Royal Elves

written
by
Danise Brown
and
Joshua Rodriguez

Cover Drawing
by
Dangelo Farley

CHAPTER 1

Durion was out on a hunt. He has been following the tracks of a deer for a while. He was hoping to find its herd, so he can take back more meat for the clan. As he slowly approached the deer, he heard a loud scream echo throughout the forest. He recognized the scream and rushed off to find out what happened. As he was racing through the forest, he was hoping and praying to the gods that he made it in time.

Lyissa was trying to hold onto a rope hanging off a tree. The tree branch was on was hanging off a cliff. She screams then thinks to herself  "I need to find a way out of
here."
Durion rushed to the sound of a scream again and found Lyissa hanging from a rope. "Hang on Lyissa! Don't move, I'll get you out of there." He immediately shrugged off his bow and tied a rope around the arrow. He aimed the arrow at the edge of the branch and released it. The arrow hit with a thud as it was stuck deep in the tree. He grabbed the rope and tied it down to a nearby tree, so it could hold and not move.
Lyissa screamed, "Durion, I can't.... hold... on.. much longer." Trying to reach up to hang on better. Holding on, with her other hand. She pushes herself a little and grabs the rope. But her arms are starting to pulse with pain. "My arms are getting tired."
"Just hang in there, Lyissa." He started to think and pace a bit, before he thought of an idea. He turned towards the tree and ran as fast as he could and as he neared the tree, he jumped up and started to climb the tree. He got to the branch Lyissa was hanging and he felt his heart slamming against his chest. He kneeled down and reached out his hand. "Lyissa try your hardest to grab my hand."

She tried to reach up sweat coming down her face. She grabbed his finger tips, but quickly slipped out again. Durion encourages her try again. She tries to climb up a little bit more and reaches up again. Then slapping her hand in his.

He held her hand and used his free hand to grab her arm. He tugged her up on the branch. He sat her down slowly as he felt the branch slowly dropping down. He handed her his blade. "Cut that rope and let's get off this tree before we fall down."
Lyissa cut the rope and then ran down the trunk of the tree with her arms out to keep her balance. "Thanks Durion for saving me. It's kinda silly as to how I got there in the first place." Looking embarrassed that she even thought that climbing down there was a good idea now that she almost died.
He ran down the tree and undid the rope that was attached to the trunk of the nearby tree. "I'm just glad I heard your scream. I was out hunting for the clan, when I heard you scream I ran to where I heard your voice." He looked around and wondered what made her come here and how did she get stuck in this situation. He shrugged his shoulders and slung his bow over his shoulder and walked through the forest hoping to find animal to bring back.
She runs after him, "Can I help you hunt?" Not wanting to just go home yet. "I really don't want everyone to know. Besides my mother would freak and lock me up until i'm 150." Kicking the rocks as she walked on. "I seem so clumsy, like if I can't do anything, except shoot a bow."

She signed, "You don't know my mom when she's mad." She gets excited and puts her hands to her eyes. "They become red. And her hair changes to look like a wicked witch and she has this horrible demon voice that makes you think she is possessed." Now laughing at her own idea of her angered mother.
He covered her mouth and signaled her to follow him. He moved his hands in the code two fingers together and pointing in the direction of the sound. They were taught this as young hunters to tell one another that there is an animal ahead and to get ready. Durion moved to a bush and peered through the leaves. He felt a smile tug at his mouth as he saw the herd of deer he was hunting earlier. He drew his bow put an arrow aiming at his target. He looked over to where Lyissa was and waited to give the signal.
Lyissa positioned herself in the bushes with her bow up and drawn back. She nodded her head to let him know she was ready for action. "Ok, as soon as he gives me the signal. My bow flies."
He gave Lyissa the signal,  which is a nod of his head and let his arrow fly. He heard a deer scream and drop as he drew another arrow to take out another deer.