Frustration etched into his forehead, Zeno stood there and watched as his daughter slept. She was nearly considered an adult in her forties, with little interest in becoming a hunter like he had, yet she persisted in learning risky acrobatic maneuvers. Yet, what concerned him most was her obsession with the stories his wife told.
At least Nuala thought they were just folk tales, whereas Penelo wanted nothing more than to prove to everyone that some form of truth could be found in the forest.
“Zeno, dear, leave the poor girl alone and come to bed.”
He turned to his wife and asked, “Will she ever grow up and understand that proving your stories are true will only get her killed if she keeps trying to sneak into the forest alone?”
Nuala scowled and beckoned her husband. “Those tales are an excellent lesson about why we should be kind to others, and respect the wildlife, but not be overzealous about it. Besides, I'm sure she learned her lesson after the last attempt. If anything, you terrified the poor girl half to death when you scolded her.”
According to the stories passed down to Nuala, long ago there was a large-scale fight against the wildlife led by the local wolf pack after their village disrespected the forest animals.
The creation of the Shadow Breakers after the truce created a partnership between the elves and wolves. The order became fanatical and had to be kicked out of the village. To her knowledge, the remnants of their order finally left the forest about 300 years ago.
Morning greeted Zeno and Nuala with a quiet home devoid of one mischievous child.
Zeno sighed, and said, “I suppose I didn't scare her enough the first time.”
“Just because she isn’t here doesn’t mean she did something stupid. Stop coming to outrageous conclusions without knowing the truth first.”
“Yes, dear. Why don’t you ask around while I speak with my friends, and while you're at it, please let them know I want to meet up with them."
When Nuala found her husband at the wall with a group of hunters, she shook her head in response to his silent plea. He turned to the captain of the hunters, and said, “Gather your best team of trackers and meet me at the council hall. I will not rest until we find Penelo.”
“Yes, sir!”
Nuala squeezed his hand and dragged him off.
The council's development has been ongoing since the Shadow Breakers left. At first, the families with the strongest hunters took over and handpicked the leadership.
When the village grew, protesters made demands until the ruling families stepped down and the popular vote elected the first three-person council. It’s now required to be at least 200 years old and have served the village in an official capacity to be qualified to hold the position.
Unless voted out, most remained until death, which occurred between 250 and 350 years old.
The current council comprised: Morthil, the oldest who had been instrumental in some of the modern improvements to the village’s infrastructure, Qamara, the next oldest who worked with the medical team helping mothers during pregnancy, and Zeno, the youngest who recently retired as the captain of the hunters when the previous council member passed away.
Morthil and Qamara greeted Zeno with sympathetic smiles. Surprised to see them here already, Nuala leaned in and whispered, “They may be two of our oldest, but that doesn’t mean they forgot how to walk.”
Seated inside, he wasted little time and asked, “Will you agree to my urgent request to join a hunting party to find my daughter? I believe she snuck into the forest on her own sometime last night.”
Everyone in that room knew how protective Zeno could be for Penelo. After Nuala lost their first child during childbirth, it had been a miracle she had given birth to a healthy baby girl. That Penelo acted recklessly only exasperated everything.
Qamara waited for Zeno to make eye contact, and said, “Thank you for coming to us first. We all know you would rather be out there already.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Without missing a beat, Morthil followed up with, “I assume the new captain you promoted, along with those hunters in the back, are joining you?”
Zeno nodded.
The two elders looked at each other, then said in unison, “You have our blessing.”
Nuala pulled her husband in for a kiss, and said, “Get going already. If Penelo scaled the wall, I'm sure someone will find a trail.” She looked at the hunters and asked, “Isn’t that right, captain?”
“Yes ma’am!”
The hunting party grouped up at the gate where Zeno faced his friends and former hunters.
“Abarat, as the captain, you will oversee guarding our rear and monitoring everyone. Fariane, Ievis, and Saida will take the lead in this hunt and protect us from any threat. I will step in as needed.”
The captain turned to his hunters and barked a set of orders, then watched the three scouts spread out. One went to look for signs along the inside, another on top and the last around the outside of the wall.
In short order, they returned with their findings. Ievis found scuff marks that showed an acrobatic maneuver up the wall that cooperated with Fariane, who noticed signs of a body landing in a roll and hiding behind a tree on the outside.
