The next day came early for the group; they awoke just as the sun began to pour its light over the land, the red-gold orb barely visible to them. Sykes, who had not relieved anyone during the night, had been the one to wake them, eliciting quite a scolding from Yin. "Mother, you cannot be doing this at your age," she hissed. Sykes' eyes had crinkled softly, not hiding the brightness within. "When you come to be my age, you can take a few liberties. This is one of mine. I love the night, my dear, and no one can take that love out of me in an instant," she replied softly, hunching close to her pallet. "I don't want to have to rescue you today when you fall out of the saddle," she said matter-of-factly. "Hah! I'm probably twice as rested as you are, girl!" "What makes you say that?" "Well," and now her eyes twinkled merrily, "I'm not the one still lying in bed, am I?" Yin sighed and rolled her eyes. She was right. "I'm up, Mother," she said, emphasizing the word. Sykes merely smiled, and moved on. When Yin emerged from the forest, she found Lo and Sarai around the fire, warming their chilled hands. She joined them quietly, slipping beside Lo to crouch low and bathe her hands in heat. "Morning, Yin," Lo said gently. "Morning Lo, Sarai," she replied quietly, eyes on the coals. The small flames danced before her eyes, beautiful in such a dangerous way, attracting and repulsing her at the same time. She had vivid memories of her family's own bonfires: when her sister and brothers had been born, when there was a secret holiday to celebrate, when a person from the Council visited, after inductions and marriages. They'd always been joyful and gay times that she loved dearly, even during the noche times, when all she could feel in her heart was pain. She glanced up at Lo and noted his own clouded eyes, as if he could see the past in the fire as well. "Oh...not so early in the morning, please?" Sarai whimpered. "I just woke up." She gazed at the girl frankly. "Pardon us for remembering," she said. "No...no, its not that...but...oh, forget it," Sarai replied, ending on a dramatic sigh. "Just forget it." "Your shields need work, Sarai," Aerin said, and the girl jumped a foot. Even Yin was mildly surprised; she'd appeared beside Lo with no sound, no identifying breath trying to synch in with everyone elses. Come on, she's a villager; woodcraft is second nature to them! she thought. However, that was just creepy. Vindication came a moment later, though, when she held up a clear stone. "Apparently, this helps render invisibility. Nifty, huh?" "Do all stones work by their colors?" she asked. "I'm not sure...I just always know what the spirit of the stone is, what I can summon from it," she replied, hands chapping against each other. "You mean there's a spirit within each stone?" Lo asked quietly, his mouth opening a hair before Yin's. She grinned to herself. "No...just the potential I can tap," she explained. "Intruiging," Sykes said, ghosting in. She, too, rubbed her hands in the heat, then fixed them all with a look. "Well, are we not going to eat this morning? You know you'll take your lunch in the saddle, like yesterday." "Are we in a hurry or something?" Aerin queried. "Just to get to the town of Kappa," she replied. "I have a friend there who has always expressed an interest about going on a trip, so I'd like to stop in and ask her." Those around the fire looked at each other, and Aerin asked, "Umm...if you don't mind me asking, Mother Sykes, who is your friend? It's just..." she swallowed softly, "well, I'd like to know who I'm questing with." Sykes laughed softly, standing. "I will never break you four of that habit, I see," she said, wiping her hands together as if she brushed off the heat. "Very well then..." she turned to Aerin now, saying, "Daughter, we are not questing. That is best left to those who are called to do so, and so far, I have not heard the call to quest. We are travelers, journeyers, heading toward the Rainbow Falls for peace and pottery. As for my friend, her name is Dana, and she is a wonderful companion. Last I heard, I believe she had taken in a ward as well, though I am not sure. My age," her eyes turned to Yin and Sarai, who both blushed a little, "sometimes takes my memory." "Our pardons, Mother," Sarai said softly. "No need, Daughter," she replied cheerfully. "And now, I suggest you all find breakfast." With that, she moved away from the flames to attend to her own business. Now Yin and Sarai each dug up breakfast, more of those traveling cakes and roots, and a little water. At Lo's suggestion, they also prepared a lunch, this of some small hard biscuits often called "Trare," a shortened form of their actual name, "Traveler's