Maus Tallpine grew up in the village of Neeth Serine. The elves of the Neeth had existed peacefully for millennia. The clan took care of the forests to prevent the spread of disease and maintain a balanced predator population. Until the land of their ancestors became a battleground between the high elves and the humans, that is.

The Serine clan had kept peaceful relations with both their neighbors, trading furs and handmade trinkets to humans and elves alike. Maus had watched as her father, a prosperous merchant, negotiated fair prices and traded goods among groups of many cultures. The girl sat in the shadows as her father traded stories along with his wares. How many of those stories were true, Maus did not know.

The young wood elf differed from her parents. Where her father was outgoing and gregarious, Maus was shy and kept to herself. Her mother tried to draw her out, but the girl was always more at home tending to the family’s small farm. She spent hours talking with the goats and chickens about life. When she joined the rest of the village in festivities, she kept on the fringes, watching more than participating.

On the night of her 117th Harvest Moon, war entered the village.

Unbeknownst to the village leaders, hostilities had broken out between the humans and high elves in the previous weeks. The news reached the Neeth as the villagers were setting out the annual harvest feast. Couriers brought news of high-profile assassinations to both the Elven and human commanders at nearly the same time.

When Maus’s parents realized what was going on, they intervened to calm the situation, even if only temporarily. Neither side was having any of their negotiations. The girl could not say who struck the first blow, but her parents were the first to fall.

In her anguish, Maus blasted a thunderclap at the leaders of the fighting, causing them to stumble and fall on each other’s swords. A fitting end to the bickering in her eyes. For a moment, the squabbling stopped, then all eyes turned in her direction. She stared back. She cradled her parents’ still forms in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. That was when all hell broke loose.
The human commander jerked her to her feet, signaling his guards to bind her.

“Murderer!” he screamed at the girl. “You will hang for this!”

“No,” came a quiet voice from behind the man. “She will face Elven justice for this atrocity.”

The guards dropped the young elf to the ground as they drew their weapons to face the Elven commander.

Maus looked at the scene, said a silent goodbye to the spirits of her mother and father, and slipped into the darkness.