Sunbeams pierced the branches of the trees, creating alternating patterns of shadowed brown and glowing gold among the pine needles that covered the forest floor. Trevoril bared his teeth in a self-conscious attempt to smile. "It's not all bad, you know," he said to Raenwila, the black and silver cat who was gazing at him with dubious, emerald eyes. "Sure, it would be better if I could still shift, but if I have to be stuck in a single form, this is a very nice form."
Raenwila eyed the fox. "You have beautiful fur," she agreed kindly. "But do you really think we should give up just yet?" As handsome as his coat might be, and no matter how attractive his eyes might be, there was no escaping the decidedly...canine features of Trevoril's foxly form.
Trevoril gave a soft, negative sneeze. "It isn't as though I haven't tried, Raenwila," he said, his tone just slightly reproachful.
"Of course you have," she answered, allowing just one ear to twist backward. "But have you tried asking the Caerth Sisterhood for help?" She lifted her paw and began licking it as if she had lost interest. "Not that I know anything about magic."
"Well, no," he admitted reluctantly.
Raenwila paused and looked at him, her paw still poised in midair. "Are you afraid?" she asked softly.
Trevoril stared back at her for several moments before answering. "Traesendi didn't make that spell all by himself, you know," he said defensively. "And I only know of one group powerful enough to craft such a thing."
Raenwila's eyes smiled as she lowered her paw. "The Caerth Sisterhood. I know. But it would make sense, wouldn't it, that those who made the enchantment would have the best chance of undoing it?"
But Trevoril's ears twisted backward in fearful anger. "They were willing to betray me then. And you want me to put myself in their very hands?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned and slipped away into the woods.
Sareinya sighed as Raenwila watched him go. "You are quite right, Raenwila," said the Nanjari woman sadly, but I'm afraid he's right too. As sad as I am for him, at least I still have him as a fox."
Raenwila gazed intently at the other woman, her emerald eyes unblinking. "You both speak as though the entire sisterhood were to blame. For all you know, they might not even be aware of what the spell was to be used for. I am not afraid of the sisters - we have long been friends. If you permit, I will go to them myself and seek a remedy."
Sareinya tore her eyes away from the path that Trevoril had taken and she looked at the cat with surprise. "Oh, Raenwila, permit is not the word for it, but I could never ask such a favor."
The feline's eyes smiled once more and she stood. "Go. Follow your beloved. I will go and learn what I can."
They parted without further words, for none were needed between them. Raenwila slipped from shadow to shadow like a ghost or a breeze and soon she found the witch that had become her friend. She told the sister the tale of Trevoril, and of the spell used to enchant him. The moon was high and the sky was a deep indigo by the time they had finished discussing the problem.
The sister, who's name has been lost in the mists of time, began crafting a new spell, based on what she had determined from their discussion. Raenwila, experienced in helping with spells, did what she could to assist her. Dawn was coloring the edges of the clouds when their preparations were finally complete. Raenwila gazed at her friend. "He will never trust it, you know," she said quietly.
"You would not have wasted my time, and yours, for something pointless," she replied, inviting Raenwila to propose the solution, though in fact she already suspected.
"We.. I, have to show him what the spell will do."
The sister shook her head, not refusing, but making certain they were both sure of what they were about to do. "This will restore his form, not his ability to shift. You are not Nanjarii, Raenwila. Are you certain?"
The black and silver cat blinked slowly, consenting. "He is as dear a friend to me as you are. I would do this thing."
The sister smiled. "I think you are curious, too."
Raenwila's eyes smiled. "Perhaps."
The witch nodded. "Then so be it."
And so the Caerth sister wove her magic, forming a powerful spell which would transform Trevoril from the animal he had become to the Nanjari youth he had been.
The power gathered like a developing storm, coalescing around the feline in a mist that glistened like the morning dew. When it dissipated, the first elf stood before the witch, as naked as a jaybird.
She wasn't quite the same as a Nanjari, though very close. Her ears were tall and pointed, reminiscent of her feline ears, but instead of fur her skin was smooth and bare. Silver hair tumbled around her shoulders, framing a narrow face. The pupils of her emerald green eyes were now round instead of slitted. She lifted delicate, long fingered hands to stare at them in wonder, then rose carefully and took her first uncertain steps on slender legs. Turning carefully, she smiled at the witch. "I think he will be pleased."
They had a small bit of difficulty finding her some clothes - Raenwila was particular, and none of the witch's things suited her. When she was finally dressed, they set out to find Trevoril and Sareinya.
At first they refused to believe her, and Trevoril stood defensively before Sareinya, hackles raised and determined to protect his beloved from whatever new mischief was at hand. When at last they understood, Trevoril stared at Raenwila in amazement. "Does it wear off?"
"No, Trev. It doesn't."
"But..."
"You would never believe any other way, you know," she said softly, her tone colored with gentle amusement. "Don't fret. I chose this. I do not regret it."
His head tilted slightly, then shook his head and sneezed softly. "I can't even hug you!" he complained.
She laughed and knelt before him. "Then I shall hug you, and you can hug me back when the spell has been completed."
"IF the spell works on him," cautioned the witch as Raenwila put her arms around the little fox.
"Yes, that's true," said Sareinya thoughtfully.
"Raenwila wasn't enchanted beforehand. It can't hurt him, can it?" she asked, troubled.
"We discussed that last night, and we decided it was best to attempt a gentler spell for the sake of safety. It will not force him to change if there is resistance."
Sareinya nodded, comforted, and Trevoril took a step forward. "It's worth a try," he said. He was nervous, but he wasn't about to let Raenwila's sacrifice be for nothing. And so the sister wove her spell a second time. The mist gathered and formed around him. Sareinya wrung her hands anxiously, watching, still afraid that the initial, cruel enchantment might hurt him yet again.
The mist glistened as before, but only briefly. The witch frowned as it turned hazy, becoming a powerless fog which slowly drifted and settled to the ground. She sighed and shook her head. "I am sorry, Trevoril."
He wagged his head and bared his teeth somewhat, smiling bravely. "No harm done. It was a good effort. Thank you for trying." He looked at Raenwila, having difficulty meeting her eyes and feeling as though he had let her down. "I don't know what to say."
She smiled and sat down on the floor beside him, rubbing gently behind his ears as he had once done for her. "I told you, I chose this. I had hoped it would accomplish more, but we do know a bit more about the nature of the spell. That's something too."
And so Raenwila became the first elf. In time, the sister would repeat the spell for another of the cats, an old friend of Raenwila's who dared to follow in her footsteps. He had been more than fond of the black and silver cat for some time, but had lacked the power to drive away the other males. So it was, and so it is that elves are lovers of beauty, sometimes prone to vanity. Less powerful than similar races, their longevity is well known and their grace and agility are legendary.
2002
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