Fare," so given because they were often eaten on journeys. And with these Yin added a spongy root that when chewed would foam into a slightly sweet paste that would keep them awake on their travels, for it was well known that monotony could often sweep young groups as this; lastly came the water. Conversation was sparse around the fire, for sleep still dragged at the group; yet, once they'd readied the day's supplies, a new readiness seemed to come on them. Quickly they finished their breakfast, and then went to pack up and resaddle the horses, readying for the day's travels. Sykes joined them soon after, never revealing where she had gone, though they barely noticed her arrival. The sun had lost it's reddish touch now and was pure yellow-gold, barely swaying above the horizon, by the time they mounted up and headed out. Again, Yin and Lo led the pack, with Sykes and now Aerin in the middle, Sarai last, bow ready. And again, about an hour into their journey, shapes in the forest accompanied them, though fewer this time. Natural's blessing, rang through Yin's head again, and she sighed softly. It had revealed how little she knew of the people she was with, besides Lo. She glanced at her companion, the crown of black hair that adorned his head shining darkly in the sun, shadow hiding from her the depths of those clear blue eyes. Not that those don't have their depths and shadows as well...she thought, a nostalgic grin coming upon her face. She and Lo had been together for quite awhile, yet even so, there was much she didn't know about him. She knew, though, that she herself was as transparent as glass to him. Sometimes it bothered her, especially when he guessed her thoughts or slipped beneath imposed guard...yet, more times than not, that kind of closeness was appealing. Hermano, she thought, christening him "brother" once more, a necessity now that they traveled close. He was so easy to get close to, and she would not want to...impose on any of his relationships? She shook her head. That wasn't quite it... Suddenly, Stryker shook his head and snorted beneath her, and she looked down curiously at the animal. Again, it snorted, harder this time, reins tightening in her hands. "Yes," she softly quiered the animal, hesitant. Over some time, mostly through Lo's help, she'd found her Gift larger than she'd thought before. It was a late night worry for her, something she pondered when her mind came around to it, always leaving the question unsettled; frankly, it was unsettling enough. Gifts were supposed to touch on one fragment of her life, and if they spread, were considered...evil. Those Gifted who were overly powerful were also considered...evil. Dark Flamed, they called it, after the Furnaces of what she knew as "Se Perdido"--"Lost One"--which were reputed to be black. Also opposite of White Flamed, those of the holy orders, she added to herself. The horse snorted once more, and a flow of emotions rippled over her. Mostly, they were indicating...activity...somewhere ahead on the trail. Also, something about flesh, but not unpleasant; just that it was there. It puzzled her, but then again she wasn't used to sifting through the thought-send of horses. She turned to their guardians, which were wolves once more, and quiered under her breath, Immediately, a chorus of yips and barks rang through the air; though they came from all around, she could tell what the predominant message was: Lejos down offside trail. Lejos? she wondered, and immediately she received an impression of the world suddenly painted in purple. She broke her contact quickly, realizing that she was heading over the edge as far as her powers were concerned, and suddenly heard Lo call out, "Yin!" She eased the reins back on Stryker, turning back. She noted that, suddenly, she was about fifty yards ahead of her party, and a frown creased her face. She and Stryker whipped about and cantered back, pulling up short by Mother Sykes. "Sarai! She's not responding!" Aerin was saying, and swiftly she dismounted, commanding Stryker to stay put. She jogged the few steps to the girl, and found her stiff in the saddle, hands clenched on the reins, eyes blazing and open. She patted the horse, murmuring softly to it, and then touched the girl's hand. "Sarai?" she asked. "Up ahead," was the reply. "Hurt. Go...up ahead. Hurt!" "She's tapped into someone, hasn't she?" Aerin demanded, face concerned. She nodded. "I'd bet she has. But I'm not sure how we can get her out of this..." "I know," Sykes said, horse jostling up to them. "Go. Follow your instructions. I'll see to her." She nodded quickly, and then looked to Lo, and Aerin. For a moment she hesitated, unsure as to whom would be better to