"You go too far Kayla Maelon Enduriel! Perilously close to insubordination to this council in fact. You have been heard, your testimony will be considered, you may now leave. Immediately."<br/><br/>The words were not not spoken loudly, but they rang in Kayla's ears like an echo to the distant thunder as she stalked out of the council building. Her delicate high cheekbones were reddened as if slapped, though the wound to her pride was worse than mere physical harm. The long legs of the willowy elf carried her quickly in a determined stride down the gentle hill, her feet picking their way down the green slope and onto the forest path back to Stormhome without her mind needing to engage in the trivial task. Her dark silver grey eyes flickered across the wide trail and into the shadows on either side without really seeing anything, her mind locked in a constant loop of the meeting. Questions, both her own, and those asked of her, flitted across her quick mind. Could she have said something different? Could she have bided her time, brought forth more evidence to persuade the old fools? Was it possible that she was even wrong about the whole thing? A leaden feeling in her gut and a heaviness around her heart told her differently. This would not be the first time the council had lead the Storm Tribe to war needlessly. But it was the first time that Kayla suspected they would lose.<br/><br/>For all her swift pace along the path she knew so well, her steps were silent and graceful. Stealthy enough to come upon several forest animals caught hunting or grazing where the trees were more sparse close to the trail. It took no more than a furious glance to send them scampering or flapping into the thick greenery just a few feet further in. She wasn't aware of it but her eyes had shifted to almost deep purple, as they often did when she was emotional, and especially when angry. The fury seemed to radiate off her very body, slim and creamy skinned and tattooed in one long curling purple design. Kayla couldn't honestly have said what had her quite so incensed. It wasn't until later that she realised it was a choice between anger and fear. And she had never been very good at expressing the latter. The elf began to twirl a finger through a stray lock of dark red hair which had come loose from the braided ponytail which hung down her back, a habit from her teen years when dealing with a particularly tricky puzzle.<br/><br/>Realising what she was doing, Kayla tucked it back behind her pointed ear with an irritated click of her tongue. She was being irrational, she realised that. There truly wasn't a great deal of evidence. So far the Peace Accords between the elven tribes were holding almost to the letter. Alright there had been rumbles of skirmishes between the Water and Earth tribes. And they had caught the Nature clan trying to sneak across their borders once again. But in general there was peace across the elven nation, something almost unheard of as long as Kayla could remember. All of the hard work which came to fruition three years ago had been worth it. It might be generations before elves of different Tribes unlearned their centuries long hatred of each other, and there would be strains and disputes probably always. But this was better than war wasn't it? So why did Kayla have a sinking sensation that they were all on the edge of a dark pit and being inched closer...?<br/><br/>She gnawed on her bottom lip as she strode from beneath the last of the covering branches and into the seeping evening. Across the plain she could see the city wall in the distance, the gentle columns of smoke rising from hundreds of hearths. It seemed peaceful as the first of the stars began to show themselves in the clear skies. But in her mind's eye Kayla could see the columns of smoke turn thick black, the walls and hearths all engulfed in flame. It was the scouts which worried her most. Her scouts. As commander of the reconnaissance forces for the whole Storm Tribe, it was her responsibility to keep an eye on the world around her. And the simple fact was that three entire Tribes appeared to have vanished and she had no clue what was going on. The Darks had been first, not appearing at the regular meetings, no representative at the guild negotiations, not even a response to bird messages. The Dark Tribe were often reclusive though, and moved frequently, keeping their home city secret. It was not so unusual that they were not in regular contact. And then the Air Tribe, and now the Light Tribe. Both effectively vanished. Or so she must assume, as her best scouts returned from their lands with no sign. Or did not return at all. And the rumours filtering though the taverns, rumours of unseen terrors, perhaps from the shadows, perhaps from the earth itself. But always insubstantial and usually deadly. Dark rumours in dark times were commonplace, but these were prosperous and hopeful times. And Kayla was convinced there was at least a grain of truth somewhere within.