October 6, 2002
A dominance fight in the wolf pack leads to another uneasy relationship between Lionheart and Trolltracker.
**Lionheart, I'd think you'd better get down to the wolf dens - quick!**
Lionheart raised his sleep-tousled head from the furs, blinking slowly as he awoke. **Halfkin?** he sent back, recognizing the sender's mental voice. **What's wrong?** Still half asleep, Lionheart pushed off the light furs and began gathering his clothing in response to the summons.
**Trolltracker's challenging again and it doesn't look good.**
Suddenly wide-awake, the youth struggled to pull on his boots, somehow becoming clumsier in his haste. **I'll be there in a eye blink!** he promised, looking around for his vest.
The den was empty. Surefire, Dirk and Boldscout must have woken a lot earlier then he had. Giving up on finding the vest, Lionheart ducked his head and ran out of the tree, half skidding across the intertwining branches that led towards the plateau.
A shrill squawk from underfoot nearly sent him tumbling towards forest floor. Regaining his balance, Lionheart swiveled to catch sight of a reddish purple blur flying angrily around.
"Sneakysharp Highthing step on hidey-hole!" it shrieked angrily.
Lionheart looked frantically around for someway of escaping the irate preserver. Maybe ignoring Glimmer would work. He tried to continue on his way, only to have his vision blocked by the bug again.
"Highthing nasty-bad! Glimmer try make wrapstuff! Found still-quiet cradlebaby!" Frosty green eyes glared furiously. Lionheart swiped his hand up and caught the ancient preserver in his fist.
"Not now!" the elf hissed, not in the mood to put up with being lectured by the angry preserver. "Sorry. Find another critter to put in wrapstuff."
Glimmer pouted. "Not same!" it pointed out.
Lionheart rolled his eyes. Maybe bribing Glimmer would get it to go away. "Would a trinket make you happy?"
Suddenly the whole attitude of the preserver changed. Glimmer's stormy expression brightened, and its eyes opened wider in excitement. "Shiny bright?" it asked hopefully.
Lionheart sighed and reached down, pulling off one of the beads on the end of his bootlace and throwing it as far as he could into the foliage. "Go get it!" he encouraged, letting Glimmer go and watching it streak off after the bead. The stupidity of the flying bugs never ceased to amaze him.
By the time he got to the wolf dens a small crowd had gathered, mostly hunters who looked prepared to set out on an early morning hunt. Lionheart skidded to a stop between Halfkin and Slingstone, his heart in his throat as he turned to watch the battle unfolding by the den riddled plateau.
Trolltracker had Tiptail cornered by the rock wall. By the disheveled appearance of both wolves this fight had been going on for some time. Their sides heaved with their heavy breathing and the air was alive with a seemingly continuous low growl. Both had their ears flattened and were paused for a moment, staring down the other in a silent dare to make the next move.
Trolltracker lunged, catching a mouthful of Tiptail's fur. She'd moved too quickly, no strategy to her aggression and it showed. Tiptail whirled, fangs flashing as he charged into Trolltracker's ragged side, knocking the small wolf over when he saw the opening. Tiptail lowered his head before Trolltracker could get up, his fangs poised over the younger wolf's muzzle in a show of dominance.
Flushed, Lionheart held his breath, hoping that his bond had enough sense to keep still. This time she did, freezing in that submissive position long enough for Tiptail to be appeased. Birchbark's wolf let up, stalking away from Trolltracker.
Lionheart let out the breath he'd been holding as the tension seemed to melt away. The hunters turned their attention to their own bonds. Lionheart's face still burned with embarrassment at his bond's disruptive and provocative behaviour.
**Trolltracker started that, didn't she?** he asked Halfkin, who nodded. Lionheart sighed, staring at his wolf as she raised her head to watch the departing hunters.
A comforting hand fell on his shoulder. Lionheart looked up, forcing a smile for the wolf-talker. "I guess she deserved that then."
Halfkin didn't answer, instead dropping his hand and jumping onto Preystinger's back. He followed the rest of the hunters into the forest, and Lionheart though he saw the smaller shadow of Flashfur following them.
Lionheart turned back with a sigh. Why couldn't his wolf-friend be one of the social and friendly personalities? It seemed as if the High Ones had bonded him to Trolltracker out of a cruel sense of punishment.
"Why do you keep doing this?" he asked the wolf. "Why can't you just think for once?! And maybe stop making such a disturbance that the hunters can't leave?"
With a cold golden glare, Trolltracker turned away, limping towards the paths that led to the river. Lionheart sighed. It was no use to even try to speak to the wolf, and he knew that. But sometimes a glimmer of intelligence would have been nice to see behind her angry golden eyes, some sign of regret or apology.
Lionheart followed the wolf, ignoring the ferns that hit his bare chest and arms as he walked through the thin winding trail. The rushing sound of the Rushwater River still made him reluctant to venture closer to the banks but it couldn't realistically be avoided in day-to-day life, even if they did remind him of deaths and pain.
