Chapter 4

There it was, about 80 yd. away, a big buck deer. Nate and the rest of the hunting party had been stalking this buck all morning. Finally, after about an hour they were downwind from him and concealed by bushes. Montack, one of the other hunters, suggested that Nate take this kill, as it was the first time hunting using his new bow. The bowyer had just finished it before he left the castle two weeks ago. Since then Nate practiced with it every night to get used to it. When the opportunity to go hunting came along, Nate jumped at it. The dried meat that they left with was running low so they needed to get more, besides, fresh meat was better then dried any day of the week.

The bow was beautiful. When unstrung, it came up to Nate's chest, about 4 ½ ft. Nate was smart enough to know that the bow was a recurve design. Its limbs curved one way, and then to string it curved back on itself. This design allowed an arrow to pack a good punch without being too big, like a longbow.

Nate took his bow and knocked an arrow. He brought the bow up and sighted down the arrow, aiming at the buck, just behind the fore legs. Just as he was about to let the arrow fly, a loud crash came from the right of the buck. The noise scared him away the buck. Crashing through the trees where the buck had been, came a woman running towards them. Behind her came five men with weapons drawn.

Quickly, Nate re-aimed at the lead chaser and let loose his arrow. The other hunters followed his lead and let loose their own while Nate took out the last one. The woman collapsed with exhaustion when the last man went down. Each of the hunting party went out to see if the woman was ok, but keeping their bows knocked just incase another chaser came crashing out of the woods.

When Nate came up to the woman, he saw that she was breathing heavy from running. It was here that he got his first good look at her. The first thing that he noticed was that her ears tapered off to a point and she had no lobe. Her skin had a bluish tinge to it and her hair was as black as midnight with no moon out. Just lying there, she looked graceful. She was not in a dress but in form fitting leathers, like those that a hunter would wear. Upon her back was a pack. She looked to be about the same height of Nate. Even without anyone telling him, Nate knew that she was a Nightelf, from the Midnight Forest.

Nightelves are so named, because of where they live. The forest where they live is so dense that no sunlight can get through. They can function in the daytime, but are the best when it is night. They know how to fight but prefer not to, unless there is no choice.

"Are you ok?" asked Nate

"Yes, thanks to you. My name is Tortha Morninglight," replied the elf.

"You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

"No. I'm fine."

"I am Nate. I am traveling with Lady Coria of Estonia. Let's get you back to camp and then you can tell us why you were being chased."

"Sounds fine to me."

Since the death of her husband over a century ago, Tortha had not had any feelings for any man, but there is something about Nate, that ignited something deep down inside of her. Something that she thought died long ago. Before the Darkness came, it was not unheard of for a human and an elf to fall in love.