The Isle: Arrowrock

Few elves in the Isle have had more names than Arrowrock. But, then, few have lived as drastically many lives as has this elf. Named Goldenrod by his parents, the lad grew up as arrogant as he was tall. A skilled hunter and archer, he was able to outshoot, outrun, outfight, and -- at least in his own opinion -- outlove every other lad in the Isle. His flaunting of his abilities (and the boastful name he chose), did not endear Tallrunner either to his peers, or to the Elders. The latter would have preferred that he pay less attention to pleasures and more attention to learning to use his considerable potential for magic.

But pride in his own abilities, and carelessness, led to his downfall. Captured by the humans who also slew his older brother, Tallrunner was believed dead, his spirit fled to the Palace. Mourned by few, quickly forgotten by most, he became little more than an object lesson.

Centuries later, two elves were kidnapped during an unexpected raid on the Valley. When it was realized that they were still alive, being tortured for what they knew, the Isle staged a rescue. But three elves were rescued, not two. Not even Farseeker--who had 'found' the elvin spirit in the Void and thereby learned of the captives' status--knew who the hideously-mutilated and crippled elf was. But a soul-brother, who had once--against all disbelief--insisted that his closest friend was still alive--realized the truth. Shattered in spirit, body and mind by his torturous captivity, Rilharyn lived.

But it was life as a being who had forgotten who and what he was, who remembered nothing but pain and terror, who had come to accept the human definition of what he was--an evil sky-demon, hated by the gods, deserving of every torment, doomed to live until the last of his kind were destroyed. Named Found by Farseeker, he healed but slowly, in part because the young Healer, Moonlight, could barely stand to touch him. When the humans invaded the Valley in an all-out effort to destroy the 'sky-demons', Tinar insisted that Found use his self-discovered ability to walk free of his body, even though Found had little more understanding of his duties than a very young, terrified child.

Matters eased after the Years of Sorrow. More comfortable with children than with adults, Found was drawn to the six agemates born from the Night of Remembrance. Unwilling to remember his past, Found gradually became accepted as an extremely shy and timid assistant to Farseeker, mostly ignored by the shore-going elves.

Memories did not stay forgotten, however. Memories of a first joining welled upward, and a confused Found turned to a nearby friend for help. By ironic fate, this friend, Dawnflower, was at the time love-mated to an elf who had once been Rilharyn's bitterest enemy. Events trigger an abrupt return of all his memories, threatening near-insanity as the elf struggles to integrate disparate personalities into a single whole.

As always, Firefox, now Redclaw, stands with and supports his soul-brother--a support that goes both ways. Riven by the loss of mate and daughter, Redclaw lives as much for the sake of his soul-brother as for any other reason. And he is not unable to take joy and comfort in Arrowrock's young daughter, Moth. But when truce is made with the humans, the ancient soul-bond threatens to tear asunder under their irreconcilable beliefs on what should be done.