The others came riding up behind, and the little creature Arutha had trapped cried piteously. Baru pulled up alongside the Prince and said, “As soon as you charged, these others fled after you.”
The riders could see that the gathered creatures were abandoning their mock fury and their expressions were now concerned. They chattered to one another in what sounded like words.
Arutha put away his sword. “We will not hurt you.”
As if they understood, the creatures quieted. The one who was trapped watched guardedly.
Jimmy said, “What are they?”
Martin said, “I don’t know. Man and boy I’ve hunted these woods and I’ve never seen their like.”
“They are gwali, Martin Longbow.”
The riders turned in their saddles and were greeted by the sight of a company of five elves. One of the creatures raced to stand before the elves. He pointed an indicating finger toward the riders. In a singsong voice he said, “Calin, mans come. Hurt Ralala. Make stop hurt her.”
Martin left his horse. “Well met, Calin!” He and the elf embraced, and the other elves greeted him in turn. Then Martin led them to where his companions waited and said, “Calin, you remember my brother.”
“Greetings, Prince of Krondor.”
“Greetings, Elf Prince.” He cast a sidelong glance at the surrounding gwali. “You save us from being overwhelmed.”
Calin smiled. “I doubt it. You look a capable company.” He came up to Arutha. “It has been a while since we last spoke. What brings you to our forests, Arutha, and with so strange an entourage? Where are your guardsmen and banners?”
“That is a long tale, Calin, and one I wish to share with your mother and Tomas.”
Calin agreed. To an elf patience was a way of life.
With the tension broken, the gwali cornered by Arutha broke and ran to join the others of her kind, who stood around watching. Several examined her, grooming her hairy hide, patting her reassuringly after her ordeal. Satisfied she was unharmed, they quieted down and watched the elves and humans. Martin said, “Calin, what are these creatures?”
Calin laughed, his pale blue eyes crinkling at the corners. He stood as tall as Arutha but was even more slender than the rangy Prince. “As I have said, they are called gwali. This rascal is named Apalla.” He patted the head of the one who had spoken to him. “He is something of a leader among them, though I doubt they really entertain the concept. It may be he is simply more talkative than the others.” Looking at the rest of Arutha’s company, he said, “Who are these with you?”
Arutha made introductions and Calin said, “You are welcome to Elvandar.”
“What is a gwali?” asked Roald.
Calin said, “These are, and that is the best answer I can give. They have lived with us before, though this is their first visit in a generation. They are simple folk, without guile. They are shy and tend to avoid strangers. When afraid, they will run unless they are cornered, then they will feign attack. But don’t be misled by those ample teeth; they re for tough nuts and insect carapaces.” He turned his attention to Apalla. “Why did you try to scare these men?”
The gwali jumped up and down excitedly. “Powula make little gwali.” He grinned. “She don’t move. We afraid mans hurt Powula and little gwali.”
“They are protective of their young,” said Calin in understanding. “Had you actually tried to hurt Powula and the baby, they would have risked attacking you. Had there been no birthing, you never would have seen them.” He said to Apalla, “It is all right. These men are friends. They will not hurt Powula or her baby.”
Hearing this, the other gwali came pouring out from the protecting trees and began examining the strangers with open curiosity. They tugged at the riders’ clothing, which was quite different from the green tunics and brown trousers the elves wore. Arutha suffered the examination for only a minute, then said, “We should get to your mother’s court soon, Calin. If your friends are finished?”
“Please,” said Jimmy, his nose wrinkling as he pushed away a gwali who hung from a branch next to him. “Don’t they ever bathe?”
“Unfortunately, no,” answered Calin. He said to the gwali, “That’s enough, we must go.” The gwali accepted the instruction with good grace and quickly vanished among the trees, except Apalla, who seemed more assertive than the rest. “They will continue that sort of thing all day if you allow them to, but they don’t mind when you shoo them off. Come.” He told Apalla, “We go to Elvandar. Tend to Powula. Come when you will.”
The gwali grinned and nodded vigorously, then scampered off after his brethren. In a moment there was no hint that a gwali existed within miles.