Chapter 8

It took Tama three days to recover enough to return to the woodworking shop. She was welcomed back with open arms and worries that she was still not fully back to her old self.

"I feel a bit sore in my calves still, but everything else is fine now. Those totems are bad news all around," said Tama.

Whittles asked, "Did you hear they found the body and it turned out to be a Dark Elf in human illusion form?"

"Yes I did, my father was very glad that the kobolds did something useful for once."

Master Greenheart came up the group, cleared his throat loudly and proclaimed, "Get to work folks, Tama has much to do and a very short amount of time to get it all done."

All the apprentices moved off to their respective areas of the shop and Tama went to the worktable to see that her work had not been disturbed. All seemed well, so she lifted the wood into the vise making sure the leather pad stayed in place as she tightened the vise. She pulled out the drawknife from her drawer and went to work removing the remaining bark, sapwood layer and finally the soft pithy from the surface that was to become the spine of the bow. She reseated the soft leather pad around the wood were the vise gripped it to prevent damaging the cleaned surface. Then using the drawknife she cut down the side of the log to create a flat even surface to mark the side outline of the bow.

Once she had the first side completed she the flipped it over and repeated the process on the other side. By the time she finished this stage, her body was beginning to hurt again. It was also time for her to clean up her work space and head home. While she was sweeping up the chips and debris, Master Greenheart came over. "How are you feeling Tama?" He asked.

"My back and legs have started to hurt again, but nowhere near as bad as several days ago. It hurt to even move then," She replied.

"Very well then Tama, you decide in the morning if you feel up to coming in. If you are in pain, you will make mistakes that can and will ruin all the work you done so far."

"Yes sir. I think a few more days of not pushing hard will have me good as new. I don't see any reason that I will not be here in the morning to continue this project."

"As you will, just take care of yourself and finish healing. All of us here in the shop were really worried when Whittles came back with news of your accident."

"Thank you for the concern. I really need to finish the cleanup so I can get home in time. My mother told me not to push myself to hard yet, so I need to start earlier than normal and go slower."

"A wise woman she is too Tama, you do well to listen to her. Back to work now."

Tama returned to her sweeping, once that was finished she wiped down her tools and made sure the bench was clean. She covered her work piece, gave everyone a cheery wave and started for home. As she walked, she thought about the effect of the totem when it was activated, what it felt like as she gained speed for that brief second before she hit the wall. She tried to recall it exactly and she almost felt as if she were experiencing it again, except in a way that she was in full control of. She suddenly realized that as she was trying to recall the feeling, she had sped up to a speed several times faster than her best run.

This triggered a panic attack so she forced herself to stop moving as quickly as she could. The feeling was still there, then she recalled the order Elder had yelled at to stop the totems effect on her. She reached inside herself and shouted 'cancel effect!' in her mind. The feeling instantly vanished and she slowed back down to her normal state. Her next worry was should she tell her mother what happened. She decided that she would, her mother needed to know about this. The totem seems to have activated another talent that she had not been aware of. A self created sow effect, it might be useful, and it might kill her if she lost control while using it. She knew that the ranger Eaglesclaw had been informed of what had happened to her. Maybe he could help her learn to control the abilities she was beginning to manifest. She really hoped that he could help her. She was getting more afraid as new abilities manifested.

She walked slowly and carefully the rest of the way home. She tried to avoid all thoughts of the speed increase, Camouflage, Tracking, The sight to see the hidden. The uncanny aiming ability with the bow, all these abilities were inherited from her fathers side of the family. Her mother had grown up on a farm and did not know of any great hero's or adventurers in her family history.

When she arrived home, she carefully sat at the table, afraid she might accidentally cause her strength to increase in some way and break something. "Mama, I'm scared. I was coming home and I was thinking about the totem effects and suddenly I was moving very fast, not as fast as at school, but faster than I can run. What is happening to me mama," Tama was crying she was so scared.