walk with...then said, "Aerin, will you come with me?" "What?" The girl's eyes widened. "You don't have a stone for this, do you?" "No, but..." "She's your friend," Lo broke in. "However, you can't help her...so why not help Yin?" For a moment, she looked torn; then, something like flint surfaced in her eyes, and she gave a curt nod. She let her go to mount her horse, then said softly to Lo, "Guard them, please." "I will," he replied, eyes reinforcing the message. "Go." She quickly turned, ran to her horse, and mounted. As she did, she heard the snort of a bear, and knew he would keep to his word. She waited for Aerin to pull up beside her on Sprite, and then the two eased into a collected trot that pained her stiff muscles, but was the best for watching the trail. No sooner had they gone fifty yards, though, then they both spotted the clump at the edge. Aerin uttered a soft cry to signal, and they reined to a halt about two and a half yards from it. "Careful," she whispered, but the girl had already pulled out a stone, a clear one rimmed in blue, and concentrated on it. Before she could blink, a slight fizzing of the air concentrated around them. She looked to Aerin in surprise. "It acts a shield," the girl whispered. "It can also be used against someone, partially." "Amazing," she muttered back. "I know. Now..." "Yes. Quietly, though." The two crept over to the clump, Aerin moving slightly ahead and to the right of her. Yin noted with narrowed eyes the lack of flies around the body, suggesting that it wasn't dead; soon, she picked up the imperceptible movements of life, slight twitchings in the muscles and the rise and fall of breath. They reached within a foot of him, the woods making the only sounds now; each scarcely dared to breathe. "You, or I?" Aerin asked. "Both?" "We cannot both go. I can extend this shield, you know." "Please, do so. I will try to ascertain if anything is wrong with him," she replied quietly. Aerin turned her back to her, facing the trail behind; the fuzz spread off to block the path as well as her front. Hopefully, there'll be no rear attacks, she thought quietly, kneeling down by the man. She gently touched his shoulder. There was a slight response, but it was to clench the body inward, not reveal itself. Hands gentle now, she rolled over the cloaked figure, which proceded to scrunch itself up even more. Still, she prodded more, not-quite-gentle fingertips finding the quickest pressure points she knew; despite that, it took two or three punches to the nearest to finally get him to relax. Now, she was able to uncouple the limbs that had been held tight against his body, and spread him on the ground. His ebon cloak spilled like liquid all over his body, and Yin counted the normal two arms, two legs, though she guessed that one arm might have been slightly shorter than the other. It was really hard to tell... "What did you do?" Aerin asked quietly from behind her. "I managed to knock him out." "What? But won't that..." The girl steadied herself. "Wouldn't Sarai be hurt as well?" Yin shook her head. "I hadn't thought of that," she confessed, voice dipping into sheepishness, "but no, it wouldn't hurt her. It'll probably ease the link between the two of them, though, enough for her to actually move." Aerin moved closer now, shield dragging behind her, curving about the both of them as she kneeled next to her. "What do you think is wrong with...how do you know its a him?" Her eyes were innocent as they turned to her, except for that one conniving spark in the middle; in spite of the serious mood, Yin smiled at that. "Mostly structure," she replied cautiously. "Also, the sense the animales gave me...they called him 'lejos', which is a masculine word meaning 'far'." "Far?" Aerin asked. "He wasn't that far up the trail. Unless he's from far away..." "Do you know a place where the sky is purple?" "In my storybooks at home." "Besides that." "Well, Pa used to get odd reports from others of the trade, but nothing ever about a purple sky." "Hrm...the animales related it to him..." She shook her head. "Well, let's have a look at the patient now." "Aren't you going to move him?" Aerin asked bemusedly, following her lead and sitting down now completely. "No. 'Rai said he was hurt, and since I don't know how yet, I am not going to move him. It could do more damage." "Wise," Aerin muttered. Her quick and bright eyes skimmed over the body, and then stopped, scanning back. "I'd say he was in a fight, though." "Hm?" "Well, this areas been disturbed lately," she glanced around more, and nodded to herself. "Yes, there's indications of quick movements and force here. Besides, his response when you touched him, trying to protect himself..." "I see now," she replied, and offered the girl a grin. "Smart. Very smart. 