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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 2711130" data-attributes="member: 143">Thanks for the kind words, everyone. One more post to cap off the Dannel plot thread; Demon Interlude tomorrow. I'm going away for the holiday weekend, so I'll start the next plot thread on Monday. Not to give too much away, but it involves certain dwarves of our acquaintance. * * * * * Chapter 488The soft whisper of the arrows in flight knifed through the forest clearing, each followed by the more substantial “THWACK!” as the missiles buried themselves into the makeshift target in the cleft bole of the dead tree.  The arrows, slender practice shafts with weighted nubs for heads, all lay within a tight cluster, close enough so that one could have encircled them all within the ring of a thumb and forefinger. Sixty yards away, Dannel lowered his bow, letting the song fade away, welcoming the brief pang of regret that always accompanied its withdrawal.  The bow felt… right in his hand, although it had a less than elegant look to it, and it certainly could not be judged a masterwork weapon.  It had a strong pull to it, enough to test the arcane archer’s strength.  It was the first bow he had made from scratch.  He’d been studying the bowyer’s craft for some time, and had even begun a few test weapons, but with the frantic pace of events that he’d been caught up in over the last few months, there had not been an opportunity to complete his work.  Upon returning from Bryth’an Torgul he’d thrown himself into the manufacture of the bow he now held, embracing the distraction from memory and still-fresh wounds that he’d brought back from that journey into the deep wood. “A fine effort,” a voice said behind him.  He’d been so distracted that he started slightly, even though Eldren had not been actively trying to sneak up on him. “I am sorry if I am intruding upon your quiet,” the ranger said.  “No, please,” Dannel said, gesturing to the space beside him.  He started to unstring the bow, but Eldren forestalled him.  “May I?”Dannel handed him the bow, which the ranger examined with an expert eye.  Eldren, he knew, was a master bowyer.  “Not bad,” he said, finally, after running his hands along the shaft and testing the pull.“You are too generous.”Eldren peered at the distant target, where the knot of arrows was dimly visible in the shadows of the broken trunk.  “Even the best craftsman cannot work well with an inferior tool,” he said, handing the bow back.  “If you like, I could show you a few tricks.  You’ve picked up some talents out there in the wider world, but we elves of the Wealdath still have a few particular talents that are our own.”“I would enjoy that opportunity.”For a moment, the two elves stood there in silence.  Dannel unstrung and checked the bow before laying it against the trunk of a nearby tree.  There was a fallen log nearby, and he leaned against it, wrapping his arms across his body.  After a moment, his cousin joined him. “You’ll be leaving soon,” Eldren finally said. “I have… obligations,” Dannel said.  “An oath made to friends.”“Friendship is important,” the ranger replied.“And family as well.”Eldren nodded.  “I know that Ellene would be pleased, if you should decide to return.”Dannel looked up at the long shafts of the trees rising up around him.  “Since I’ve been back… I’ve come to realize how much of this place is still with me, has always been a part of me.”“Jannae said that the forest and its life were in the blood of our people, and that our hearts beat in tune to its pattern.”Dannel looked over at his cousin.  “I miss her, too.”  He squashed a feeling of regret that came over him.  They had spoken, once, about raising the priestess, but Eldren had dismissed the idea.  Dannel knew the customs of his people, who saw death as a natural transition to another stage of life.  But more than that, Jannae had made her own wishes clear on the subject, and whatever he felt about her, Dannel had to respect that.  But he knew his cousin well enough to know that despite all that, the wound caused by Jannae’s death would not heal swiftly for his cousin. “So, the magic you command is fairly impressive,” Eldren said, after another long silence.  Toying with the shaft of his own longbow—a masterwork weapon also crafted by his own hands—he continued, “I wonder how your skills are without it?”Dannel managed a soft smile.  “Three flights of four?”The ranger stood, and extended a full quiver of arrows.  “Let us see, then,” he said, drawing out a handful of shafts.</blockquote>

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