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The Elf emerges from the Witch's home and lets out a mighty rush of pent-up breath. Gaea help me, he thinks -- if that was "foreplay" then I'm a Dead Elf if it ever goes all the way! He reaches up to touch his lips, but then decides not to -- that would defile them. He stands in the street, pants, wills his face to lose the red color. After a while, he feels somewhat in control. He looks at the sky. The sun is low. Time to get back home.

It's already dark as he returns to the pack cave to find everyone gathered in the main room.

"Took you long enough!" teases his young sister. "Bet you didn't even get everything, did you?"

Without a word, the Elf hands her the small bag that the Witch gave him. She takes it with a sceptical look and opens it. Her breath catches. She reaches in and pulls out the contents. "Ohhhhhh, they're beautiful!" she gushes, holding up the undergarments and turning them this way and that. "Thank you, Little Brother!" and kisses his cheek. Under normal conditions, he would blush, but after all he's been through today, it fails to embarrass him.

"Thanks for the weapon pickup!" says his older sister. She gives him a hug with her left arm while her right holds onto the wrapped Whatever-It-Is.

Leader examines the envelope and the Elf has the distinct impression that Leader can actually read the strange characters. Leader puts the letter inside his tunic for later.

"Shamaness, Moon said she needs about 10 days for the necklace repair. She's a bit swamped."

"No problem, Pup, thanks."

"Hey, Pup! What about me, then?" asks Keeper.

The Elf closes his eyes and sighs mightily. He's been dreading this one. Actually, he's been waiting for the others to leave the room. But they show absolutely no sign that they will. In fact, Keeper's question seems to have made them curious and they all look at the Elf expectantly.

"Uhm, Keeper, could we do that, uh, later, please?"

Keeper wears the expression of a little kid who's been told that he can have a cookie -- later.

"Well, did you deliver my letter?"

The Elf nods.

"And...?"

The Elf blinks.

"Well, what did she say, Pup? Come on, you're killing me here," he chuckles. His two sisters snicker. Leader and Shamaness simply smile, enjoying the show.

"Didn't she have a message for me, Pup?" Keeper looks really disappointed now.

At the word "message", the Elf seems to remember something. With a heavy sigh, he asks, "Keeper, do you want me to deliver her message to you right here, right now?"

Keeper blinks. "Well ... yeah!"

The Elf purses his lips together, glances around at the other pack members and then back at Keeper. He swallows nervously. "By your command." He takes a deep breath. His eyes roll upward. When he brings them back down, there is ... a change ... that affects the entire atmosphere of the room. The Elf is still there ... but something else is, too.

Lightning fast, the Elf swings out and strikes Keeper on the cheek with an open hand. Hard. The >>>CRACK<<< makes the whole room jump. Mouths fall open.

"BASTARD!" snaps the Elf -- except it's not his voice, but the Witch's.

Again the Witch-Elf swings, this time striking Keeper's other cheek just as hard. Then he punches Keeper in the solar plexus. His aim is true, his strike is hard and Keeper goes down.

The shock is so complete that nobody moves. All simply stare at the incredible scene.

Keeper's on the floor, gasping. The Elf and the Power Working Through Him stands over him and sneers. Again, the Witch's voice rings out. "Now you listen to me, you pathetic little worm! Do you have any idea what you did to me? Well, I'll tell you! Worm! The spring festival! You remember it, don't you, you puke, you vomitous piece of shit?"

Keeper coughs and gasps. He manages a nod.

"You said you were just going to the bar to get some peach juice!" The Elf/Witch sneers. "Stupid, mangy wolfie can't have any alcohol, can he? Corrupts and defiles, doesn't it? Has to drink his ... peeeeeach juice! And so I waited and waited. Did you come back? No! I had to go look for you! And where did I find you? Speak, Shit-for-Brains!"

Keeper coughs again and gasps, "The elm tree."

"Ah yeeeessssssss! The beautiful elm tree at the edge of the festival grounds." Elf/Witch clasps his/her hands together and the face takes on a dreamy look. "Such a romantic spot, wasn't it?" The face darkens. "FOR YOU AND FOR HER, YOU LIMP-DICK METIS!"

The Elf/Witch pulls a leg back to kick Keeper, who cringes and then relaxes as the kick doesn't arrive. And in that moment, it does arrive. Keeper yelps. But truth be told, the "metis" hurts far more than the kick, for it describes the offspring of the forbidden love between Garou, a child with some defect. By using "limp dick" in connection with "metis", the Witch describes where she considers Keeper's defect to be.

"And I caused a scene, right? I went waaaaaay overboard, didn't I? I grabbed her by the hair and pulled her away from you. I slapped her around. Oh! And I put a curse on her that made her turn ugly, right? Wrinkles, warts, gray skin? Sent the pooooor, little, innocent thing running away screaming, didn't I? Jealousy is one thing, but I was way out of line, wasn't I? Over the top? Went too far, right? Abused my powers for personal revenge, didn't I? ISN'T THAT THE BULLSHIT YOU THREW AT ME?!"

Keeper manages to reach his knees, panting. "Yes," he whispers.

"Ohhhhh, YES!" sneers the Witch/Elf. "You were sooooo upset, weren't you? I couldn't explain! You wouldn't let me! I couldn't get a word in on you, could I, you foolish, stupid, ARSEHOLE?! You just kept going on and on with that self-righteous tirade about my horrible conduct! GAGH! You stupid -- moronic -- imbecilic -- complete and total ... SHIT-FOR-BRAINS IDIOT!!!"

The spectators are no longer gaping. They have their hands over their mouths, trying to hold in their laughter, lest they distract from the scene still playing out. The Elf's young sister doesn't quite make it and loudly cackles.

"Oooohhhhhhh, but you found out later, didn't you, Worm?"

Keeper nods, still clutching his chest. "Yes," he gasps.

"SAY IT!"

Keeper finally regains his feet, if a bit unsteadily. "That she was a ... a succubus--"

Everyone blinks.

"--that she was about to drain my life force when you found us. You saved me. And she turned ugly because you broke the illusion, not because you cursed her. You revealed her for what she was. You chased her away. I am sorry. I should have trusted you. I'll never doubt you again. Thank you."

Now the Elf/Witch relaxes and nods. "Yes. So much you wrote in your letter, which this Elf--" pointing to him/herself "-- was kind enough to deliver to me." The voice softens and the Elf/Witch smiles. "And so much more."

The Elf/Witch suddenly swings out again and Keeper flinches. But the hand goes behind his neck and pulls him into a kiss.

Eyes pop. "Oh, Good Gaea!" gasps Older Sister, while Younger simply gapes. Leader's mouth stretches into a disbelieving smile. Shamaness involuntarily makes a blessing to ward off evil.

The kiss breaks. As it does, whatever Power was in the Elf departs. Realizing what happened, the Elf quickly breaks away from Keeper, spits and wipes his mouth savagely. Leader, Shamaness and his sisters, finally able to release their pent-up emotions, roll on the floor, laughing until tears come. Keeper just stands there, an angelic smile on his face, eyes far away.

The Elf decides that he's fulfilled his tasks for this day -- above and beyond any reasonable call of duty -- and hastily retreats to the relative serenity of his room. Behind him, the laughter continues and Keeper lets loose a howl of pure joy.