'Course, village woodcraft helps." "Oh no, I'm not Sarai, thank the White Flame," Aerin said quickly. "She's the hunter, tracker, gygirl; I just like to ride horses." "So how could you tell he'd been beat up?" "Well, my Pa would tell me his road lore when we travelled--I went with him a bit--and one of things he always told me was how to spot someone who has been robbed, and someone who is just faking it. I guess he expected...actually, I never knew what he expected." Her brown eyes grew strangely pensive. "He was just..." "That kind of man," Yin finished for her, voice gentle. "I know the feeling; my line is healers, famous healers, all the way down. No room for any black sheep." She moved to her knees now, and began to efficently strip away the cloak from his body. "Is that how you know what you're doing?" Aerin asked, moving up beside her. "Uh-huh. Trained for almost..." Her voice died down, slamming to a stop. Aerin quickly looked to her, but there were only signs of surprise on her face: mouth slightly opened, eyes wide, a paleness slicing across her features. Now she looked to the body...and she, too, gasped. Yin's quick hands had unwrapped the facial part of the clock from the man, revealing a spiderweb of red blotches and partial bruises, most dark. Recent, came the thought, and she shuddered all the more. For underneath the impressions of red and blue, barely raised from the surface, were a small scattering of pale bumps. Quickly her eyes found more signs: the nearly single eyebrow and dark lips, and she'd bet her life that if they checked beneath his chin and his arm they'd find two small lumps. It could only be Hichi's Fever. "Oh..." Yin breathed. "White Flame shield us!" Aerin muttered quickly, eyes widening. "Wait...wait!" Yin cautioned, bringing a finger to her lips. "I don't think its active." "You can tell?" "I practically trained my whole life on Hichi's Fever," she replied grimly. "It swept through some villages downriver from us...my first big assignment." She laughed softly as she ran her thumb down his throat. "No...no...the heat is gone in his throat. And there are no recent scratch marks." She gingerly touched the lump she knew would be there, and found it cold. "Yes, the fever's been cured." "But the marks never vanish." "Not unless you're Gifted in that particular way, or wear makeup," she replied softly. She studied him some more. "I'd rate his case as moderate." Aerin couldn't help the shudder that coursed over her. "If that's moderate..." she began. "I know. Plus he would've had burning beneath his arms and framing his face; his throat would've swelled and been hot and painful--that's why they scratch is so much, really. There would've been some other problems as well, but they...well, they aren't pleasant at all," she replied, voice grimly matter-of-fact. "Did you...did you ever catch it?" "Am I marked?" she grinned, and Aerin grinned back at her. "No, we took all precautions against it, and we treated as many as we could. Not as many deaths there." She looked down again. "But that's not his only problem." "Yes...he's been beaten as well?" "Uh-hum." She moved tenatively closer. "With wood, I think...probably a staff. I don't think anyone would touch him with such signs." "It's also probably why they beat him," Yin said. "If you were a superstitious, ignorant peasant, wouldn't you?" "Ri!" "Yin, you know what HiChi's Fever did, probably better than I do. Everyone knows a little of the lore. So would you stop to ask if he's been cured? I doubt it." "You have a point, o wise one," Yin replied quietly. "Explains the cloak, doesn't it?" "Yep. I'd bet he traveled at night, too." "Well...we'd better get word back to the others, tell 'em to make camp." "Make camp? Yin, are you crazy! We've got hours of daylight left." "I have to treat this man, Ri." "You can treat him later, tonight." "No! Not with these injuries, just on his face! They have to be treated, and whatever else he has as well; besides, could we put this man on a horse, or even on one of the mules?" Yin replied, voice shocked. "We have to make camp." Aerin's eyes traveled from her face back to the man again, and she let out a long sigh. "They won't like it." "We don't have much of a schedule, Aerin." She looked up to her, eyes suddenly glowing in the filtered sunlight. "No, we don't, do we? I'm not traveling with my Pa, after all. Sykes won't mind any delays, will she." "I doubt it." "Then it's settled. You start treating him here, I'll go back and tell the others to look for a good place to camp," she replied, moving towards her horse. "Gracias, Aerin," she replied, a grateful