Walking beside her, holding a mage-light to show the way and engaged in easy conversation with her, was Firesong.
Wintermoon held up his hand, and they stopped long enough to dismount.
The dyheli walked off, into the side of the Vale, where the Clan kept grazing and water for their kind. Firesong stepped back to allow Skif to aid Nyara from her mount, but then he fell in beside them, still deeply in conversation with both of them. Still more than a little stunned, Darkwind took his place beside his brother. Wintermoon thanked his mount and sent the stag on his way with a pat on the withers. Cymry walked ahead, but Darkwind had no doubt that she was following every word of Firesong's conversation.
'Who in the name of all gods is that?' Wintermoon asked, after hearty greetings between the two brothers.
'Firesong k'treva. Healing Adept. The Council let us send for help,' Darkwind replied. 'He's-'
'Impressed by himself,' Wintermoon completed. 'But I'd guess that he must be something very special.' He shook his head. 'Brother, so much has happened to us since dawn this morning that I do not know where to begin.'
'Then let me,' Darkwind suggested. 'After the last time you came in, Elspeth and I were permitted to call for aid. Firesong is what we received. He was more than we expected. And yes-he is of such power and ability that this arrogance of his is little more than pardonable pride, and almost a game to him.' .
Wintermoon only snorted. 'Perhaps. I would like to see him in a situation where his pretty face means nothing, and he only frightens with his power. Take away the things he was born with, and I will be prepared to admire his accomplishments. But then, I am a crude man.
Magic has never much impressed me.' Darkwind came so close to laughing that he choked, and gave his brother a quick embrace. 'Nevertheless, he has been training me and the Outlanders.'
'He has been training you, between attempting to impress the Outlander-'
' How am I to finish this tale?' Darkwind chided, then sobered.
'Listen, there were ill things happened here, today. We were to attempt something small upon the Stone- when-'
'When Falconsbane raised his ugly head and attempted to foul the Vale,' Wintermoon interrupted. 'Do not fear to alarm me. That much we knew. Nyara felt the taint of her father, as did the Companion, and the sword knew where and that there had been a death. She said she did not think it was someone she knew. Whose death, then?'
'Tre'valen, the Shin'a'in shaman,' Darkwind said, sorrow rising in him again. Wintermoon's eyes went wide with surprise. 'He-the beast struck at our father, Wintermoon. Firesong shielded the Stone-no, do not interrupt me this time-had he not, none of us would be here to greet you. You would have returned to a smoking hole, and that I pledge you. I could do nothing, nor Elspeth; we were not quick enough.'
'But-Father obviously lives-was it Tre'valen that shielded him, then?' Wintermoon shook his head, amazed. 'Surely though he is-wasa shaman, he could not have protected Father against the beast in his wrath!' Darkwind nodded at everything his brother said, and was no little amazed at how much Wintermoon guessed correctly. 'Firesong thinks that he was not alone-that it was he and-and Dawnfire together who shielded Father.' Now it was Darkwind's turn to shake his head. 'He does not know what happened to them, besides that Tre'valen is dead.
I do not know what all this means. But there will be a little time to try to find meanings later. What is your tale?'
'Simple, compared to yours.' Wintermoon took off his coat and slung it over one shoulder. 'I had struck signs of Nyara's presence and narrowed the search. I thought that we were within a day, perhaps two, of finding her. But instead, I woke to find her seated quite calmly in the midst of our camp.'
'oh, so?' He raised an eyebrow at that.
'The sword advised her to seek us out. Well, to seek Skif out, is closer to the truth. It was he that her eyes were upon, and it was he she wished to speak to, so I woke him. There was much sighing and exchanging of speaking looks.' Wintermoon smiled, a smile tinged with sadness. 'I would be laughing if there were not so many things now that would make a laugh so greatly out of place. It was quite charming.
A meeting out of a silly ballad, Darkwind, I could almost hear a harp aplaying.
Skif would not thank me for telling you that. Well, I think I can safely say that the two are fairly smitten, absence from each other has only made the bond stronger, and that if I were a betting man, I would bet on them pairing as eagles. A true lovebond.' Darkwind considered the two; considered what he and Elspeth had spoken of. 'I would not bet against you, but there are many obstacles in their way.' Not the least of which is her father-and what he will do to her if he finds her.
'They know that. Which makes it-well-a better pairing, for my thinking. They know what they face, and face it together.' Wintermoon gazed at the backs of those in front of him and smiled again. 'A good thing, to see some love in the midst of so much pain. But I should continue. Once we had gotten past the sighing and the looking and into the speaking, she would, I think, have spoken of those obstacles. But then came the attack upon the Vale.' Wintermoon rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. 'We decided to return. She determined to go with us, saying there was much she could tell us to aid against her father.
I was not certain then of the wisdom of this, for she could be a breach in our defenses.'
'Not with Need beside her,' Darkwind said firmly. 'I have spoken to Elspeth of the blade. Although she is not an Adept as we know them, she is very powerful, and has knowledge we do not.' Wintermoon nodded. 'It did seem to me that Nyara was less feral and more human, but I only saw her once, and I thought I might have misremembered. Perhaps the sword is even able to change her. I knew, danger or no, that she must come here long enough to be given some kind of protection. If you have so powerful an Adept here, perhaps he can weave shieldings for her that will protect her. We cached the packs to make more speed, and returned as quickly as we could.'
'When you arrived, was Firesong still at the entrance to the Vale?' Darkwind could not resist asking.
'That he was; quiet as an ice-statue, though he came to life quickly enough when he saw us.' Wintermoon raised his eyebrows. '-'And that bird of his. It lit our way in. Is he always such a showman?' Darkwind shrugged. 'I cannot see how he could be anything less. I think it is part of his nature. But tell me, what did he make of the
