<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff00ff">“I hate killing, I hate humans and I wish they didn’t slaughter things that are different than them. So much blood and death. How much can someone take before they break?"</span>He didn't know if the question asked was rhetorical, but, as they walked through the forest he chose to answer in his own way,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">"They will never stop. Even as it shatters us to kill them, we will have long since drowned on the blood of the humans before they are done."</span>He paused in his diatribe of the human race as he picked his way carefully through the forest floor, moving with as much stealth as to not even bend a blade of grass. His voice was calm, but sorrowful as he continued,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">"When our people are gone they shall turn their blades on themselves. And find new divisions to justify the slaughter of innocents."</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff00ff">"This needs to stop but there is no way we could ever kill all the humans." </span>He nodded at this. Indeed, they would never be away from the taint of humanity. The War of Desolation had seen the deaths of tens, no hundreds, of thousands of humans and the last of the great clans of elves. Even after burning their villages, towns, and cities, the humans of Kaldea had continued to march in ceaseless tides. It had been like trying to fight the ocean. Ry'kanos had lost count of the humans dead by his hands and he knew that he would<br/><br/>They went deep into the forest, silence reigning between them as they followed the wolf into unfamiliar paths. It was not an uncomfortable silence, merely a quiet that could only exist between friends. Eventually, they came to a natural divergence in the forest path they had been following. As he looked further in to the forest for any movement, he watched from the corner of his eye as Raida knelt and picked up an arrow shaft, decidedly elvish as it was far more beautiful than anything the humans could produce. He approached where she knelt as she began to speak,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff00ff">"It seems some other elves are out and about. I found one of their arrows." </span>He nodded and took a knee next to her, examining the arrow shaft closer. Curious that the elves would leave it, considering the artwork and detail placed in the shaft.<br/><br/>He turned his eyes to the wolf pup and gave it a nodding of understanding. He was surprised that it was as quiet as it was. He took the profferred arrow and followed Ry'kanos further down the path, this time much more warily as they had finally discovered evidence of the elves they had been looking for. As they proceeded further down, he began to have a tingle along his spine, indicating their closing proximity to other elves. Eventually, the land began to incline upward and the forestry around them began to change from oak and spruce to pine as the elevation changed. They had left the hot springs hours ago and by the time they reached the mountain, rising suddenly from the forest, the sun was sliding in to the west, painting everything in dark golden and red hues, shafts of sunlight filtering through the forest and giving everything a hue that was most beautiful.<br/><br/>The wolf, Slayer, had settled outside a cave entrance that would have been difficult for a human to see but with their elvish eyes had been clearly evident. He stopped next to the wolf, patting the wolf's flank in thanks for leading them as Raida spoke,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff00ff">”This is strange I’ve never been to this part of the forest I didn’t know it existed. And the trail ends here apparently. I wonder where the cave leads.” </span>He eyed the entrance of the cave and frowned. He doubted humans lived here. Their smell was not apparent. And his feeling that elves were close remained with him. He gripped his spear tightly and shook his head once,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">"No. We have found what we sought." </span>He said softly, quietly, so that his voice would not carry.<br/><br/>A blue light emanated from further inside the cave entrance and wisps of light danced around the clearing surrounded the river in a beautiful display reminding Ry'kanos painfully of his home.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff00ff">”It looks like we will have to camp here tonight; it’s already too late to go back to my home and there is something magical about this place can’t you feel it Ry'kanos? There is something special about this place and I have a feeling we will find what we seek in the cave."</span>He nodded, but he wasn't willing to camp here near the entrance of the cave and so close to their goals. He turned to her and spoke<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">,"You may camp here if you like. I will not rest so near our goal."</span><br/><br/>An arrow flew in front of his face and Ry'kanos dove out of the way towards a boulder. As he rolled towards the boulder, an elf stepped up from behind the boulder and held a bow and arrow pointed towards Ry'kanos.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#80ff00">"Who are you and what do you want?"</span>The elf said without preamble. From around them, elves stepped from covering, weapons drawn, frowns and violence flaring as they stared down the two strange elves.