smile on her face. "Your welcome," the girl called back as she mounted up. "Be back soon!" She waved as the girl rode away from here, then settled down to work. * * * * The afternoon cast long shadows in the forest, velvet shadows of purple and black that were swept back only by the golden sunlight that filtered down through green leaves. It made a gorgeous sight, even for one who'd lived in the forest for all of their young life. Ahh, let's ruminate on our existence now, eh? Yin thought as she stretched, a yawn enough to crack her jaw ripping from her. She covered her mouth almost sheepishly, eyes darting around for signs of any of the others, then let out a small grin at her delicacy. After all, these were the people who she'd be travelling with for who knew? how much time; they'd be so comfortable around each other by then, they'd hardly be civilized. The thought made her smile, and she sighed contentedly as she looked about the camp site. It was deserted, for everyone else had attended to some minor chore in order to leave her alone in the camp with the man. After all, HiChi's fever is still quite a scare, even with the cure available. Five out of seven, she reminded herself as she walked over to the water bag, which hung closed from a nearby tree branch. Opening the hide strings, she let a small trickle pour out onto her face. The coolness was refreshing, and she closed her to eyes to wallow in the experience, carefully guiding some of the rivulets to trickle down her hot cheeks and dry mouth, which opened to soften her medicine stained tongue. She let out another sigh of contentment, enjoying one of life's few little pleasures. "Is it still cold?" Yin jerked, nearly spilling out the whole bag, and sighed when she saw it was only Sykes. The old woman wore gray today, and with her smoothly carved staff of yew and her leather bag, she looked like a fairy woman. I wouldn't be surprised, she admitted to herself as she tied up the bag, replying, "Yes. Quite so." "Ahh...then the bag worked!" the woman exclaimed, a brilliant smile lighting up her face. "Good. I was hoping the little extra I added would keep in the cool." She stepped closer, tittering gleefully as she did, and a smile infectiously spread to Yin's face. Keep the medical metaphors out of this! The woman undid the strings and let a small trickle fall into her hands, washing off the dust of the earth. She had gone walking the trail ahead, looking for anything she could put into her late night projects, the wares she intended to sell in order to help finance this trip. It made Yin feel a mite guilty that she had virtually nothing to offer, except perhaps her healing skills. Maybe if she tried hard tonight, she could remember how to make a basket... "Excellent," the woman said, breaking her thoughts. She turned back to her as she extracted a small towel from her satchel, wiping her hands and saying, "So, how is our patient?" "Resting well and healing," she replied. "He had some fairly bad bruising and perhaps a cracked rib; had they hit him any harder, I fear they would've broken his back. Also, I bound his head in case of concusion, and gave him some tonics in order to help heal him faster and get his body back on track. But...we'll just have to wait and see what happens if he regains conciousness." "Ah." She looked up at her with bright, questing eyes, sunlight momentarily flickering in their depths. "So, have your amigos spoken again about him?" Again, she was caught off-guard; she had no clue how Sykes would've known of their communication, much less her relationship to them. She tried to keep them both guarded, especially since it spoke too much of the Naturals Aerin hated. "No, Mother Sykes, but I haven't tried talking to them again about it, either." "Maybe you should try, girl. It's worth at least that." The woman's eyes seemed to brighten as they peered at her, and Yin found herself nodding thoughtfully. "Perhaps I will try again, Mother." "Perhaps it would be best, Daughter," the woman replied, still peering at her. For a moment, Yin felt as if something was...building...but then it all shattered, leaving her looking after Sykes as she shuffled away. "I am going out to see if I can find any more of those wonderful leaves," she called behind her. "I will be back by nightfall." "Yes, Mother," she replied obediantly, then shook her head. Although she had known the woman since her childhood, she had never quite seen this side of her, the one that posed such a mystery. Yet everyone seems to have that, she thought quietly as she moved back into the camp proper, rubbing the back of her neck. Sarai and Lo with their emotions, Aerin with her hatred, and Sykes...well, Sykes with