The hunting party moved out, a team of three in front, Zeno in the middle, and Captain Abarat covering the rear.
Several minutes later, the scouts signaled they had found Penelo and wasted no time aiming their bows at the stranger and the two wolves sitting nearby.
Zeno took a breath before speaking when the ground shook underneath them and a voice boomed inside their skulls.
Do not threaten my mate. Lower your weapons or I will end you.
Unsteady, Zeno watched his daughter panic as she shouted, “Don’t shoot! I'm not in danger.” She hesitated, then said, “If you don't count the forces of darkness, but that isn’t an issue right now." Giddy with excitement, she pointed at the stranger and introduced him as Erlan, then the two wolves.
“The one here who threatened to end you all is called Elwin. Before you ask, it is Elwin from the stories my mom shared. The other is Vanima, his mate. As you can see, the wolves from long ago are real and they still exist.”
She took a deep breath, and continued, “Unfortunately, that means the darkness threatened our village in that battle, not the forest animals.” She pointed at Elwin and Vanima, and said, “They didn’t attack our home because of some injustice. They were heroes who pushed the darkness back and saved our home. That same darkness that grows once more.”
Abarat used hand signals and ordered his team to secure the area and monitor the two wolves, leaving Zeno to his daughter.
He noticed the two obvious graves and pointed. “Before we get into the voice in my head and the new company you keep, care to explain who died? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
Zeno took a step forward, only to stop when Elwin snarled.
Now dear, quit being so hostile. This elf is obviously part of her family and only wants to protect her.
The wolf Penelo identified as Vanima bowed her head.
I apologize for my mate's behavior. He gets antsy when I'm put in danger. Even after several millennia, he still frets over me. It’s adorable.
Confused and anxious, Zeno opened up his arms and begged with his eyes. Penelo obliged, running into his arms and embracing him.
“I'm fine, father. I knew you wouldn’t approve, so I snuck into the forest to find proof and I did.” Penelo hesitated before, and said, "I ran into this elder who started chasing me with his blade, but these two elves saved me."
He raised his eyebrow, and asked, “Two?”
Then he remembered the graves, and it all made sense. Zeno let go of his daughter. He prostrated himself in front of Erlan, and said, “Thank you for saving my daughter. I am sorry her actions, innocent and foolish they may be, caused you to lose someone precious to you.”
The elf looked uncomfortable, but managed a meek, “Thank you,” before lowering his head.
Zeno focused back on the two wolves and sighed. "I find it hard to believe that my daughter’s fascination with those folk tales was more than just lessons to teach the young."
There was a time when my mate and I were elves too, before Silvertree saved us from the darkness and transformed us into wolves. His protectors from the darkness. I am curious how time has diluted the validity of these stories. Please share.
Vanima howled in laughter when Zeno and Penelo shared the history as they knew it.
Oh, Elwin, my dear, this is what you get for leaving them to their own devices. First, they revolt against the Shadow Breakers, the order we founded to safeguard against the darkness and now they treat us as a children’s tale to keep them in line.
Penelo tapped on her father's shoulder, and asked, “Can we take them back to the village and discuss if our people would fight against the corruption spread by the darkness once more? They deserve to know the truth.”
The weight of responsibility fell on Zeno's shoulders, but he didn’t waver. A hand signal to his captain followed by a series of whistles from the rest of the hunting party and they were ready to head back.
“Excuse me? I’m just a nomad who wanted to be there for his brother, and all I could do was watch him die to protect someone I never met before. I don’t belong here.”
Zeno could see the rage build as he watched his daughter stomp over to Erlan and smack him in the face so hard he stumbled back and fell on his ass.
She glared down at him and said, “Stop acting like a stranger and a coward. I watched you defeat that elder with skill and precision. Plus, you made me sit in your lap when I tripped.” She pointed her finger in his face and said, “Start taking responsibility.”
Shocked, Erlan pushed himself up and nodded, head down, defeated.
“What did you do to my daughter?”
All you could hear in response as everyone moved were two wolves howling in laughter, covering up the nervous chuckles from the scouts.
Penelo looked at her father, rolled her eyes, and kept on walking.
Zeno massaged his temples and let out a deep breath.
“Your mother is going to love hearing about this.”