Title:  The Summons
Author: Spiffy
Date: 1/11/00

Elainas ran into the tree.

Well, that's the best way to describe it.  Once she broke from the
others, she chose a large oak, ran straight into it, ... and
disappeared.

Fifty feet further into the woods, she emerged from an oak of similar
proportions.  Not pausing to catch some much needed breath, She
immediately regained her footing and began running again.

Roughly one mile and a dozen or so trees later, the Syl fell to her
knees in exhaustion.  Through a display of sheer will, she remained
conscious and began to chant - haltingly at first, and then steadier as
she slowly regained her breath.

She became aware of the animals around her gradually as the few in the
area came to her call.  Birds at first, then squirrels and other
woodland rodents, and even a few deer found there way to the tree
Elainas was leaning against.

The elf let her words die off and concentrated on visualizing her
request.  No words needed to be spoken while her spell's effect lasted,
and she doubted she would have had the strength to say them anyway.

One buck approached her - a magnificent beast by any standard, it had
the antlers and the scars to show that it had survived many a winter
when others had not.  He nodded his head and pawed the ground with a
hoof while he gave their reply - the creatures of the forest would
help, for the sake of a Syl and the sake of the Chosen of Earth.

And then they were gone - some to seek out the 6th army, some to gather
others.

Elainas' last thoughts before she lapsed into unconsciousness were a
prayer that she was not already too late, and the curious notion that
she had never told them about the Chosen of Earth.

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-----------------=Aaron "Spiffy" Smith=-----------------
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---------------=LONG LIVE THE MACINTOSH!=---------------