<br/><br/>She was cutting the distance to the main gates swiftly. Her sharp eyes could easily make out the figures on the walls and towers, just a few of the watchful guard grouped either side of the busy portal. Just a few... the echo in her mind.... Just a few... Just a few of her elite scouts for a Reconnaissance party into the heart of Light Territory. It would not take more than four or five weeks. They would be totally unseen and take no part in whatever was going on, but at least they would know what was going on. But she was trapped by her own work. Instrumental in her influence in having the Peace Accords signed by the elders of the Storm Tribe, they now chose to hide behind it whenever they saw fit. And of course it was extremely clear of the penalties of sending an armed force into another signing member's territory without a direct invitation. Did she want war? Of course not, and yet she was equally unwilling to simply sit on her hands and let it come to her unexpectedly. Kayla could see the sense in waiting until the next Grand council to bring up the matter to the entire Elven Nation. But something in her blood whispered that two moon cycles may be far too late to respond. But her hands seemed tied.<br/><br/>She was muttering to herself as she came to the gate, striding through when from the shadows stepped a guardsman with a stout pike. "Halt!" came the command. Kayla's eyes widened in surprise. It had been long since she had needed to prove her identity to the city guard. Her shock became annoyance which quickly boiled back to anger from the gentle simmer she had been holding on her journey. Her eyes locked on the new elf, who took a step back from that piercing gaze despite himself. "You would do well to fetch your commander my friend, and to stop pointing that pike at me like a fishing rod". The younger elf reddened slightly, eyes narrowing as he took a firmer grip of the long weapon. "I don't think so miss. I think you should register that weapon of yours.." He nodded to the hilt above her left shoulder, "..and perhaps a little of that armour too". His eyes wandered blatantly over the figure hugging leather plate covering her chest and stomach. Kayla honestly wasn't sure weather to be annoyed or flattered for a moment. It was not often that she was noticed for her figure, as slight as she was with her curves barely registering through the thick tightly bound padding. However she chose the former choice, and almost subconsciously her body began to drop into a battle stance. "I will tell you one more time boy, fetch your commander". The response was as predictable as it was unimaginative "Or what?" Came the sneer.<br/><br/>One moment Kayla was standing with arms at her sides at the end of a pike, the next there was a smell of burnt wood and the boy was holding a cleanly cut pole. Kayla was holding Maelstrom, her sword, which was now covered with ropes of blue-white lightning up and down it's length. And she was doing it with the point a fingertip from the unfortunate guard's throat. "Now Galen, I think you have frightened Scout Mistress Kayla quite enough. How about you call it a day and get to scrubbing the tower floors again." The gruff voice carried a tone of amusement, though Kayla didn't twitch her eyes away from her opponent for an instant. But then she didn't need to. "Is it me or are your recruits looking greener every day Joff?". A part rueful tone. "I work with what I am given Mistress. Much as you". She nodded slowly. The lightning licked one final spark at the raw throat of the new recruit, making him jump, before dying altogether as Kayla easily slid the sword back into it's sheath. Galen sagged visibly, a sheen of sweat across his pale face. He glanced at Joff, then back to Kayla before scurrying into the nearest tower. She relaxed her stance and nodded to the grizzled guard captain, who returned the nod with an amused grin. "Twitchy tonight Mistress". Kayla sighed she strolled on through the gate and into the city "You have no idea Joff...".<br/><br/>She wound her way through the streets, heading to her home near the centre of the settlement. Just as she was passing the last of the mostly wooden houses which ringed the more solid central buildings, she became aware of something buzzing just at the edges of her detection. It was so out of context she almost missed it. But it was unmistakable when she concentrated. The distinctive vibration of her tattoos in warning of foreign elven magic nearby! But that was impossible wasn't it? Adrenalin surged through her slender form, as she followed the buzzing throbbing of her heart tattoo down an alley, coming at last to an open area between buildings built back to back. There was a crowd in the shadows. An invading force? Maelstrom was in her hand in a whisper of thought, but even in that tiny space of time she knew the tattoos of her own Storm Clan on those she could see. Then what.....? She crept closer....