With the way they are still conscious after having their limbs cut off, I am surprised they aren't going all black knight here. " 'Tis but a scratch" and all that.
I wonder if those elder elves really do have everything under control and plenty of reinforcements. Maybe they don't and needed to sort this out quickly. Losing to outsiders might erode their power over the whole elven people of that forest. It's hard to imagine most people really would consider them the leaders out of respect. What's there to respect when they are such scumbags?