Silverpath: The Calling

What do you mean you don’t know?
I… I don’t know.
You don’t know? The wolf quickly stood and faced her. Are you trying hard, or are you just fooling?
I really don’t know.
Where are you from? The wolf asked her frantically, nosing her gently.
I don’t remember.
Well then, what do you remember? Zelkier demanded.
Lekrisa tried to remember all she could. I remember running from some kind of beast with branches in its head, and then I fell. She answered slowly. Then you took me here.
That’s all you remember?
Yes.
Silence filled the little haven, and Lekrisa painfully placed her hand on her face, touching something dry.
Oh this is going to be fun. The wolf sat next to her, gently placing its paw on her hand. That means you don’t know how to heal yourself. What a pity. You’ll have to trust me in order to survive.
I don’t even know you. Should I name you as a friend or as an enemy?
Both.
Then why should I trust you?
Because I’m the only one nearby who’s willing to help you! Zelkier growled. I’m the only one that you can trust to help you escape from the hands of death!
What if I wanted to die? What if I chased after that beast with branches because I was looking for death?
What if, what if! He mocked her. So many questions, but such little wisdom. From what I saw, you didn’t chase it; it chased you. And if you had wanted to die, you wouldn’t have run. And by the way, the beast with branches is an elk. Zelkier nosed her. Come, take this off and you’ll feel better.
The wolf was talking about her quiver and pack. Lekrisa turned her head towards it and groaned. What is it? She thought.
Well I don’t know, but if you take it off, I know you’ll feel a little bit better. Come, I’ll help you. The wolf pawed at the quiver around her shoulder.
Lekrisa tried to move her left arm, but stopped when pain burned through it. She yelped with pain, making Zelkier jerk his head up. He sniffed her arm. It’s broken, he told her.
What does that mean? She asked with her voice filled with pain.
He ignored her and instead sniffed the rest of her body. Oh Esteml! The wolf turned to face her. You’re wounded in many places; wounds that can be deadly if not cared for. But you’ve only broken a few bones. Can you get up?
Again Lekrisa tried to stand, but pain crackled instantly down her body, making her not even able to move into a sitting position. She yelled, gasping as she set her broken arm back down. I can’t, she thought, even if I try hard, I still can’t!
Well, we still have to take it off.
It took a lot of effort and pain for Lekrisa to take off the quiver and pack from her back. Zelkier pushed them to the ground. I don’t suppose you… He suddenly sniffed the air. Where is that smell coming from? The wolf nosed her pack open. Oh, what juicy rabbits those are!
What? Lekrisa strained her eyes in the dark, trying to see what was in the pack. What did you find?
Food. Zelkier dragged the corpse of the mysterious bird out. Thank Esteml that you hunted before you lost your memory.
And what’s food?
Zelkier dropped the body near her. You don’t know what food is? I am really in for it-
Lekrisa’s vision unexpectedly blurred and she groaned softly, feeling the pain worsen.
It hurts, she thought before she blacked out.