Willow realized her daughter had just activated another talent, one that could cause her great harm. She went to Tama and took her in her arms, then just sat and rocked her gently to try to calm her down. "Oh my sweet, dear Tama, your heritage is coming awake too soon. Calm yourself and tell me exactly what happened."

Tama quietly told her mother everything she could remember as it happened. When she got to the part about being able to cancel the effect at will, Willow suddenly felt a sense of relief. Tama was able to control that ability somewhat. Maybe she could with all of them if she was taught by a master of the skills. Please Eaglesclaw, get here soon, we need you, she thought to herself.

Two days earlier in Kelethin.

When Elder arrived at the council chambers in Kelethin, he was warmly welcomed by most of the members. After a few welcoming formalities the discussion of the events in Qeynos and the deadly totems got started.

"So the guilds there have never heard of him, not surprising as he was not even human," said the council leader. "The discovery that Basier was a Dark Elf shook things up rather badly all over."

"That news did not surprise me as much as it should have either. The latest word from Freeport is a disaster involving the totems and ogres. That much tonnage at that speed could have even brought down one of our trees. As to Neriak and the dark queen being involved, that is not surprising at all. The Queen has been looking for ways to cause chaos the world over for years now. She probably sees this as a wonderful practical joke being played on everyone everywhere," replied Elder.

One of the councilors that was not pleased to see Elder, councilman Thornbreak spoke up. "So you just let him walk away and made no attempt to stop him as he fled the town that you are assigned to keep a watch over."

"No councilor, I made no attempt to stop a human trader from leaving my little village when he realized that he was no long welcome or safe. At that point I did not know the severity of the danger he represented."

"Well you were certainly quick to run off to Qeynos and beg for their help, rather than come here and ask the council. Is it you have so little respect for those of us here in Kelethin that you think more highly of humans."

"Councilman Thornbreak, you have no understanding as to why I went to Qeynos as quickly as I did. As to respecting the council, I respect all on it that deserve it."

"Then enlighten me oh wise old man as to your purpose in seeing the humans before your own people," In a snide and sarcastic tone that nobody used on Elder.

"Oh I shall oh ignorant youth, I shall," replied Elder without a hint of derision in his voice.

The rest of the councilors chuckled at the exchange and the Council president called for order and told Elder to continue.

"The "Human" William Basier entered the town in the early hours three days ago. He approached me first and tried to sell me one of the killer totems. I declined the offer due to old age and magic SOW totems don't go well together. He decided to wander around the village for a few hours to see if he could sell some of the wares. That is when he came across a little girl. He was using an invisibility potion to explore. She was able to sense his presence and became worried that she was being spied upon."

"He later decided to follow her using a camouflage potion, notice I say potions, not totems. He may as well have walked in front of her and yelled in her face for all the good that potion did him. She saw him quite clearly in daylight. Two years earlier she had been able to detect Ranger Eaglesclaw in class during a show and tell of different adventure classes. Basier came back to me to ask about the child and her ability to detect him. I was explaining to him she has several talents that are going to serve her well later."

'It was during this discussion that she arrived at school frightened that she was being followed. I introduced her and then had her take her seat. I didn't realize the danger when she was handed a totem and she inquired how it worked. She had told him he needed to use different tooling when making the totems to get a better finish. That is when he told her how to activate it. Since she had not yet taken her seat, she looked at the totem, then slammed into the wall less than five feet in front of her. She suffered a bloody nose and bruises as well as a good fright. It was only her size and short distance that saved her life."

"Basier packed up his wares and fled the village minutes later. It was well that he did so, her mother would have gutted him right then and there in front of the class for hurting her daughter. He had fled to Butcherblock upper pass as it was closer. I felt it best to let him go at that point, rather than cause an incident with the human village in that area."

"That is all fine and dandy Elder," snapped Thornbreak. "Explain why you left the Faydark, right now old man. Also, I will want to know who that girl is. She will need to be brought here for questioning and to see if she needs to be controlled so she doesn't become a danger to others."

