Their Prophecy

Respect

Squad Leader Nolan was the serious type.

Frowning up at him as they walked, Analise noticed that he looked a bit frazzled by the trail of animals that followed along behind them, most of which having collected little trinkets to present to her once they finally came to a halt. So far, there was a doe, a skunk, and a really agitated looking squirrel.

"What do you want?" he wondered, glancing nervously back at the procession following the small girl.

The girl sighed, turning abruptly to hold out her hand. The doe dropped some berries it had been holding in it's mouth and, confused, Nolan realized that the three animals he'd seen weren't the only ones in pursuit of them. Or rather, the girl, he was quickly beginning to realize as a field mouse, a black snake, and a cricket placed what could only be described as small offerings at the girls' bare feet, each one bowing with great exaggeration.

The girl thanked them before turning on her heel, popping the berries into her mouth. Nolan glanced from the appeased animals back to the girl, noticing that she'd halted, turning to give him a drawl look, waiting for him. "Why are they bowing to you?" he asked, moving to her side, noting that she easily fell in step just behind him. He'd seen a lot of strange things in his life, but this was a new one. Animals bowing to a predatory Pureblood? Normally they would flee in the opposite direction.

"Respect," was the curt answer she offered around her mouth full of berries.

Respect?

Analise noticed the spike in the elf's heart rate, the scrunch of his brow--he was frustrated. Perhaps her answer was confusing to him, she began to suspect. That was too bad. She had no intention of clarifying her statement. "Why do you want to go to our training grounds?" he wondered, giving the side eye to the small girl munching away, barefoot with a dirtied white dress, looking anything but respectable.

The little girl grinned. "Chief briefly mentioned your workout schedule."

"And?" Nolan didn't understand what that had to do with him.

"I would like to see what a Northern Tribe elf is capable of." Wiping at a bit of berry that had smudged her cheek, he noted that she walked with an air of confidence unbefitting someone so young. Or, he thought with a frown, perhaps it was normal for such a young child to have incredible confidence. It was just strange that the child spoke with the same grace as an adult.

"How old are you?" he asked, frowning.

"Physically?"

The question was odd. "Is there another age to discuss?"

The girl just smiled. "I suppose I'm somewhere near four years old."

Somewhere near it? Perhaps the elf had given her too much credit. Her language skills were astonishing but her brain had yet to develop in other areas. "Did you have your fourth birthday?"

"I haven't even had my first." She looked unbothered by the question.

It bothered the elf, though. Had they never celebrated the child's birthday? Purebloods were known for being coarse but that was too much. "Maybe I'll get you a nice cake," he found himself responding.

The girl frowned. "I would prefer mushrooms."

Mushrooms? Frowning at the sentiment, he found himself shaking his head. She was a child, obviously. A neglected child if her unkempt state was any indication of her home life. She was probably just confused. "Here we are," he said, turning into the training grounds, giving a broad gesture.

The girl stared up at the trees which were currently vacant of trainees.

Normally, there would be a troupe of elves running amok, tearing through the obstacle course, figuring out new ways to test themselves and their abilities.

"Where do you test the weapons?" was the girls' shrewd response. She gazed up at him with an incredibly unimpressed expression. Normally, he thought with a frown, the children loved the obstacle coarse.

"What weapon are you interested in?"

"All of them," she stated, reaching down distractedly to receive a rock from a very curious crab. Nolan blanched at the sight of it. Why had a crab come so far into the wilderness? Normally they would stay close to the shoreline. Was she luring them to herself? He wondered, vacantly, if she didn't suffer from the same problem as him.

Even as he was thinking it, a bunny had leaned up against the side of his foot.

The girl took notice and gave a small smile. "I can tell you're a kind soul."

He sighed, a small bird landing with ease on his shoulder. "Is that why they follow you?"

Something in her eyes darkened. "No."

He'd waited for an explanation, mildly surprised when she held his unwavering gaze without an ounce of discomfort, standing in what should have been an uncomfortable silence without so much as shifting her weight. Were all Pureblood children like this? Admittedly, he'd only ever seen the adults in action, so this was all new to him.

"Oh-kay," he said, pivoting abruptly. "Weapon training grounds are next to the obstacle coarse. It's a few acres away." The girl followed, unperturbed by the upcoming hike. Purebloods didn't really tire, did they? Rarely even needed sleep. Peeking back at her, he saw that she wasn't winded or bothered by her lack of shoes. Holding out her arm suddenly, he watched a hawk land on her forearm with a practiced ease that would take years for even an experienced bird handler. Taking a small dollar bill from it's beak, he watched it rub it's beak against her nose before soaring high into the sky. Somehow, he felt certain that the problem he struggled with wasn't the same as hers. "So," he muttered, deciding to try to figure this mess out, "how are you related to King Rosario?"

"Unc?" she asked, tossing the loose dollar over her shoulder.

Nolan turned, picking it up. "Don't just throw money away."

"Would you like it?" she wondered, c*****g her head to the side.

It felt wrong to take money from a child. Still, he was worried she might toss it aside like rubbish again so he pocketed it, just to hold it for her. "Unc?" he echoed, continuing his journey forward.

"He's my uncle."

Oh. That explained the look he'd given Nolan earlier. "And he's okay with your interest in weaponry?" It was an odd topic to hold with a small child, stranger still that the child was a young girl. He felt bad for thinking it, especially since he had known one other small female to take a huge interest in the bow from the time she could walk. Nolan hadn't agreed to train that child, either. He'd been prompted into it, though then his life hadn't been on the line. King Rosario was more wicked than any elf in any position could ever be. That's just how he's made.

"He takes an interest in making sure that I'm educated in all facets--" The girl took a half step back, the arrow barely missing her head. It had happened so fast, Nolan hadn't had time to react as the arrow promptly exploded at her feet. Billows of smoke rose up and, horrified, the elf watched as more arrows rained down upon the cloud, directly over the little girl.

"Wait!" Nolan shouted, eyes moving to the elves lining the trees. He recognized them, he thought, eyes widening as they roved over people within his own community. "What are--"

But he couldn't even finish his thought.

The c***k of branches was loud, blood praying out of the neck of one of his tribeswomen.

"Wait," he breathed, trying to understand what he was seeing.

More arrows, screams, and when branches fell in front of him, comrades falling from the trees like flies, Nolan just watched.

The smoke had cleared and, with mounting denial, he turned, hoping he'd see the girl.

Fallen, immobile.

He'd never wished harm upon a child before.

But, taking in the empty space where she should have fallen, he heard the begging of another tribeswoman, desperate pleas for mercy, and then the telling silence.

When her feet hit the ground in front of him, he was cemented in place, staring down at the blood smearing her feet, the red dripping down her hands. Calm, terrifying, she said, "The training grounds are this way, right?"

The tremor that ran through him was one of pure terror.

Cold, horrifying terror.

A light tug at his pants, wide innocent looking blue eyes.

How could she be so calm?

"Squad Leader Nolan," she called.

More tugs.

"Are you okay?"

Was he . . . okay?

Trembling, his eyes moved to the fallen branch, the bodies of people he'd known since his childhood strewn along the grass, and felt the bile rise in his throat, hands shaking uncontrollably.

A child?

When he turned, falling to his knees in the grass, vomiting up his breakfast, he felt the girl crouch down beside him, felt her hand pat his back. "Did you eat something bad?" she asked innocently.

Gasping, shocked--he didn't have the strength to push her away.

Didn't have the courage.

How could a child do such a thing?