Completed Seed of Doubt

[Selene]

Elinyra offered her support, and Selene nodded to the other woman. They both turned away from the rambling stream and back to the camp, where Noble was waiting. And it seemed that Vilen had returned to them, as well.

"A friend of yours?"

"That is Syr Vilen Blackhart, Knight Sworn of our order." Selene looked down at the tiefling in their fire pit. He swallowed the coal and dusted off his hands, while Noble still balked beside him. "He's harmless," she added.

Stirring from his seat, Vilen stood, though he didn't seem like he had heard Selene's last comment. He stepped out of the old fire and placed a hand over his heart in salute. "Captain, I found evidence of a hunter in the area. Though no one in their right mind would go this far into the balewood for a deer," he reported. From a pouch at his side, he produced a tuft of mottled hair. Black and white. Held it up as if it meant something, though he was the only tracker amongst them. "And the killing place reeked of corruption."

"Yes, we know, Vilen," Selene agreed gently. She trudged forward through the trodden grass and stopped next to him. Patted the short man on the shoulder. "I'm glad you've returned to us. Our journey may become much more perilous, from here on out."

Standing there, Vilen only blinked in response. He looked deflated. Selene had already moved on.

"Oh, one last thing before we depart, Druid Elinrya," she said, stopping again in front of the raven that still played its game nearby. "Leyik, the acorn please."

Leyik squawked, scampered, looked around. Patiently, Selene continued to stand with her hand outstretched. With great reluctance, the bird finally picked up the acorn in its beak. With a fluttering of wings, it deposited the treasure in Selene's open palm. Then Leyik flew to a high up pine branch to sulk, cawing mournfully twice.

She handed the oakseed back to Elinyra. "Be careful who you give gifts to in this wood. The beasts here are not like others. Even the most well-intention ones can lead you astray."

From high above, Leyik called out in her raven's tongue. "Liar! Liar!"

 

[Elinyra Derwinthir]

Elinyra took Selene's advice to heart as she received her acorn back. It was indeed a different forest, moreso than she could have ever guessed when she'd decided to make the long journey to the Eldyr Tree. It made her ache all the more for her homeland.

She gently rolled the Falwoodian acorn around in the palm of her hand before replacing it in her belt pouch and looking up at Leyik with a sad smile.

"I promise I will find you a replacement, friend corbran."

With the camp packed up, they made a final check of the area before setting off to find whatever was haunting the forest. Elinyra paused to glance back at the trail that curved gently into the ferns and trees. There it was again... a whisper, soft and tempting. Beckoning. She brushed it away and followed the knights.

---

The moons glowed dimly through a blanket of clouds over a damp forest that night. In a small camp tucked in the middle of a dense thicket of thorn bushes, the Hunter prepared himself to face his quarry again. No fire had been lit outside of his makeshift home for light or heat. Once he'd huddled around the warmth of a fire on nights like this. Nowdays he avoided the snap and flicker of the flame, the reminders of who he used to be. Now he only draped a heavy cloak over his remaining skin to ward off the chill that could not touch his bark-skinned half.

The hunter had done some reconnaissance late that afternoon, once he'd regained some of his strength after the surprising encounter with his quarry. He'd followed the elf's trail and noted with a growing eagerness that she was no longer alone. Excitement sparked in his eyes as his twisted mind relished the opportunity that this hunt was giving him. The more complex the chase, the more rewarding it would be to claim his trophy at its end.

For now, however, he had to content himself to sit within the crude shelter he'd made by hollowing out part of a fallen pine, inspecting the damage to his arm. A crack remained that shifted and stabbed his soft inner flesh when he moved. It would heal quickly - faster with the power he'd taken from the deer earlier - but it would still be a night or two before he could draw his weapon again. What was left of his bow had snapped apart when he'd shot the deer. That had been painful, but not half as much as the touch of that elf's whip. He couldn't remember feeling such a pain since...

A dagger flashed into his memory for only a moment, but try as he might, he could not fathom its importance. A weapon of his past, maybe.

No matter. He just needed a stronger weapon; and he knew exactly where to find it. Or more specifically, what to get it from. Tomorrow would begin a new hunt, bringing him closer to the biggest trophy of them all: his gift, and his alone.

Selene