Meh, sorry I took so long. No excuses, I'm just last (^^;;;) Any ways, thanks to all of you who read this and gave me praise! That made me feel so happy! I hope you like the story from now on!

Chapter 2

Josa heard someone moving around inside the barn. His sister still hadn't arrived, so he decided to peek in and see who it was while he waited.

He was surprised to see Riffken. The boy was leaning against the wall, whittling on a piece of wood with a small knife. His total concentration seemed to be on whatever it was he was making.

Josa walked up beside him. "Hello again."

Riffken jumped, dropping the wood and knife. "Oh, it's you. You scared me, for moment. I didn't even hear you come in."

"What are you making?"

Riffken stooped down and picked up his tools. "This? Nothing much, it's not really important."

"Can I see it, please?"

Again, Riffken looked shocked. "Oh, okay, sure." Riffken handed it to Josa. It was the rough beginnings of a dove, but it was coming out well.

"That is very good," he said as he handed the wooden bird back. "Where did you learn?"

"I mostly taught myself," Riffken replied shyly, fingering the dove. "But my father taught my mother, and she showed me the basics before."

"Before she died?"

Riffken's head shot up. His face had gone slightly pale. "How did you know that?"

"Your master told me."

Riffken clenched his fist tightly around the wooden figure. "He had no right to tell you about her." His voice was filled with barely concealed anger. "He probably told you what he thought of my father, too, didn't he?" His knuckles were turning white. "That he just left me and my mother, that I'm a bastard child with no father?"

Josa nodded. "Yes, he did say that." He withheld his surprise. This sudden outburst of anger was unlike what he had so far seen of the boy.

"He had no right," Riffken muttered again under his breath. "And he is wrong. My mother was a good person; she would never have fallen for him if he was not a good person, or have spoken so highly of him." He sighed. "At least I know better than that."

"You're very right. He had no right to tell me your story, or to speak of your father that way. He was wrong, and I know better than that also."

Riffken froze. He lost his grip on the bird and it fell from his hand again, hitting the hay-strewn ground with a soft thud. "You-you knew my father?"

"Knew of him, actually. I never had the chance to really meet him. But that is considering my assumption of you is correct."

Now Riffken looked confused. "What-what assumption?"

"That you are the one we are looking for. I just had to be sure of a few things. Your story fits in with whom I now believe you to be, and your name is most definitely not a human one. There were just the physical characteristics. You have the eyes, and even a common hair color. I just need to be sure of one last thing, to make sure that this isn't an unfathomable coincidence. Riffken, could you take off your bandana?"

"N-no, I'm not allowed to. Besides," he said, casting his eyes down. "I think there is something wrong with me. The way I look, it-it scares people. They say I..." He paused, taking a breath. "They say that I am like some sort of demon."

"I promise you, Riffken. I will not be afraid."

Riffken's head shot up again, his eyes filled with a combination of fear and confusion. "I told you, I can't. And I'm sorry to say, I have no reason to tell you anything."

"I will tell you everything you want to know later, I promise. But first you must do this for me. There is no time for anything else right now."

Riffken stood for a minute, not saying or doing anything. All the reasons for why he shouldn't raced through his head. But, for some reason, he trusted this stranger. "Fine," he said finally. He reached behind his head, untying the knot, and pulled the black cloth off his head. His short, lavender hair was matted down from sweat and being constantly covered. But Josa noticed his two ears, longer and thinner than a human's should be, and pointed at the tops. Josa began laughing.

"What is so funny?" Riffken asked.

"I'm sorry, nothing is funny," Josa breathed. "I am just so happy." Josa pulled off his hood then, and Riffken saw a fair, light-skinned face, eyes that were like his; only gray instead of blue; and the same oddly shaped ears that had given him so much scorn.

"Wh-what is this?" Riffken stuttered. "Who are you?"

"I am Josa. I am a member of the elfin race Rukklen. My sister and I came here to find another elf, one who had been separated from all other races. I never thought that I would find you, though."

"Why? What is so special about me?"

"Your mother was a human. But your father was an elf. He was a member of the Cristullann race, and a great warrior. He fell in love with your mother, and they had you, the only half-elf known to us. Your father died in a battle, and after that no one knew what had happened to you, or if you were even alive. That is what makes you special, Riffken."

"My father, he was a warrior?"

"Yes he was."

"How did he-how did he die?"

"I promise, Riffken, I will tell you more about this later, but right now-"

"Josa!"

He was interrupted by his sister's voice, calling frantically for him. Cattannia burst threw the barn door, with Calla flying dangerously close behind her. Her hood had fallen off as she ran, and her dark hair flew out behind her. She was panting from having run across the entire city.

"Cat! What is it?"

"Josa, we have to get out of here, there are-" She stopped when she saw Riffken staring at her with a bewildered look on his face. "So it was him, then?"

Josa nodded quickly. "Yes, it is, but what were you saying?"

"Oh! Right. Calla saw Durmshenn coming, more than we can fight, even with Tambor and Lupin on their way."

"You mean they aren't here yet?"

"No, they're still coming."

Riffken looked around, confused. "Wait, what's going on here? Who's coming? And who are these other people you're talking about?"

"The Durmshenn are demon-elves, our enemies," said Josa, "and Tambor and Lupin are our friends."

"And who is Calla?"

The hawk, which had landed on the elf-girl's shoulder, turned her gaze on Riffken. ~I am.~

Riffken fell back. "Did-did that bird just speak?'

"Yes," said Josa, "and the fact that you heard her further proves who you are. But I can't explain it to you now. We have absolutely no time. We must go now." He and Cattannia went to the door. When Riffken didn't follow, Josa turned back around. "Come on, Riffken! We really have no time!"