everything. It seems as if everything that woman touches assumes some sort of ancient air. Grinning to herself at her absurd thoughts, she ducked into the tent. Ascertaining that the man was still alive and asleep, she quickly rooted through her personal gear to find a small black bag, made from fox leather. She stepped outside and behind the tent, sliding down a tree to a cross legged position for comfort, and reverently opening the bag. Inside was a dried chamomile head upon a collection of mult-colored dusts, the particles of earth reflecting every place she had ever used her Gift. Slowly, humming a soft, low note, she added to the pouch, then plucked out the chamomile head and inhaled deeply. The soft apple scent filled her nostrils and her mind, and she could feel herself relax even as she drew the bag closed. She hummed slightly louder, and then opened her eyes. The world seemed suddenly connected now, its tones of brown and black and green swiftly gaining a luminescence not normally seen, the silvery light soft to the eye. She let her senses extend rapidly, easily aware of both herself and this suddenly strange world about her, letting her mind touch upon the animals nearby. She only brushed the minds of the lower creatures, the grubs and worms and ants, for they could not truly give her any information besides the taste of the earth and the wonders of the colony. She by passed the songbirds that looked up from around her, for their minds were generally flightly, always posessed with either nesting or eating or singing, if the season was Spring. It was the four legged animals she sought, though not the horses; the keen doe and buck, the badger and the gray squirrel (reds tended to be as flightly as birds), the larger owls and other wise perchers. Especially, though, she sought the raccoon, the fox, and even the wolves that had guarded their way into this wood, for their predatory intelligence was often best at giving her the information she needed. She seemed on the cusp of getting the attention of an old slumbering raccoon when something happened. All of a sudden, the clearing she was in blazed a bright gold, the light almost blinding to her ever opened eyes. Quickly she withdrew her senses, ready to break the trance, when a shadow fell into the clearing her figure. As it advanced, she looked up for a form, and when it appeared... She gasped, and pulled back, bright silver eyes widening incomprenhinsibly. She sensed no danger from the form that advanced on her, human in appearance and black and gold in color; no, it wasn't that. It was the shadow that came with him, the shadow that reeked of a power she didn't understand, couldn't understand--not yet. And yet he--he?--still advanced upon her, stopping beyond reach, looking down with eyes that were a swift mixing of color, melting from green to gray to blue to gray to green to swirling inbetweens again and again, her mind whirling within them until she thought it would be impossible to keep her sanity... Then, everything seemed to change; the silver of the world reasserted itself, the gold muted and mixing in with the color. The black and gold figure knelt to one knee before her, almost as if in pain, and his eyes locked on a single mixture of blue-gray, a softly deep and potent color upon her. It reached out a hand, and the slit of gold that seemed a mouth opened... "Yin! LYN!" The figure looked up, and then her vision shattered, leaving her sitting rigidly against the tree, Lo slowing in the clearing as the world faded into normality. She shook her head twice, and the sweat from her forehead flew off her shaken out hair, falling with a placidity she couldn't feel upon the ground. She began to stand, hand still clutched to the fox leather bag, but her muscles were so tight that she stumbled forward and fell rigidly to the ground. "Yin!" Lo called, moving quickly to her side, his face creased a little with worry, eyes deep blue rips in the shadows. She waved him away slowly, and eased herself up, shaking her head. "Are you all right?" he asked, standing away from her, voice tight. "Yea...yea...Lo, I thought you went...hunting," she replied, managing to make it a sitting position, rolling her shoulders out. "I did. But something...felt wrong," he replied. His voice slowly eased, and as she watched, a shadow seemed to fall over his face, the way it normally was. She gave an internal sigh; for a moment, he had been worried about her, genuinally...but, as usual, it had vanished in seconds. Can't hope for what isn't possible, she thought to herself. "I...I tried to contact the animales, mis amigos...Sykes suggested it," she said, reaching up. He grabbed her arm and swiftly pulled her