Each elf uses their mind and their intelligence differently. To reflect this, each elf has a better or worse ability with certain typical skills. This is not the ONLY bunch of skills available to any elf, there can always be something more that only that elf has. Mental skills involve a lot of examination, information gathering, and communicating.
Language Memory
This is a skill which only those elves that have been BROUGHT TO the Otherforest have. Elf children born TO people do not and CANNOT have this skill. It reflects the amount of information which the elf remembers about Earth. Some elves remember tons of things, while others nothing at all. The less an elf remembers, the more "elf" they really are.
LORES
These skills are all ones which are used to determine things about a substance, event or group.
Animal Lore
Used to identify animals, their habitat and their nature. Knowing the names of animals is one thing, knowing where they spend their winters, what kinds of berries they eat and how many young they have is another! This skill is very useful for hunters, to determine the tracks they're following, or to see if the animal is injured (if they do not have a magic power for that). For elves living on the coast or islands, they can specify "sea animal lore".
Elf Lore
This is traditional gossip! Who is mated to whom, which kids belong to what family, who lives where, and who has slapped whom at the last Howl. More than that, though, it also reflects how well a person can relate to other elves, judge their character and sense if they are telling the truth about something.
Healing Lore
Treating injuries and illnesses without using magic. Includes but is not limited to (and can have sub-skills of) Herbalism -- the knowledge of how to use specific plants; Bandages; Breaks; Manias; Remedies; where to find the right part on someone to fix them, accupressure, setting bones, massage, etc. This is closer to the traditional "doctor" and "nurse" on Earth, since they have no magic they use these skills.
Mechanical Lore
The ability to make simple or complex objects out of different parts. Assembling a small flying device would require a lot of this skill. Making a paper airplane would require even more -- they'd have to make paper first (assuming they are not a plant shaper!). This skill is useful for groups who harvest or have contact with the Ice Traders, as they are far more technologically advanced than the elves, since they rely upon this skill instead of magic to do things.
Mineral Lore
This is the ability which people without rock shaping magic use to find ores, estimate values of gems, and make things out of metal. Not every metal smith is a stone shaper! Some of them use a forge and anvil the old fashioned way! This lore will allow the elf to detect some of the same things that the Power does, only they must be able to view and touch the item or area.
Plant Lore
Similar to the Power of plant sense, this lore tells the elf the names of plants, their uses, where they grow and the like. How to use a plant for one type of thing, and not another. Which berries are poisonous before cooking, and which won't kill you. Most elves are very good at this skill.
World Lore
This skill is required if an elf wants to travel sensibly. They must know where to go, how to get there, and when to head out. This also shows the elf who to speak to if they're in unfamiliar territory, what landmarks they will be looking for, and a little of the history of the areas around them as well.
Communication
A very important skill when placed in a position of importance. Elves communicate with words, but also with their minds, their body language, and even sometimes they leave 'scent marks' or other records of their passing through, like their wolves. Communication is a skill used to barter for goods (though there is a specific skill for that too) and also to tell stories (and there is a specific one for that too!).
Animal/Wolf Communication
In order to understand animals or wolves without being specifically bonded to one, or have a power for it, this skill is used. It can tell the elf what that howl means, or which animal left this warning sign on a tree branch. Listening to bird calls all day will tell them which nests have eggs and who sired them, whose territory they are in. Any animal can be listened or watched, but this skill allows the user to actually understand more about the specifics of their calls or actions.
Other Mental Skills
There are a huge variety of other skills which not everyone always has. Each elf might never learn them, or become quite good at one but not another.
Barter
This skill is great for traders, especially for those who live near another intelligent race. With it, a good value for their own items can be established, or even bad ones can be foisted off as better than their true worth. This is one of the few skills which will work on ANY race, regardless of language!
Games
Many different games are played by elves, though few of them are masters at any. This skill can be used to specialize in card-type games, strategy or puzzles, or any other mental game. It is particularly useful for those elves with the mind-snare power, allowing them to construct more intricate mazes or scenarios before they test them on their friends. Most elves who play card games make their own cards, and might also Gamble for items.
Languages
There are only a couple other languages around the world, but if an elf lives near another species, they might want to learn to speak or communicate with them. Ice Traders have the more complex of the languages around, and in fact have dialects too. Urai, the Hive, and the Deer Folk speak but they also use mental communication and are therefore easier to speak with. The Avi sing their songs, and will only communicate when they completely trust their company.
Storytelling
This skill is beyond the basic communication score, it allows an elf to weave a story for a group and actually have it make sense. Successful storytelling combines words, actions, mental powers and sometimes even natural powers together to create a memorable event.
Written Language
Most elves are NOT literate. They don't need to read and write, they've got everything they need right around them, and they do find ways of chronicling their events. However, around the world are several camps of literate elves. Each actually has a different alphabet or series of symbols for what they write, but nearly every one of them knows the other forms. Talon's is the most widely used, followed by Starshine, Archive and Corona's. They roughly correspond to the different locales of the world (East, north, west and southwest).
Art
Many elves have an artistic talent. This crosses over into Physical skills, but artistic expression can also be said to be a mental skill. More about it in the Physical skill section.
More mental skills can be created as needed, but they should all be largely in the 'head' of the elf. Skills which require almost purely physical work qualify under that type.