By Sharon Go (c) 2001

FlameDancer is second born to mother Littlefeet, and Father Shadowstalkers. Her parents were lifemates, and a fine huning, and tracking team. Her brother, Daggersharp was a tribal carver, and delighted to have a younger sibling. He spoiled her terribly; making her toys, musical instruments. 
When FlameDancer showed an interest in herbalism and tanning, Daggersharp made her a set of wooden bowls. Flame approached Huntingleaf, the tribal herbalist and asked to become her apprentice. Huntingleaf accepted the young elf. She trained for several years before seeking out one of the tribal tanners, Lovetalker. He was a few years younger than herself and had a great sense of humor and fine appreciation of the female form. He was charming in a quiet way. He started teaching Flame the art of working the hide, making dyes and using them. They became very close. He was her best friend, and her first lover. Though they were close, they shared furs, but never lifemated.
Flame's shyness made it hard to for others to get to know her. She had few lovers (fur partners) in her lifetime. Those she choose tended to be good friends whom she felt comfortable with. She was delighted when Huntingleaf and Lovetalker recognized. Both of them fought it, Huntingfleaf because she felt Lovetalker was too young; and Lovetalker found a rebellious side of himself. When both surrendered to the recognition, they found themselves falling in love. The soon lifemated. They were expecting their first cub around the time Daggersharp recognized Snowbear.
Though Snowbear had just joined the holt, her skill for hunting made her a valuable member of the tribe. Daggersharp had been away for sometime looking for special wood for a special project. When he returned, he came face to face with Snowbear for the first time. Something happened when their eyes met. Whatever it was, Dagger got a comically dumbstruck expression which was matched by Snowbear's. Flame was very happy for her brother, who seemed to be falling in love with Snowbear. Snowbear seemed to be very nice, and fitted in well with the family.
When Flame was just entering her twenties, Littlefeet and Shadowstalker announced they were expecting the birth of her third child, a daughter. Flame could have danced in joy when she heard the news. Though she lvoed her brother, he had recognized and had his own life. She missed the closeness they'd once had. Daggersharp was also delighted, and took out his special wood and began carving a figure of a female elf mounted on a wolf, who's head was raised in a silent howl to the moon. He worked on the figure during his mother's pregnancy, finishing it merely a week before his new sister was born. Littlefoot gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She had the sweetest smile Flame had ever seen..

FlameDancer had never had a close wolf-bond. She had been adopted by young, and adult wolves who had lost their elf friends. Her most recent wolf friend, Graywind who had sung for over thirty years had passed on. She had loaded his body on a litter and gone into the woods to lay him to rest at the foot of a tree in his favorite clearing. She raised her head and let forth a howl of grief and turned to leave, letting Graywind return to the great circle of life. She returned to camp. The closer she got, she felt a faint tugging to her heart and mind. She sensed a discordant soft wolfsong. As she approached the call of the song became stronger. As she entered the holt proper, she saw a very small group waiting outside a den. She learned that one of the wolves had welped. She stood outside with the group. A male wolf walked out and indicated the elves were welcome to enter. Aa though spellbound, Flame followed at the rear of the group. The wolfsong seemed to be a little louder, and the tug to her mind lessened. The she-wolf looked up at the group and turned her attention to her newborn cubs. The elf friend greeted us, and invited us to meet the pups individually. There were three males, and one small female cub. The little female seemed friendly toward the elves, but soon turned back to her mother. Finally FlameDancer knelt beside the newborns. The little female looked up, into Flame's eyes. As she looked into the tiny cub's topaz eyes, something inside her sparked. The wolfsong got louder, and she felt something inside her own heart and mind touch something in the cub's. For the first time in her life, she had made a close, strong bond with a wolf. The wolfsong inside her own soul rose to harmonize with the tiny female's. She then waited eagerly for her newfound friend to be weaned, and come to her.

The wolf cub was in time weaned. Her cubname was Silver-ruff. One day FlameDancer was heating some ( I need to know what SF's colors are so I can change what was heating to create the desired color...) black magnaege (sp) with bear tallow to make a black dye for a leather hide for her sibling Sweetflute Silver, ever curious, had to find out what was brewing. She reached her nose out to the snake-nose skull bowl . The bowl overbalanced spilling on Silver's nose. Silver jumped back and raised her head in a yelp of pain. The hot mixture ran down her nose, between her ears to cool as it ran down her neck. The fur on her face and between her ears was burned away. Fortunately the thickness of the fur protected the underlying skin from being more than slightly heated. Silver healed slowly, the fur grew back along the burn site a finer texture, and a light silvery-gray color. The cub had earned her adult name of Silverstreak.

FlameDancer became aware of the rising tension between the chief and his brother. Though survival depended upon a strong leader, and challenges were just part of the Way; the disharmony between the tribe members frightened her. When the humans infringed on the holt's grounds the shortages in space, and being forced into hiding increased the tension. Flame was worried about the future, the now was becoming too scary for her. Flame and Silverstreak took to sneaking out of camp to gather roots, minerals and herbs for medicinal needs. She was returning from one such trip when she received a panicked send from the camp. The humans were attacking. She mounted Streak and the headed back to camp at full speed. She arrived to find her parents fighting a losing batter. She same them go down, side by side, and lay still. Somehow she knew they would never rise again. She readied her spear, and bade Streak to charge the humans who had just killed her parents. She was lost in the lust for blood, and revenge. Streak's own battlelust flooded her, and she lost all caution. She felt a sudden pain, and darkness fell over her.

The next thing she knew, Streak was licking her cheek and whining. Flame opened her eyes and whimpered in pain. She looked aorund under half closed lids. There were bodies of humans, her parents, and other elves. The sounds of battle had moved away. Flame sat up and realized that she was near her den. She knew she would have to escape to find her siblings. She slowly, and painfully rose to her feet. Streak had blood on her back, neck and sides. :Are you all right, Streak?::Yes. We must hurry. More enemy come.:She nodded and tottered to her den and bundled the flute and bowls Daggersharp had made for her. She was able to fit a few items of clothing into the bundle. She went to Streak and shakily crawled upon her back. The pain in her head was pounding at Flame's awareness. She took a death grip on Streak's ruff.