urgency in her voice – but her entire body language remained calm. “The cub is almost free of you.” Shadeseeker stood close by, his arms folded across his chest. “I can’t believe we’re about to bring a cub into this world!” He was trying to remain calm – but the excitement was impossible to hide from his face. Steeleye pat Shadeseeker on the back. “Don’t worry, Runningspring will see to it that your cub is fine.” “I know,” Shadeseeker said, looking to his chief. “I know she will. She’s done this before. It’s just that… it’s my first cub.” A distinct sound of a new born cub’s crying filled the forest. Runningspring turned to Shadeseeker. “Would you like to come and see your little girl?” “A girl?” Tears streamed from Shadeseeker’s eyes, though he tried to rapidly cover it before anyone else could see. He wasn’t successful. He kneeled down next to his soul mate, Wintermoon, who now cradled their newly born cub safely in her arms. “She’s beautiful,” Shadeseeker uttered the words as they tumbled from his lips. “What’s this in her hair?” Although a newborn, the little girl was born with thick black hair, which had come from his father. But white flecks were scattered throughout her hair. Shadeseeker tried to brush them out with his hand – only to discover that they were not something in her hair – but it was a part of her hair. Within the long, black locks of her hair, were tiny white dots – as if the sky had fallen onto her hair. One such white spot – slightly larger than the others – only helped lend to the idea – as it was shaped like a white star. “Starmane,” Wintermoon whispered. “We shall name her Starmane.” “Starmane,” Shadeseeker nodded. “I like that. Starmane…” “She always looked as if the stars had rested in her head,” Stillbreeze said with a smile, bringing Foxhair back to the present, as well as the others. “You were a pretty young cub yourself when she was born, Foxhair. I remember a funny story that you may not even remember…” THE FOX AND THE HOUND She was young – but she would not be held back. Starmane looked back at her father. “I’ll be fine, father! Stillbreeze will be with me!” “Stillbreeze! Stillbreeze!” Shadeseeker chased after his young, impetuous daughter. “You be careful around Stillbreeze. That cub barely has any sense between those ears of hers sometimes!” “You flatter me,” Stillbreeze said, suddenly hanging upside from a branch above Shadeseeker. Shadeseeker rolled his eyes. “Keep her out of trouble.” “Of course,” Stillbreeze said, flipping off the branch and landing on the ground. “We’re going to see the new cub that was born!” Stillbreeze and the young Starmane entered the cave that had been the home for Banetricker and Clouddreamer, along with their eldest cub – their son – Stormcreek, barely older than Starmane. Stormcreek’s green eyes looked Starmane over several times – as he had often done. He took in a deep breath and puffed out his chest slightly. Stillbreeze rolled her eyes as she and Starmane passed him. She looked down at the younger one and whispered, “He’s taken a liking to you!” Starmane looked over her shoulder to look at Stormcreek – whose eyes had watched them enter – and suddenly realized he had been seen looking at them – he quickly averted his eyes and looked outside the cave once more. Starmane looked at Stillbreeze, “Do you really think so? He’s an attractive one!” Banetricker looked up as the two young women entered the back of the cave. “Well, Stillbreeze – it would seem that the little fox you rescued from the tall ones has taken quite a liking to my cub.” Stillbreeze looked down and saw that the fox had cuddled itself into his cub’s hair. “It would seem so!” “I think it believes that her hair is its mother,” Clouddreamer said. “We hadn’t come up with a name for our cub until only moments ago.” “What’s her name?” Starmane asked. “We are calling her Foxhair,” Clouddreamer smiled. “It would seem that the fox has taken to her quite well and enjoys sleeping in her hair.” “Foxhair is a beautiful name,” Stillbreeze smiled. “She will be a wonderful cub.” BOUND BY SOULS Stillbreeze looked at Starmane as she looked at her reflection in the pond. Starmane turned and looked at Stillbreeze. “Why does my hair have these white stars?” Stillbreeze shrugged. “Maybe because you have your father’s black mane – but your mother’s hair wanted to be a part. Your mother