The Eldars

9

Montani sits there thinking about what she had just learned. The elves had always been so proud and about who they were that Montani can't believe that they would turn away from their ancestral people. Or perhaps she can. The elves are proud and to accept that they weren't the first would be a blow to their pride.  To know that they weren't always the best at what they do or that another race was once superior to them would be a blow to their ego.

She thinks of the prince of the elves and how he loved to show the human child just what it meant to be an elf. She had loved the prince, she knew the prince would always see her as a weak human though and so never thought there could be anything between them. Still, his missing her birthday, he never had before and it hurt. Montani shuts down those thoughts.

"Montani?" Mant says and it sounds like he had repeated himself several times. He had learned early on that you don't touch Montani unless she invites it.

"What? oh sorry Mant. I was lost in my memories. Just trying to think about why the elves would distance themselves from the Eldar." Montani says still not fully there.

Mant smiles and assures her that it's fine. "I was just saying that Molani has called us in for dinner."

Mant stands up and holds his hand out for Montani to hold onto. She grabs a hold and he pulls her up easily. It is hard for him to remember that she has already been here for a week. She is learning quickly.

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"Good Montani, that's the closest you've come. Now try that once more. Picture your target in you mind, tuning everything else out. Now remember the forest surrounding you, but never let your sound be blocked out. Always listen as you concentrate. Now let fly the arrow." The arrow flies true to the mark and Montani smiles. She can now shoot further and more accurately than any in her village and better than most of the Eldar.

"Very good Montani, soon you will surpass all but the elves themselves." Montani frowns at Mant's words. Shooting had been the only game the elves wouldn't let her learn past the basics. They had told her that they needed something that they did better than her. They had all laughed it off at the time, but now Montani wonders.

Montani not wanting to ruin the mood flashes Mant a brilliant smile. It's the same smile that Mauntie knew would cause many unwanted suitors to come her way. The true joy she feels at Mant's praise is like the sun shining in her eyes.

This causes Mant to inhale sharply. He hasn't nor has anyone else seen Montani smile since she smiled at Mauntie in the eagle's eyrie. He had never seen her so beautiful as she was in that moment.

Montani is exultant, Mant is sparse with his praise. It takes much for anyone or anything to win his praise. Montani knows for this reason that he really means what he says.

She is so lost in her thoughts and the pleasure of his praise that she completely misses Mant's reaction to her smile.

Just as quick as the smile had come it was hidden once more behind the mask. She is finding it harder to hide things emotions behind the mask. She finds it harder to actually keep the mask in place. She shakes off the worry that the thought brings, she'll worry about that later.

Mant watches Montani morosely as she picks up her kills and her bow and quiver. He follows as she leads off. He shakes his head in confusion. In all the years he's known Montani he has never seen her steel mask even crack. Today was the first day and the impact has stunned him.

Montani always listens and learns quickly. She's like a sponge when it comes to learning. It takes her little time to become proficient in what is taught. She will need a new teacher soon, he's just about done teaching her everything that he can.

Montani suddenly fades into the forest bringing Mant out of his reveries. Mant follows nearly just as quick as Montani. They both ready their weapons. 

Montani gives a hiss full of hatred as the creature comes into view. Mant no more than registers the presence of the animal or creature than Montani already has two arrows in the air directly for the eyes of the creature. Both arrows strike true and the creature dies instantly as the arrows pierce the brain through the eye socket.

Mant is shocked at the emotion the creature has elicited. It has broken through the steel mask Montani wears like nothing ever has before. He's never seen such hatred on the face of anyone especially not Montani.

Still in shock Mant watches Montani carefully, the steel mask is gone, replaced with one of hatred. He hears her words, directed towards the monster, and is even more astonished. "Return to where ever you came from you worm eaten carrion rug." He'd laugh except the venom with which she said it makes it all too dangerous to do so.

Montani continues heaping vituperative words on the very dead creature before her. That creature has received more emotion from Montani than all the Eldar combined in the last few years. But after he thinks about it he'd rather have her be emotionless with him than being on the receiving end of her hatred. He doesn't think he'd be left alive if she hated him. He thinks. Her hatred is so intense that he can feel it standing some distance from her. He shivers slightly and is glad that he isn't the one receiving her hatred.

He's never seen this creature before and he goes to stand by Montani and looks it over carefully. It's obvious that Montani has. Since she's been here for the last few years that means that she's seen it as a human. A piece of her past fits into place. "What is it Montani?" Mant asks quietly, afraid to have her turn her ire to him.

"It's what the histories call an evil one. It's the same creature that killed my family." Montani's reply is savage and barely contained. She jerks out her arrows pulling the eyeballs out with them and what looks like brain matter as well. Mant has to choke back the urge to vomit. But her reply tells Mant why she is so angry and savage with this creature.

Montani stops suddenly and freezes as she sniffs at the air. She turns quickly following the tracks of the creature back through the forest. Mant follows closely behind, there was no way he was leaving Montani alone while she is like this.

The trail is plain to see. The creature made no efforts to hide itself or its tracks. The failing light is no hindrance to the two as they backtrack the monstrous creature.

Silently Montani heads to the guards' post. The anger and hatred that had been bottled inside her comes loose in a scream Mant never wants to hear again. Pain and grief are mixed into the scream of hatred.

Mant looks over her to see what has caused her to fall to her knees in pain. What he sees makes him want to fall to his knees in grief and pain as well. He has to fight his own scream back. He goes over to Montani and holds her tight to him.

Before them lay another creature, it too is obviously dead. But there is also an Eldar body mangled almost beyond recognition. The Eldar had been Mant's friend and one of Montani's as well. He had often joined them as Mant taught Montani.

Montani's continuous scream shakes Mant from his own grief. He barely manages to keep his balance as she faints. He uses his mind contact to keep Montani's spirit from leaving and adds his strength to hers to keep her flame going and helping her overcome her memories.

He carries her back to Malinor, back to Mauntie's and Molani's house. He gives Molani the sad news about what has happened and she assures him that she will let Mauntie and the other leaders know about the creature and his dead friend. Then she looks over at her adopted daughter and her concern grows.

She directs him back to Montani's room and leaves him to care for her. She believes that Mant will have more luck than she will at this time, but she doesn't like it.