~()~

It was a few hours later when she awoke. Zelkier lay beside her, causing a little warmth to flow in her body.
Wh- what happened?
You fell unconscious, blacked out, as you would say. He replied, opening his amber eyes. But I suppose you don’t know what that means.
Lekrisa stirred a little. I’m hungry, and my throat is dry.
Zelkier snorted. How can you know what hungry means when you don’t even know what food is? The wolf stood on his feet. Come, I’ll take you to the stream so you can drink.
I can’t come. I can’t get up.
Oh how I wish I never followed you! Zelkier circled the small room. It was no longer dark and a little light filtered into the room, letting Lekrisa see a little bit. She noticed that part of the wolf’s fur near its leg was matted with dried blood. In fact, she noticed that he was limping a little. She decided not to ask him about it in case she was just seeing things.
Well, I guess I can get you some water and those plants they call herbs. But which ones, and how am I supposed to carry the water back?
Lekrisa laid her head on the ground, watching quietly as the wolf grabbed the long rectangular object. This might work. He turned back to her. You stay here and don’t leave… Oh who am I kidding?! You can’t even move! In that case, stay there and don’t make a sound. He dragged the quiver outside, leaving a small trail of arrows in the exit as he left.
Lifting her right arm from under her painfully, she slowly brought her hands to her face. Her fingers lightly touched the dried blood on her forehead, bring it down to her disarrayed hair. What happened to me to cause this? She asked herself. Oh yes, that ‘elk’ thing chased after me. But why am I here in the first place, and what am I? She raised her fingers to her face and stared at her hand.
Who am I? Her eyes suddenly filled with water and she felt tears fall down her face. Why can’t I remember anything?
Something cold against her neck made her stop her tears. She placed her fingers at her neck and pulled out the silver chain from beneath the ragged tunic. What is this? She thought, gazing at the odd looking charm. Perhaps it’s something I can eat. She bit down on it and jerked when her teeth clenched down on the hard object. It’s definitely not food. Perhaps it isn’t anything but just a thing I wore. Lekrisa tucked it back underneath her tunic, setting her head back on the ground.
She had to wait a few moments before she heard a rustling outside. I wish you could give me a hand here. Zelkier returned, dragging the quiver alongside him. Oof! His paw slipped, causing a little water to spill out onto the ground. He pulled the thing through the hole under the tree, his mouth clamped tightly on the strap of the arrow case. The wolf dragged the soaked quiver near her. Come. Drink.
Lekrisa pulled herself up while Zelkier dropped the quiver against a root and supported her side. Grab the thing and drink from it, he told her. Using her unbroken arm, she tilted the quiver up, gulping down the sweet contents.
Now, now, don’t finish all that water! Zelkier chided her softly. It’s awfully hard to fetch water with that thing!
After she had finished drinking, she pushed it against the inside of the tree. I’m still hungry, she complained.
Eat later. Look at these herbs I found. Zelkier spat out the leaves from his mouth onto her lap. Can you identify them? He asked, turning to pick up the arrows in his mouth.
The she-elf stared at the green mush on her lap. No, I’m afraid I can’t.
Well in that case, we’ll just use them and see if they work. He dropped the arrows down, then licked the greens up and sniffed her body, spitting the herbs onto her wounds. Being as gentle as he could, he rubbed them into her dried wounds with the pads of his paws. Lekrisa winced a few times when she felt a stinging sensation flow through her as the herbs were rubbed in.
Now lay down. She did as the wolf told her and she lay down on the cold, dirt floor. Oh how is this supposed to work? He grumbled. All of a sudden, Zelkier jerked his head up.
Stay low, he growled, standing near her with his eyes focused outside. Lekrisa kept still, watching through the small exit. They only had to wait a while before twigs broke on the forest floor.
“Lekrisa! Where are you? Lekrisa!” A voice called, echoing in the air.
Lekrisa cowered at hearing the loud voice. Who are they looking for?
Quiet! Zelkier snapped.
“Lekrisa!” The first voice called again. “Lekrisa, wh-”
“You must not yell so loudly, Keldar,” another voice said softly. “I understand that your daughter is missing, but please don’t yell. These woods aren’t as safe as you think.”
“Lekrisa!” The crunching grew louder and a few booted feet entered her vision. There were six pairs of boots, which meant that six people stood outside their hideout. But unfortunately, Lekrisa did not remember that two boots equal a pair, and on the other hand, she also couldn’t count. However, Zelkier could and he crouched down near the exit.
There are six people outside. He told her. I think they’re elves. The wolf stole a quick glance at her. He knew that she was an elf too, except he didn’t know if she belonged to them.
Is that you name? He asked her quietly. Are you Lekrisa?
She shook her head. I do not recall.
“Are you sure that she went hunting in the southern woods?” The second voice asked.
“Yes, Thranduil. She told me-”
“Ada! Look over here!” A different voice called from far away.
The figures quickly ran away from them. Zelkier moved closer to the hole, making sure that he was still hidden.
“Is this not Lekrisa’s bow?” A faint voice asked.
“Why, yes. It is.” Keldar said quietly.
“Keldar, look over here!” Thranduil called.
There was a long silence and Lekrisa could hear a couple feet walk farther away. After hearing no sound for a while, Zelkier thought that they had left. He stuck his head outside.
I think it’s-
“No, this can’t be her blood!” A loud voice wailed sorrowfully, making Zelkier pull his head back inside again. “It’s not true!”
“There’s just too much blood. She couldn’t possibly have survived-”
“Of course she survived! She has to be alive!”
“If she were alive, she wouldn’t be far away. Let us go look!”
Zelkier turned to Lekrisa again, studying her silently. It could be her, he thought to himself quietly so she couldn’t hear him. It could be… But he knew that if it really was her, he wouldn’t take her to them in fear of being killed. There was talk among his pack whenever someone was missing that the elves killed them. The elves thought wolves brought harm to them and attacked before the creatures could even have a chance to react.
But this one is different… he thought quietly. She’s not like the rest, and she smells different too. If I do the right thing, I would surely get killed for it. But if I made the wrong decision, I’d survive…
He sensed somehow that she would be safer with him. The reason was unknown to him, but he still sensed it. He felt it like he could sense both prey and danger before others knew of it themselves. It was just a feeling he had every time…

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