can be quite stubborn. It wouldn’t surprise me that she wanted to leave her mark on you also.” Stillbreeze suddenly tilted her head. ** Humans, ** she sent to Starmane. Starmane suddenly tensed. She sniffed at the air and caught the scent as well. “Quickly,” Stillbreeze whispered. “Up the tree! Up the tree!” With amazing agility and grace, both Starmane and Stillbreeze made it up the tree, whose roots dipped into the very pond that Starmane had been staring into. Near the top, Stillbreeze suddenly lost her footing – yet, with lightning quick reaction speed – Starmane had wrapped her legs around the tree then let her body fall to the side, where she extended her hand and caught Stillbreeze by the wrist. She was about to pull her up when she noticed the humans below them. There was no time. She couldn’t move for fear that she might make a sound, knock some leaves loose, which the humans may mistake for game in the trees – and if they saw that it was them – they would stone them and throw their spears until they had knocked the elves from the trees. Starmane was younger, smaller, weaker – already she was beginning to struggle with holding onto Stillbreeze. Her hands were getting sweaty – she could feel Stillbreeze beginning to slip from her grasp. ** Let me go,** Stillbreeze sent. ** I may survive the fall with the pond below us.** ** You might survive the fall, ** Starmane sent back, ** But you would not survive the humans below. ** ** It’s not worth endangering both of us, ** Stillbreeze sent even as her hand slipped further from Starmane’s grasp. ** Just remember who I am. You are my closest friend, so I give this to you. ** She paused for a moment, ** Hewl. ** Images flooded into Starmane’s mind – every corner of Stillbreeze’s soul was now hers to see. New determination coursed through her body as she reinforced her grip on Stillbreeze’s wrist. ** Muna, ** Starmane sent in return. And for that moment – each of them forgot the humans below – forgot the pain it was to hold Stillbreeze’s wrist – and in that brief moment – they exchanged their soul names sealing their friendship in such a manner that could never hope to be described in words. Each know the other’s secret, fears, desires, - there was nothing that wasn’t shared between them now. When Starmane opened her eyes again – she looked down and saw that enough time had passed that the humans had moved on. She swung Stillbreeze slightly to the closest branch and released her there, where she only fell a few feet and easily captured the branch, raining down an assortment of leaves where the humans had been standing only moments ago. Sheer exhaustion overtook Starmane and suddenly her body went limp. This time it was Stillbreeze who caught her wrist. Starmane looked up with weary eyes. “You won’t die on me today,” Stillbreeze said with an affectionate smile and pulled Starmane onto the branch she had stood on. THE PASSION, THE FLAME “He’s cute,” Stillbreeze poked her thumb over her shoulder indicating the auburn haired elf, Vineweaver. Starmane poked her head around the tree’s massive trunk that they had been sitting by. “Vineweaver?” “Yeah,” Stillbreeze smiled. “I wouldn’t mind baring a few cubs with that one.” Starmane giggled. “Stormcreek is the one my eyes follow,” she admitted. “That one has had for you since you were a very young cub,” Stillbreeze said. “Yet you never talk to him and he never talks to you. You both know you’re attracted to one another – just get over there and tumble in the furs with him and get it out of your system already!” “Maybe you’re right,” Starmane suddenly said. “What?” Stillbreeze sat up, somewhat surprised. “After all this time, you finally agree I am right?” “I do,” Starmane smiled. She stood up and said. “I am going to go talk to him.” “That’s the way!” Stillbreeze cheered. She watched as Starmane walked towards Stormcreek. There was no hesitation in her steps. She walked with determination. And she walked right past Stormcreek. Stillbreeze’s eye brows came together in confusion. What was she doing? She watched as Starmane stopped at Vineweaver – and made a gesture pointing behind her – which made Vineweaver look up and see Stillbreeze staring at them. With a quick “Eep!” – Stillbreeze quickly hid behind the tree trunk. After a brief moment, Starmane came around the tree’s wide, worn trunk as well. “Well,” Starmane said, as if she were exhausted, slumping to the ground. “He thinks you’re cute too.” “I thought you were going to go talk to Stormcreek!” Stillbreeze muttered in embarrassment, her cheeks burning hot. “Him? No. No. I meant Vineweaver,” Starmane said with a coy smile. