After 2 days in the barren waste land you finally spot them. Mountains! /Let's go Ribbonweaver/ you send to your animal friend who also happened to be a snow tiger. But after riding her for an hour or two you look down and see a skeleton with a skull that you feel like you've seen before but can't remember where. When you get to the foot of the mountains you see several dried up sticker plants (cacti) have been cut open. So you decide to take out your dagger (the only weapon you have with you) and cut one open yourself.
MEANWHILE:
On the other side of the mountains the Sun Folk, and Cutter's tribe is going on with their day when Nightrunner makes a loud growl everyone in Cutter's tribe stops and looks over at him. Everyone knew that that growl meant that someone is nearby but the Sun Folk knew that no one could survive the desert however; Cutter and his tribe did so they were a little optimistic. / Skywise, Treestump, Scouter come here. Quickly!/ Cutter sent (sending is how elves can communicate to each other without speaking.) Scouter, who was in the caves with his love-mate, Dewshine, hurried over to Cutters side as fast as he could. "What is it" Scouter asked eagerly.
"I need you three to come with me and Nightrunner to see what's wrong with him."
"Yes my chief" they said in almost perfect unison. They decided to take the longer route so they wouldn't get caught.
"Scouter can you see any movement"
"I'll try. Ok I see some sticker-plants, a few rocks and... A girl! And she is with what looks like an animal, and it looks big to"
"Maybe we should go without the wolves lad" Treestump suggested.
You wake up with a crick in your neck and sand in your eyes. But all of your complaints are forgotten when you see four elves making their way over to you. You fumble for your dagger but you realize that it's too late. You look at each one carefully. First at Cutter then to Treestump then Scouter, then you look at Skywise with his silvery-blue eyes that where full of wander and silver hair he also had a thoughtful look on his face.
/Why are you looking at me like that?/ you send to him.
"No reason."
/No there's always a reason./
"It's just that, it feels as if I know you but I can't remember."
/I have the same feeling, maybe its recognition./
Cutter suddenly joins the conversation "why aren't you talking!"
You stare at him as if you don't know what he is talking about.
"Speak!"
/ I can't!/
You here Skywise's voice "why not"
/Because my voice was destroyed during a hunt./
"Who are you?" Cutter asks suspiciously.
/Well my name is .../
"Wait how about we do this, well go get the wolves, you can get on whatever that is and all of us will head back to the caves got it then you tell us who you are. Got it?" You nod and make a high pitch whistle and see Ribbonweaver who had just got back with a wild hog in her mouth. /I don't think we'll need that any more... I hope./
Once all of you got to the Bridge of Destiny everyone stopped to see the stranger on an unusual animal. By the time they were at the caves everyone went back to what they were doing.
/Tribe counsel. NOW!/
Once everyone was assembled Cutter's fierce lupin eyes demanding all attention
"Ok now tell us who you are"
/Which name do you want, the name that I go by now or the name that I
was given when I was born/
"The name that you go by now"
/Well my name is Winter-Leaf./
"You said, from the tribe I was born into, what did you mean?/
/I was born into one tribe and adopted into another one... Soooo can I stay here till I get back on my feet?/
You look @ Cutter expecting an answer but it was Skywise who spoke.
"Sure. You could stay with me if you want"
Before you could do anything Cutter turns to Skywise "what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm showing a little hospitality, besides she knows my soul name I'd stake my life on it"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I now hers"
Cutter turns back to you "Fine"
/thank you Skywise/
"You're welcome"
LATER THAT NIGHT:
/Umm Skywise are you still awake/
/Yeah. Is there something wrong, Tirnell?/
/h-how do you know that name/
"Like you said its recognition"
/Actually I said maybe its recognition... Fahr/
"True tru..."
He fell silent for a few moments.
/Is something wrong Skywise/
"No... it's just that no one has ever used my soul name. Well except for my soul brother"
Soul-brother? You think to yourself. You look back up @ the stars and somewhere in the mist of time you fall asleep. Early the next morning you wake up blinded by the sun light. Knowing you won't be able to get back to sleep you decide to start your day. You go to the top of the Bridge of Destiny and make a high pitched whistle. After a minute or so you see Ribbonweaver making her way up to you.
Suddenly you see a small shape in the distance. When you approach it you see that it's only a child. You pick up the small elf and put him on Ribbonweaver.
/SKYWISE!!!!!/
/What's wrong!!/
/Get Leetah hurry!/
/Are you hurt?!?/
/No but I found someone who is/
BACK @ THE VILLAGE;
"Winter-Leaf!"
/Leetah there you are I found him while I was hunting he was passed out in the rocks/
"Bring him in here"
You follow her into her hut and delicately place him on her bed. Silently in the far corner of her hut you watch her heal the frail child's body. When she finishes you watch his eyes slowly flutter open, kneeling next to the child Skywise walks over to you and asks, Who is he, glancing up a him you send: /I don't know/
Turning your attention back to the fatigued child you press your forehead gently against his and look into his memories, only to see that his parents were brutally murdered in front of him by humans and he was tossed into the desert to die. When you open your eyes, you back away, frightened, not of the boy but of his past memories and the pain he's gone through.