to her feet, then pulled away, she nonchalantly dusting off her clothing. "But, instead, I got something I've never seen before...a vision of..." "What?" he asked. "A shadow," she said. "But..." It was then that a low moan came from the tent. "Later," she promised, touching him briefly on the chest. Then, she ducked into the tent, his eyes following her with a faintly hungry look. The next time she emerged, it was for a much needed break; her face was pale, and everything that had been vibrant about her had been stripped away. The day was darkening, and Sarai and Aerin had both returned, Aerin with some roots and Sarai with a good sized hunk of meat. What it had been she couldn't tell; it was already charring in the fire when she came out. "Smell's good," she said as she sat down, voice a mild croak. The two of them looked up at her, surprised, before Sarai smiled. "Yes...it will be. I've started to cook it the way Mam did...juices and such." "Not a nice woman, but a wonderful cook," Aerin added, poking at it in the coals. "Speaking of which, is it done yet?" "Almost," she replied. "So, how's the patient?" "Resting. He awakened for some time, and I used that to explain that we had found him on the road, and that he was in good hands. He merely moaned and went back to sleep, and I reapplied some of the poltices and gave him a heavy dose of sleep tea. He'll be out for the rest of the night," she explained quietly, her voice rubbed out at the edges. Aerin turned and scooped her a cup of tea; she accepted it gratefully and sipped it quietly. "That sounds fascinating," Sarai replied, eyes sparkling. "What exactly did you use to treat him?" Yin gave her a frank look in the firelight, eyes dull. "You want to be a healer, too?" she asked. "Well…I wouldn't mind it," she replied carefully, not meeting her eyes. "It's a pain in the butt, Sarai, but if you want to learn…" The girl looked up at her, and her brown eyes glowed so much in the light that she thought they had temporarily caught fire. Aerin hid a giggle in her hand at the display, and Yin smiled. "All right, I guess you do," she said. "We'll start tomorrow; tonight, the patient sleeps." She managed not to look too crestfallen, which made her sigh internally; will she be as I was? Of course, I don't intend to send her out for roots that much…She cut the thought, asking, "Where have the others gone?" "Sykes and Lo went out to the path; she's giving us a day, maybe two, but there is this meeting she has with this woman…Dana, did she say?" Aerin said, looking to Sarai. "Yep, Dana it was," Sarai replied. "She said perhaps with a ward…a girl our age?" "That was what I understood," Yin replied. "Another girl, though…what is Lo going to do with all this femaleness?" "Get used to it?" Aerin cracked, and Yin chuckled. "Shouldn't he be already, though?" Sarai pointed out. "You two have obviously travelled together." "Um…well, not as much as it appears. He used to go out in the field with me, but that was only to practice our…Talents. He'd Shift, I'd Call, we'd figure out what worked best and then went home." She drank a bit more of her tea, then added, "This is our first real Journey together." "Journey to Rainbow Falls," Sarai said softly. "Kinda poetic, like a memorable song." Aerin smiled, eyes alive in the flames. "Though if we keep adding people, it'll be the Caravan to Rainbow Falls. Journey is hard enough to rhyme; can you imagine them trying with that?" The three of them laughed, and then did just that-attempted to find rhymes for both words. By the time Lo and Sykes returned, they were holding their stomachs from laughing so h ard, tea mugs untouched or upset, and the meat… "Well, I always did like it well done," Sykes said as she pulled the roast from the coals, the leaves around it crisp with char. Still, they managed, and afterwards Lo produced mallow root for them to chew, causing Yin to raise her eyebrows at him. He knows I like the stuff, she thought. Gift for the group, or some apology? Yet she knew better than to expect a straight answer from him, and she was right; no matter how hard she looked, no clue appeared to point her in the right direction. It would be another day before the man-still without a name-arose and joined them by the fire. It was a complete surprise; one minute, they were cracking jokes about travel time and Sarai's cooking, and then there was a crack behind them. Aerin was up first, hand on her bag, and Lo was tensed to shift when Sykes called out, "Feeling better?" The man made no reply, but padded over towards her. He had wrapped himself in the black cloak of before, and walked with a trace of limp; still, for a man who'd been badly beaten but a day or so ago, he