“Why accept her debt… and invitation to stay the night?” Nymara questioned Courynn as she as Lynneth held him back for a moment when Ytharra started off into the forest. “A life-debt is a sacred thing to wild elves,” he explained, knowing they wouldn’t be familiar with their customs. “If we’d denied it, it would’ve been the same as saying that her life had no value… and that would’ve been a grave insult. Turning down her invitation to spend the night in their camp would’ve been another one. The sun will be set in a couple of hours… so, we’re not losing a lot of time anyway.” They followed the diminutive elf woman along what could only charitable be called a trail for well over an hour when Nymara took hold of Courynn’s arm and whispered in his ear alarmedly, her sharp eyes having caught movement in the underbrush; “I think we’re being watched.” “For almost half an hour now,” he replied openly, knowing that the wild elves shadowing them would hear him. “They’re trying to decide if we’re forcing Ytharra to take us to their camp or if she’s doing so willingly.” As if on cue, the bushes to either side of the trail erupted with a dozen dark skinned elven men wearing little more than loin clothes but armed with bows and spears. Two of them, one standing as tall as Courynn and more muscular than any elf they’d ever seen, moved to block their path, as the other one demanded of their small elf guide; “Why are you bringing strangers to our camp… and where are the others that went with you?” “They aren’t strangers Yhendorn. I owe them a life-debt and they asked only for my friendship… which I’ve sworn to them,” she answered in a defiant tone. Then she added solemnly; “The others fell in battle. I couldn’t bring their bodies… but they helped me give them to the fire and stood watch with me as I sang them to Arvandor.” “A battle your father denied you permission to fight,” the larger elf growled bitterly, “and what do humans know of a life-debt?” “He knows and honors our ways, Thurdan” she shot back resolutely, motioning to Courynn. “Regardless,” Yhendorn scowled. “You will answer to father for your actions… and only he decides who is permitted in camp.” “Just what happens if he decides we’re not?” Lynneth questioned apprehensively, growing increasingly uncomfortable with the number of sharp objects pointed in their direction, and the nearly naked men who seemed to be eyeing her and Nymara with a great deal of interest. “He decides that too,” Thurdan smirked cruelly, his eyes roaming over the exotically beautiful sorceress just as hungerly as any of the others. “But if it were left to me… I’d do to you what your kind does to our women when they capture them.” “But it’s not up to you,” Ytharra sneered venomously, knowing that his interest had nothing to do with justice, “and no woman, elf, Yuir or human, should be treated like that.”