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH “These things are bigger than deer,” Steeleye noted, whispering to the others with him. Five elk roamed, grazing on the grass. “And they have much bigger horns,” Woodspear noted in hushed tones. “They’re called elk,” Longgaze sighed, adjusting his weight from foot to foot, in anticipation. Steeleye looked over his shoulder. “I know what they’re called, Longgaze. I am just saying these things are much bigger – that way they should feed the Holt for much longer than the deer we were hunting.” Starmane urged her wolf, Frostfoot, to take a few steps closer to Stormcreek, who was sitting on his grey wolf, Seaspring. “So you’re the one who spotted these elk?” “I did,” Stormcreek said, his gaze locked forward, as if his neck were impossible to move from side to side. “I spotting them coming down the mountain. Something drove them here. I told Steeleye we should not hunt these elk – we should let them spread to these woods so that they’re more plentiful, and that way feed us more in the long run; but our chief is being short sighted.” Starmane nodded. “He’s stubborn sometimes.” “Sometimes?” Stormcreek turned his head and looked at Starmane – then quickly snapped his head back to look forward. “Our Chief is frequently stubborn. I look forward to the days that he is not being stubborn. Unfortunately, those days rarely seem to come. His stubbornness is going to get us killed one day.” Steeleye had signaled the others to circle the elk – and with a cheerful howl into the night – they burst into the clearing where the elk had been grazing. The elk, massive in size, were not intimidated by the wolves – or their riders. With huge powerful horns, one of the male elk gouged Banetricker’s wolf, Manchaser – it’s enormous antlers piercing deep! Manchaser let out a painful howl, but still clung to life. Another elk had attempted to gouge Steeleye’s wolf – but the wolf was too quick – unfortunately the move had knocked Steeleye off balance – one of the antlers drove itself through his left arm. Fernglade saw this happen and leaped from her wolf, landing on the back of the elk – stabbing at it with unparalleled viciousness. Starmane had been knocked from her wolf, inexperienced as the others as hunting – and Longgaze immediately sent out, ** Stop with the elk! Stop! Starmane’s in danger of being trampled! ** But none would listen. Longgaze jumped from his wolf and landed in front of the very elk that was about to trample Starmane – and extended his hand. He looked deep into the eyes of the elk – who suddenly seemed placid and calm. “How did you do that?” Starmane looked up, surprised she was still alive. The elk that had injured Steeleye collapsed with Fernglade still stabbing at it. The others had broke out of the clearing and disappeared in the brush. Longgaze kneeled down next to Steeleye, “We should get Runningspring here as quickly as we can. The elk are known for carrying parasites that can taint your blood and cause great sickness, Chief.” Runningspring arrived shortly after being called for. She looked at everyone who had been injured – none had been spared injury save for Starmane and Longgaze. “How were you two spared?” she asked. “He saved me,” Starmane said, pointing to Longgaze. “How?” Runningspring turned to Longgaze. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to do but lock eyes with the elk – and try to calm it down – so that it would not trample her.” “Elktamer,” Steeleye said. “That is what we shall call you from now on.” Stillbreeze settled back into Vineweaver’s arms, who was cuddling with his three cubs already. “Starmane,” Stillbreeze said with a sigh. “I miss her.” “We all do,” Shadow said with a smile as he joined the others in the back of the cave. “She’s with us,” Stillbreeze grinned. “I can still feel her.” “They’re all with us,” Shadow nodded in agreement. “They will help us even when we can’t see them.” He put his arm around Foxhair and for the first time, in perhaps a long time, he felt the warm of her body next to him. Stillbreeze looked at Foxhair and smiled.