Hunting the Moonlight

    The moonlight filtered through the leaves of the ancient oak, casting its pattern on Aylshana’s skin as she danced.  Her lithe form weaved in and out of the trees and she was limned with an almost otherworldly glow as she moved in time to the music of the forest. The average passerby might think it strange to see a woman dancing in the forest wearing nothing but a necklace, but the elves living in the trees above had no such misconceptions. 
    She was Aylshana Willowsong, druid of the elves, and she was dancing to bless their forest home.  She was dancing to honor the animals who shared the forest with the elves, and to pay homage to the great Mother of All.  Her dance was a part of the rite that would lead to the elves’ springtime celebration.
      As Aylshana danced her dance, she meandered through the forest listening to the song of the crickets and smelling the rich earthy smell one can only find in an old forest.  The further into the forest she trekked the deeper into her trance she went, feeding off of the primal power of nature.
    Deeper and deeper she went, and when her journey wound to its end and her power was at its zenith, she stepped into a copse and was awash in the energy of thousands of years.  It was in this very circle that the druids of elven legend gathered to perform their rituals. 
    In ancient times, there would be an entire circle of druids here, performing this rite as the centerpiece of a great celebration.  All the elves would gather around to bear witness as the druids performed their chants at the pinnacle of the ceremony to honor the Great Mother for the annual springtime celebration.  It was a grand affair, and the druids would have jeweled swords and staves, and a crown for the one representing the Great Mother, they would bedeck themselves in fabulous jewels and silk robes.  Over the millennia however, the ritual had become less ostentatious; an integral part all the same, but much smaller and more reverent.  It would now be only her in the circle, communing with nature and bringing blessings upon the elves and their home.  She was the one to use the necklace known as Lunere, harnessing the energy of the moon, calling the goddess of the elves to honor the forest with her presence.
    So she moved softly around the circle in the moonlight, focusing her energy and calling to the goddess to invoke her favour for all the elves, dipping, spinning and leaping in the joyous dance of the ancient druids.  And at the one shining moment of release, she was surrounded by silver light so bright she knew that her rite was successfully complete; she had called down the moon and was filled with the light of the Great Mother.
    She slumped to the ground, totally spent, and looked around. Suddenly, she was seeing everything in nature in a new light.  She heard the voices of spirits on the breeze, saw the bend of each blade of grass, she understood the music of nature.  She lay down in the grass relishing in this new feeling and slipped into meditation, and soon felt a presence approaching her.  She sat up and found herself looking at a deer. 
    “You aren’t at all afraid are you?”
    The deer pranced boldly towards her and soon was looking into her eyes, nose to nose with her, and she knew what the deer knew.  She knew that at this time, in this circle, she was the Mother.  She reached out a hand and stroked the deer’s cheek like it was her child, and the deer didn’t flinch.  They remained like that for some time, drinking each other in, each sharing the other’s essence, the reverie seeming as though it could go on forever.
    Eventually, too soon to her it seemed, it was complete.  The goddess had granted her blessing, and it was time for Aylshana to return to the elves and join in the celebration.  As she got to her feet .the doe bounded to the edge of the circle, and standing there was the most magnificent white stag. She watched the two of them until they walked into the forest and disappeared.  Aylshana then turned in the direction of home.
    She felt drained as she started off, but her energy quickly returned and she became eager to get home to the celebration.  The elves had been making preparations for a month, and friends from far and wide had come to join them. 
    The dawn broke, and as the sun peeked over the horizon Aylshana paused to greet the morning.  She looked around to see how much farther she had to go, and she felt a sharp pain in her back  She turned and saw a man with a crossbow in his hands, and as he began to wind his crossbow for another shot, Aylshana charged at the seemingly defenseless man, but stopped short when he dropped his weapon and drew a sword.
    “That’s right love,” the poacher said.  “You’re unarmed, and I’d hate to mess up that lovely outfit you got on.”
    She looked down at herself, only then remembering that she was still naked, and her clothes were at the base of the oak where she had started.  There was nothing she could do except hope that some of the Great Mother’s magic was still within her.
    She brought her hands up in front of her and began the chanting of a spell. 
    “We’ll have none of that!” the poacher shouted as he ran at her and punched her, successfully interrupting her spell.  Aylshana stumbled back a step, but kept her footing enough to kick him in the groin, and he doubled over.  Aylshana shoved him to the ground and he dropped his sword, his satchel spilling its contents all around.  She grabbed his sword and slashed at him, opening a wound in his cheek.
    Her knees buckled slightly. Was it loss of blood?  She wasn’t sure. 
    The poacher swept her feet, dropping her onto her back.  He raised his boot, and she rolled just in time to avoid getting her face kicked.  She swung the sword at his ankle and managed to smack it with the flat of the blade.  The poacher fell to the ground, and Aylshana scrambled on top of him, placing the edge of the blade against his throat.
    “Why are you here?” she asked.
    “I’m hunting.”
    Aylshana’s vision was becoming blurry, she felt dizzy.  But she was angry.  “This forest belongs to the elves, you cannot hunt here!”