"Basier had both Qeynos Ranger and Woodworkers credentials. I needed to ascertain his validity as quickly as possible before I could legally act. Had they been real, I would have acted and sent word to the Kaladim guard to detain him for removal to a human outpost for trial. Since they proved false, he was to be captured and brought here for trial. Fortunately the Kobolds did our work for us in that regard. One of the Kobolds found out how bad the totems were the hard way. A wood cutting crew had to go out and remove the tree it had split in half from the impact."

"Had I arrested a human and brought him here for trial that could have sparked a diplomatic incident that Qeynos has no need of at this time. They have enough going on now to keep them busy for several years without trouble from us on top of it."

"We haven't been introduced Elder, I am Adias Ravensbeak." said one of the newer members. "What is the situation in Qeynos at the time of your departure."

"I have submitted a full briefing of what I saw and discovered while in the city." He said to Adias. He turned and faced Thornbreak, "As to your demand of the girl's identity Thornbreak, you have no need to know as I honor the request of her parents not to discuss her any more than I must. Also, she will not be coming to Kelethin until she is old enough to begin training at the Trueshot School. Now, I have a two day ride ahead of me as no portal exist to my village, so I will be taking my leave of the council now."

"You will not go!" yelled Thornbreak quickly jumping to his feet. "You do not have permission to leave until I am through questioning you old man."

Elder turned and looked at his old friend, "Councilor Londa, you are the council president, do I have permission to return to my home or am I to be detained." Elder asked, giving the young upstart a look that said I will deal with you in due course boy.

Londa smiled and said, "You are free to go Elder. We have all your reports and the alerts have all been sent to the outlying villages. Thank you for taking the time to come in person and brief the council on the events that transpired out your way. Have a pleasant trip home my old friend."

Thornbreak looked like he was ready to explode but held his tongue for the moment. He thought for a few seconds then decided he would have to deal with the matter of the girl personally. After Elder leaves he would summon an aid and tell him what he needed to do.

Elder left the council chambers platform and descended to the forest floor nearest to the direction he needed to go. Near the base of the tree he had just departed, the stables had riding horses ready to go at all times. He picked a pair that looked strong and calm, mounted and headed towards the Butcherblock pass and home.

As he rode along, he thought about the young upstart Thornbreak. He is going to be a problem for both Tama and myself in the future. He had his claws and fangs pulled today, but he will find ways to get back at me. Hopefully she will have time to grow a little more before that day arrives.

The feel of the magic in the Greater Faydark refreshed Elder and his worries faded for a time as he rode home.

Present

Eaglesclaw Farsight was eating his mid day meal when a courier arrived and delivered to him the letter from Willow Arrowmark of the Butcherblock pass village. He read the letter, finished his meal then called in his second in command. "You are taking command while I am gone. It seems I am to take on my apprentice a few years earlier than anticipated."

"Yes sir, will I be able to reach you should I need advice or orders come in that must be acted on."

"Of course, I will be at the Butcherblock pass village for at least a month. From there I will send word if I must relocate. Good enough?"

"That will work sir. Good luck sir. It's her, isn't it sir, the young girl."

Eaglesclaw looked at him, "Discuss this with no one, especially the agent of the council, lives may depend on your silence."

"Yes sir."

Eaglesclaw gathered his travel gear and several important books Tama would need, set the tack on his horse, mounted and road within an hour of receiving the note. He just hoped he was not going to be too late to help Tama.

Tama awoke the next morning hearing voices in the front room, it was Elder talking with both of her parents. She moved to the door to listen, "Come out Tama, I know you are awake now and listening at the door." How does he do that she thought. She went into the room and sat in a small chair she always used, and quietly listened to the adults talk.

Elder picked up were he left off, "I don't know if Thornbreak will be a problem or not, but his father was on the council before him and he was one of the members that wanted you arrested Axemen. There may be a bit of family animosity in this. I will keep an eye out for problems, but I can only do so much."