Faren and Wyld

Back before the cataclysm, when the Elves had first awakened in the world, they had wings upon their backs and could soar as birds. But in soaring above Erenth, they soon felt hunger for the first time. 

There were two among them, Faen and Faren by name. When their hunger turned to pain, the two agreed, saying, “Let us go out and discover what will satisfy that which gnaws at us. We shall meet back here with whatsoever we discover and share it among our people.” 

Thus, Faen flew toward the rising sun and Faren had flown toward the sea.

When Faen had traveled some distance away he grew weak for his effort and lit beside a tree. There he witnessed an owl feeding. In its talons was a rabbit caught and the owl was eating of its flesh. So Faen drove off the owl and ate of the rabbit. Whereupon he found that his hunger was diminished. When he saw a raven tearing at the flesh of a squirrel, he drove it likewise off and took and ate. Then his hunger was no more and seeing that world was full of such creatures, straightaway, he returned to his people.

Faren, meanwhile, had gone away toward the sea and when he had traveled some distance away espied geese eating from the eel grass. Joining them in their supper, he ate of that grass and found his hunger diminished. Later he saw doves eating grains which had grown wild on the stem. So he gathered and ate of those grains until his hunger was no more. Then he gathered grains again until the darkness descended and he returned to his people with his hands full.

When he was joined again to them, Faren discovered that his Faen had returned before him. In his absence all the Elves had learned to eat that which had been slain, and Faren was dismayed. He was made sick by the sight of blood on their faces and the smell of death on their hands. 

Then Faren called out and offered the Elves the grains which he had gathered, though they were yet meager. At seeing this offering, some of them were ashamed, but others were in no way contrite. These latter said, “Why should we bend to the stem and coax from the soil? Why should we work until darkness for our supper? All we have need of may be slain and eaten at once!"

Then many strong words passed between Faren and Faen, but most of the Elves ridiculed the cause of Faren and joined themselves to the cause of Faen. So Faren purposed to go his own way and to live apart from those who killed for meat. While Faen and those who stood by him were glad for his departure.

In time, Faen would repent of his words and seek his brother. He took fire from the bowl of a valley and used it to light beacons so that Faren might follow them and find his way home. The beacons remained lit for many seasons and when they burned low, the Elves kept them piled high with wood and pitch so that they would be kindled again and would be seen by all the world below. 

For many long years the other people of Erenth oft saw the beacons of Faen and wondered at their purpose, but because they were too high for those without wings, they contented themselves with their imaginings. And Faren, too, saw the beacons of Faen and did not, at first, heed them. Rather he took them to be the places he would most avoid. Thus Faren was alone in the world among his kind, and he wandered far with great sorrow. 

When he came at last to a distant wood, Faren found a spirit therein and was alone no longer. Wyld he called it and it was untamed from the beginning. But Faren took Wyld to spouse and had offspring thereby and these were the three called Fae and the twins: Falth and Feere. Much mischief has come of them and their kin.