[Brinniel]

"Why do you hate wolves so much anyways, Raye?" Dimithil asked. “Why did you want to kill Tallin?”
Raye looked at the elf and blinked. She was still surprised by his words earlier, the fact that he wanted her to use her true name. He did not understand that the name was something she could not yet accept. She felt she did not deserve such a name.
And now, Dimithil surprised Raye again by asking her such a personal question.
"Well, there has to be a reason why you hate them so much," he said. "What is it? I'm curious."
"Now that the elf mentions it, I'm kind of curious about that myself," Dia stated. "Why do you hate us so much?"
Raye looked at Dia, then back at Dimithil. Both stared at her intently.
The woman sighed. "Alright, then. You really want to hear this?" she asked.
Dimithil nodded. "Tell me. I want to know what you have against wolves."
Raye smiled. "I didn't always hate wolves, you know," she began. "Oh, no. It was actually the opposite of hate. I loved wolves, and all living things, for that matter. But that was long ago. I was only a child then."
Raye stopped and looked at both the elf and wolf, unsurely.
"Go on," Dimithil said, nodding.
"I was the daughter of two rangers," she continued. "I was born in the wild and spent my entire life in the wild. I do not know what a home is; I've never had one before.
"After I was born, my parents decided to travel less frequent, but to me that meant nothing. We still traveled often enough that I never really got to know another person. One night we would stay at an inn; two days later we were sleeping in the woods. The place that became closest to a home to me was Mirkwood, as we spent much of our time in those woods. And even then I never got an opportunity to speak with another. Elves would pass us by, sometimes with a hello, but that was all. The first time I communicated with another besides my parents, I was five. The first time I ever communicated with another besides my parents, I spoke to wolves.
"I remember the first time I heard the voices in my head. They had frightened me at first, and I began to wonder if I was going mad. But then one night I awoke to find a wolf beside me. She had discovered my gift, and had come to help me deal with it. The wolf, Ava she was called, who was the alpha's mate and had come to befriend me. I was introduced to her pack, and though it was a large pack of wolves, they did not intimidate me. They taught me everything; that if I listened hard enough, I could hear any living thing think or speak; even the trees. Almost every night I would sneak off to find the wolves and tell them my secrets. My parents never did discover my gift, but they took notice of my fondness for living things, especially wolves. They called me their "draug hín," and the name seemed fitting enough. The gift I had got me past the harshness of constant travel. I was no longer upset that I could not find a human or elven friend. I had the wolves and that satisfied me. But soon that all came to an end.
“It was my tenth winter that my childhood abruptly came to an end. It was a black winter that year; it never rained or snowed and it was the coldest winter I can remember. We stayed along the western borders of Mirkwood that winter and spent our time hunting whatever we could. Game was sparse that winter, and we nearly starved to death. I didn’t see much of my wolf friends that winter either, and I figured it was because they had as much trouble finding food as my parents and I. All those who remained in the wilderness of Mirkwood that winter went hungry, but I never realized how desperate the wolves would be. One night, they had come to the decision to attack our only two horses. By the time my father could stop them the horses were already dead. My father, outraged by this, shot arrows at the pack, hitting and killing only one; the alpha. The wolves had succeeded in killing our horses, but in the process, not only did they lose their leader, but they also never got the chance to get the meat off the horses.
“I was upset at my father for killing a wolf, but no more upset with him than I was with the wolves for killing our horses. Our horses were the quickest way of transportation and we also used them to carry some of our belongings. The winter would be even more difficult without them.
“For several days I sulked over this. Over that time period I realized how much I missed speaking with the wolves, and I could no longer stay mad at them. After all, they had only killed our horses to survive the winter. A hunter is always taught it is all right to kill as long it is for food and that is exactly what they had done. So, one night, I decided to seek them out. How foolish I was! Obviously, the wolves did not forgive so easily as I. Not long after I had left the camp, they attacked it, killing both my parents. With the ability of mind speech, I realized what they planned to do before it happened, but the warning was not soon enough, and I ran back to the camp just in time to witness my parents’ deaths.
“After that I never forgave those wolves for what they did. They stole me of my childhood and my parents. I ran deep into the woods that night and hid from the creatures as they searched for me. They called my name, telling me to come to them and they would care for me and make a better life for me than my parents could’ve ever given, but I never answered to those calls. From then on I made a promise to myself to never again associate with wolves.”
”And yet here you are, telling this story to me, a wolf,” Dia said.
Raye smiled grimly. “I know,” she said. “Ironic, isn’t it?”
Dimithil gave a large frown. “Wait,” he said. “You’ve explained why you dislike wolves, but what about Tallin? You are no different than her.”
"No Dimithil," the woman responded. “We both have the same gift, but that’s the only way we are alike. Tallin is different than I. She is who knows how old and is still ignorant of those who surround her. She is a mistaken elf who believes wolves can be trusted.”
”Perhaps you are the one that is mistaken, Raye,” Dia said. “You should not judge us like that. You were young when that happened.”
“And I am still young!” Raye snapped. “But that does not matter. That incident occurred only eleven years ago. I remember it as if it were yesterday.” She lowered her voice. “I know what I saw. Those wolves betrayed me. You cannot expect me to trust you or Jet after what happened; even if you took no part in it.”
“I’m still debating whether I should believe you, Raye,” Dimithil said, shaking his head. “You have fooled others many times. Why should I believe you?”
“Why would I make up a story like that?” Raye asked. “You should be satisfied that I told you this, as I have told no one before; not even Berethion.”
“You do realize you’ve become like the wolves you have described, don’t you?” the elf pressed. “A merciless killer.”
Raye lowered her head. “I know. But the wolves aren’t the reason for who I’ve become. That…is a different story.”
Dimithil looked at Raye curiously, but said nothing.

After several minutes of silence, Dia suddenly sat up.
”We have to go back to the cave,” she told Raye.
“I know,” Raye nodded, who had heard Dia’s conversation with Tallin. She looked over at Dimithil. “They have found Arrelle,” she said to him. “We are to go back to the cave.”
Dimithil nodded as he stood up slowly. Then, to Raye’s surprise, he reached out his hand and lifted her back on her feet as well. The woman clutched her side as the pain returned.
“Do you think you can make it back?” he asked.
Raye looked at him, raising her eyebrow. “Is there another option?”
Dimithil shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I suppose I could carry you.”
Raye shook her head in response. “No one carries me without a fight.”
“Well then, I don’t really feel like putting up a fight at the moment.”
“Good. Neither do I. Let’s go.”
And so the two, woman and elf, walked slowly, side-by-side in the direction they had come from with the wolf, Dia, in the lead.