"You-you want me to go with you?"

"Yes! Now come on!"

Riffken jumped up, and followed them out the door. They were getting ahead of him, so he ran to catch up. That's when something grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back roughly, spinning him around.

Colin stood before him, holding his shoulder in a painful grip. "Alright, boy, where to ya think yer goin'?"

"Sir, I-"

"Skippin' on work again, ey?" Colin cut him off. "And where do ya think yer goin' without coverin' up them freakish ears of yers? I warned ya, boy." He began pulling on him. "Now c'mon, boy."

"No!"

Colin turned back on him, glaring darkly. "What did you say?"

"I-I can't. I have to go!"

He threw the boy hard on the ground. "I won't take this from you, boy!" He pulled the long whip out of his belt. "I'll beat you right here if I have to!" He raised the whip over his head. He swung it down, the metal tip on the end cutting through Riffken's shirt and slicing his arm. Riffken grimaced as Colin raised the whip to bring it down again.

"I don't think so."

Riffken, who had been cringing on the ground, preparing for a new strike, now lifted his head. Josa stood nearby, glaring coldly at Colin. Cattannia stood not far off.

Colin took a step back in surprise. "My god," he muttered. "Demons."

"Riffken is coming with us."

"What?" Colin yelled. You ain't takin' my slave, you ain't stealing my free labor!"

"Yes," said Josa calmly, "we are."

Colin ran towards Josa, his whip in the air and ready to strike. But then he stopped in his tracks, and slumped to the ground. In his neck was a small black dart. Cattannia put her blowpipe away.

They both ran over. Josa helped Riffken to his feet as Cattannia pulled the dart out of the tavern keeper's neck. He looked drowsily up at her, fear evident in his face. "You are a demon!"

"Actually, no, I'm not. They're the ones chasing us. But you really should be thanking us for leaving, because if we aren't here, they will have no reason to burn this pitiful establishment to the ground looking for us. Not that it's much good standing."

Colin groaned and closed his eyes.

"Is he-is he dead?" Riffken asked.

"No," Josa answered. "Only knocked out. As long as none of the Durmshenn find him, he will live. But let us get out of here now; we've wasted enough time already."

Josa and Cattannia bolted into the trees, and Riffken ran after, trying desperately to keep up. He ran as fast as he could, but the two elves still had to slow down so he wouldn't lose them. Again they heard the voice of the hawk.

~They are closing in on you! You won't make it out of here without a fight!~

"Oh, Hell!" Cattannia stopped running and threw off her cloak. She was wearing a tight shirt that covered the top half of her torso under a loose vest, and loose black leather pants. In her belt were two knives, her blowpipe, and a pouch filled with poison darts. She wore a small bow over her shoulder, and a quiver and a short sword were on her back. She took off her bow and pulled an arrow from its quiver.

Beside her, Josa was doing similar, except he had left his cloak on. He now held his sword forward, with a small dagger in his right hand.

Cattannia glanced at Riffken. "You ever fight in a battle before?"

Riffken shook his head. His dark face had suddenly gotten much paler, and his light blue eyes were wide with fear.

She tossed him a sheathed knife. "There's no time to learn like the present."

Fumbling, Riffken managed to catch it. He pulled off the leather sheath and looked at the knife for a moment, which was made from some strange black stone he had never seen before.

Cattannia prepared an arrow to shoot. "They're almost here."

Riffken looked around. "Where? I don't see anything."

"Don't look," said Josa. "Listen. And not with your ears, but with your heart."

"What?" Riffken asked, totally bewildered.

"Never mind!" said Cattannia. "Here they are!"

She set her arrow flying into what Riffken thought was just shadows. But then he heard a yell, and then someone fell out of the low branches of a tree several yards away. He was covered with a light armor, but Cattannia had hit him in the neck, which was one of the few exposed places. He now lay on the ground, bleeding and dying.

And then they all came out. A dozen warriors armed with swords and spears and covered with armor, coming at them from above and behind the trees. They charged them with a speed and agility that seemed amazing considering all the armor they wore. Cattannia fired her arrows again, but most missed or were knocked away. Those that hit were in no vital places. And they continued coming as if the barrage of arrows was not happening.

In no time they were on them. Cattannia dropped her bow and unsheathed her sword just in time to parry an attack. Josa was not far off, fighting two of the armed warriors at once. At first they seemed not to notice Riffken, and it was just as well, because he was standing petrified, unable to move.

But then a warrior charged at him, his sword held high, and he swung it down with the intent of splitting Riffken's head open. Riffken rolled to the right, and the steel blade just missed him. He turned just in time to see the warrior trying to hit him in the face with the flat of his sword, and ducked. The wind from it ruffled his feathery hair.

Then another warrior came from behind and tried to slice open his back with his knife. But it got caught in the layer of clothes Riffken was wearing, leaving him only with a ripped shirt. Something came over Riffken then, and suddenly he knew what to do. He whirled around, slicing his knife through the air, and cut open the warrior's wrist. He swore loudly and clutched his bleeding arm. He glared at Riffken from beneath his helm, and Riffken cried out in surprise. The eyes that looked at him were a bright, eerie yellow, and the pupils were slits, like cat eyes.

The warrior that had attacked him first came at him again, and Riffken only had time to block the sword aimed at his face with the black knife. It hit with such a force that there was a spark, and Riffken thought his arm might break. But the small knife did not break, or even crack. He was using all the power he had in his arm to push the sword away from his face, but he was getting tired. Then something hit hard him in the back of the head. His eyes bugged out, and he stayed up for a few seconds, frozen. Then he slumped to the ground. Before he fainted, he heard a long howl, and saw a gray shape go by him. And then it all went black.