    “I didn’t know that,” the poacher leered at her.  “I must have missed the signpost.”
    Her hands went weak.  She struggled to retain her control, but the blade slipped from her grasp and the poacher looked into her eyes.  He could sense the weakness. He pushed her off of him and onto her back, then climbed on top of her.  He eased his hands around her throat and began to squeeze.
    “I’m not going anywhere love.  I told you, I’m hunting.”
    She looked up into his evil face and felt his hands tightening around her neck.  The world started to fade as she began to lose consciousness.  She fought it but was too weak, and felt herself slipping away. 
    Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.  The poacher released her and was gone, and the area around her exploded in a blur of motion and sound.  The air was thick with bodies, people were shouting here and there, and she felt herself lifted off of the ground.  She looked up and, seeing that she was safe in the arms of her people, closed her eyes to rest. 
    Aylshana awoke in her own sparse bedroom, dimly lit with a single flickering candle.  The sweet fragrant smoke of incense permeated the room, making it seem hazy.  She looked out the window and, seeing that it was nightfall, wondered how she had slept all day.  On the table beside her lay a broken crossbow bolt coated with dried blood.  She lay back to watch the shadows dancing on the walls and detected movement out of the corner of her eye.  She followed it to see Vonda, the elves’ High Priestess standing by the door.
    Vonda was a timeless and ageless being, a holy vessel containing all the power and beauty of nature.  Her inner light illuminated the room, slicing through the haze and chasing away the shadows; her presence gave the room a feeling of warmth.  Her waist length black hair framed her beaming face and cascaded over the shoulders of her silky white robe.  Beneath her diadem of silver, her blue eyes sparkled and shone down at Aylshana.  She crossed the room and sat on the bed beside Aylshana.
    “I wondered when you would awaken.”
    “How long did I sleep?”
    “Since yesterday morning.”  Vonda noted the stunned look and chuckled.  “You were in very bad shape when we found you, you nearly died.  The poison was very strong.”
    “Poison?  Why would a poacher be using poison?”
    “He was no poacher, he was a thief.  We suspect he came to try and get what he could from us, but everything is guarded very well here.  He was probably leaving when he came across you and took what he could from you.”
    “I wasn’t carrying anything.”
    “You had Lunere.”
    Aylshana’s jaw dropped as she grasped what that meant.  “He took the necklace.  Oh no, this is all my fault!  We have to get it back!”  Aylshana began to get out of bed.
    Vonda placed a calming hand on her shoulder.  “Relax, my dear.  You could not help the theft, and no one blames you for it.”  She smiled down at Aylshana.  “Besides, we have to get ready for the celebration.  We have a lot to do before tonight, and you need to be ready, you play an integral part tonight.”
    “But what about Lunere?”
    “Lunere isn’t gone forever; it’s just gone for now.  I have contacted my old friend Pormas, and he has assured me that due to the nature of the artifact he can regain it.”  Vonda stood and walked to the door.  “The Goddess will always provide as she always has, you just have to have faith.” 
    “But how did you know to come?  How did you know I needed help?”
    “Your friend the deer told me.”
    She then turned and walked out the door.


    Several days later and hundreds of miles away, an old man garbed in green robes stepped into a shop called the “Corsaire Trading Co.”  The bell on the door announced to all within that someone had arrived, but the store appeared empty.
    “Be right out!” called a voice from the back.
    His eyes adjusting to the dim light, he studied the shop and all the trinkets on the shelves.  There were things for sale here from all over the world, a wide assortment of rarities along the dingy brown walls that could make this a very prosperous shop.  The dust eddying in the light from the dirty windows, however, told a different story.  No one ever came in here, except perhaps to do business of a less than savory nature.
    A red headed halfling popped his head over the counter.  “Ah, Master Pormas, I’ve been expecting you.  I have a package for you sir.”
    “Thank you Felix,” Pormas said as he took the parcel he was offered.  He opened it to reveal the necklace Lunere.  “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble to acquire.”
    “Nah, once Ismail found out how hot it was, he was glad to return it.  He didn’t want any trouble that might put the Night Claws into the limelight.”
    “I should say not.  It would be a tragedy for him if the local law discovered that the most infamous thieves’ guild in the city had stolen a rare elven artifact from the king’s own allies.  Still, one should think that he didn’t part with this item very cheaply.”
    “No, when the thief responsible brought it to Ismail, he received a very high price for it.  Arved is his name, a mediocre thief at best.  Ismail figured he just got lucky in getting something like that.  Ismail wasn’t pleased at all to say the least.  He said that he’d return it for whatever it would cost to gain the services of The Spider.”
    “The best assassin in the city eh?  Tell me, just how much is your employer charging these days?”
    “Heh.  Master Corsaire said you were an old friend.  No charge.”
    Pormas pocketed the necklace and glanced around the empty shop.  “Tell me, where is Malchor?”
    Felix looked up at Pormas and grinned.  “He’s out hunting.”