By one of the calmer eddied, Trolltracker lay on her side, still breathing heavy. Thin scratches turned clumps of her light fur dark with blood and dirt. She didn't turn to look at Lionheart as he approached her, only letting out a low warning growl.
He sighed, crouching over his ankles and dropping his hands into the cool water. With gentle motions he cupped a handful of the clear liquid, raising it over Trolltracker's side. She didn't acknowledge him. Gathering his strength, Lionheart attempted to wolf-send impressions of help and care.
He dropped the water over the nearest cut in her side, gently brushing away the dirt. Lionheart had barely touched the wolf before she growled again, rising quicker then she should have been able to and snapping at his hands and lunging closer.
Lionheart yelped in surprise and pain as teeth dug into his wrist, tearing through his skin. He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to pull away, as that would only make the gashes longer.
Luck was with him and Trolltracker immediately released him. The wolf pulled herself to her feet and limped away swiftly, her uneven gait betraying her own pain. Lionheart clamped his hand over the wounds, stifling the bleeding as he swore through his teeth.
"Lionheart?" Beechnut's clear voice pierced the night in its melodious beauty.
He looked up, forcing himself to be quiet. His voice was shaken with the fright and surprise he'd experienced. "I'm here." He was disgusted with how weak his voice sounded.
"Are you alright?" Suddenly Beechnut's voice was concerned. She seemed to melt out of the forest, riding on Fearless.
**I will be.** He gave up on speaking aloud, biting his lip. **I just need to see Purehaven.** Even his mental voice, no matter how hard he tried to mask it, still displayed his feelings.
Worry made Beechnut's delicate eyebrows pull together, and she approached Lionheart, worry in her eyes. **You're so pale.** She knelt beside him, her jade green eyes tilting downwards to peer at his wrist. **What happened?**
He offered a shaky smile. He was beginning to feel dizzy but he didn't want her to worry about him. **Trolltracker really didn't want my help, she bit me to prove it.**
She wrinkled her freckled nose. **Did you get in between a dominance fight?**
Lionheart offered her a wounded look. "I'm not that stupid. I was trying to clean her up after one and she just turned on me."
Beechnut threw her arms around him in a half hug; the best she could do when they were both crouched down. "C'mon." She pulled him up, leading him towards Fearless who still stood protectively over the two youths, looking longingly at the water.
He followed Beechnut, keeping his hand over his wrist. For a moment he paused, something akin to worry in his eyes as he stared at Fearless. Was there something wrong with him? Would she turn on him too? But she didn't. And with Beechnut's steady assurance he managed to climb up onto her wolf's shoulders.
She swung up behind him and he leaned back into her, reassured by her very presence. When she put her arms around him he protested weakly. "I don't want to get you all bloody," he whispered softly.
She blew out an impatient breath. "Don't be stupid. You can barely sit up straight - you think I care about a little blood?"
Lionheart gave up on arguing and relaxed, feeling himself tilt as Fearless walked. But he was held in place by Beechnut. **I don't know what I'd do without you,** he sent softly to her with the greatest amount of love he could put into the sending. The mix of pain and light-headedness was making him woozy. He glanced down at his hand, dark and wet with blood. That was a mistake. He looked quickly up, biting back a wave of nausea.
He watched the forest around him, so many colours, all moving… He felt Beechnut reply but his mind couldn't comprehend what she was saying. Everything was loosing colour. "It's fading," he whispered, feeling himself slump forwards as the swirls darkened and he lost consciousness.
Everything felt foggy. Lionheart cracked his eyes open slightly, and the fuzzy colours rearranged themselves into a beautiful and familiar face.
"Hey," he said, smiling up at Beechnut. She grinned, her green eyes dancing with laughter and light. Something in her happiness sparked an echo in Lionheart's heart and he found he couldn't stop grinning. "What's so funny?" he asked when he saw her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
"You fainted!" she announced with a grin, the giggles bubbling through. "Father healed you a while ago."
"I did not faint," Lionheart responded, with a mock-offended expression.
She covered her mouth again to keep the laughter in. **Did too! Who'd ever guess you'd faint at the sight of your own blood?**
Lionheart ran his hand through his hair, "Laugh at me all you want," he muttered, sitting up slowly.
Beechnut grinned again and he felt her arms wind around him and squeeze. Her hug melted his affronted dignity and he leaned back into it, reaching around behind his back to pin her closer to him.
"Want to not tell anyone for me?" he asked, half pleading, half serious. He didn't want to be seen as weak. For any reason.
"I won't."
"Promise?" he prodded again.
Beechnut smiled and ruffled his hair. "Yeah. None of the hunters will know but most of the elves who were around here saw when I brought you in."
Lionheart groaned, looking down at his healed wrist. "Yay," he spoke sarcastically for a moment. Then he caught Beechnut's eye with a true smile. "Thanks though. You always seem to catch me when I'm in trouble."
"When are you not in trouble?" Beechnut kidded.
Lionheart had to laugh at that. "Right now, I hope!" He winked at her, in light-hearted spirits once again. Even though inside he was thinking, 'Just one more reason to resent Trolltracker.' But it was easily forgotten about. For the moment.