had healed quickly. Yin moved closer to Lo and Aerin, tracking him as a healer; still, she fingered her dark metaled dirk, and waited for him to make the wrong move. She had some qualms about injuring those she'd treated, but qualms and worries seemed to disappear when it came to Sykes. She was just too much of a friend, and too wonderful, to not spill blood over. The man paused a moment by her, and Sykes looked up; as each looked upon the other, something unreadible passed over the woman's face. The whole camp tensed for a moment; then, courteously, she scooted over and offered him a seat on the soft cushion she'd brought. It was a good three feet long, beaded about the edges and stuffed with down; it never ceased to amaze her what this woman could make. He nodded slightly, then plopped down upon it, weight causing Sykes to rise; then, he turned to her and gestured, left palm up, right fingers flicking outwards. "Water, Sarai," Sykes said carefully, never taking her eyes from the man. Obediantly, the girl rose and filled a small cup, and brought it back to her. She carefully extended it to him, and he reached for it cautiously, the robe stirring as little as possible over his form. He thinks we'll shun him, she thought suddenly. Does he think he bound his wounds himself? She shook her head, for the prejudices against HiChi's fever ran far and wide, and a sufferer would always have to be careful of how he approached others. Even after the cure… "Does he speak our language, Mother?" Aerin asked. "Perhaps he will answer that question himself," she replied. The man finished his long draught, a sound of quiet contentment ringing in his throat, before answering in a clipped and accent voice, "Yes." "In that case, I should let you know that you have nothing to fear here," Yin broke in quickly. "I know you have had the fever…" He shrank back, as if the world was about to hit him. "…but as I have treated you, I will not see you harmed," she finished. "Nor will these others." She looked about the camp, and each nodded to her; she smiled slightly, and gestured with her head to him. "I will not," Aerin said boldly. "Without cause, I will not," Lo added. "I most definetly will not!" Sarai said loudly, then shrank a bit; she had not meant her voice to be so loud. "Thank you," he said quietly, setting the cup on the soft ground. "Thank you…for understanding." He turned towards Sykes. "I have not your acceptance, Lady…" "Ach, no. They call me 'Mother' here, even if I insist on my real name," she replied. "You have the bearing, Lady Sykes," he said again, quickly adding, "But I will do as you wish." He looked around the fire. "I owe you all a debt, and so my vow extends to you as well." "Oh no," Sarai said quietly. "We were just helping. Besides, you…caught my…" She trailed off, unsure whether she should say more, eyes seeking around for help. "We found you and treated you, but that's the work of a good person," Aerin said smoothly. "No repayment is needed." "But the water…the herbs, and care…" "Forget it," Yin waved dismissively. "We're nice." He shook his head. "I cannot let such a debt be dismissed; I must do something for you." His hood raised, as if he was in contemplation beneath. "Yet, I know not what you need, nor what I could do…" Aerin and Lo exchanged looks, disturbed by his phrasing: "what you need" sounded like a way to say "what exactly do you have." Yin caught his eyes, understanding, and he nodded across the fire; as one, the three directed their gaze Sykes way. Yet she avoided their insistant eyes, instead looking to her visitor. Sarai, who had not been privy to the thought, mulled over the proposition…and quickly, a question came to her lips. "Well, what can you do? Perhaps we can fit you in," she chimed in, and the whole camp swung her way. Yin and Aerin glanced at each other; it was a pretty good idea, a way to know what exactly could be on his mind. "I am naught but a humble collector of stories, in training to be a bard for some area, though I fear my voice was not…what it once was. The fever left me quite…scarred," he replied. "So you know the trails?" Lo asked. "Oh yes-better than some maps," he replied. "I am also versed in a bit of woodcraft, though I fear my skill has decayed somewhat." "And does your knowledge extend past maps?" he asked again. "Well…I thought it did. This trail is supposed to be one of the safest to take to Kuroi, yet I was…set upon." He looked down at his hands, and shook his head; a flutter of sympathy waved through the women, and Lo sighed. "No one is ever a hundred percent right," Sykes said kindly. "Nor a hundred percent paid in the debts they owe. Yet if you feel this obligation so strongly, then I invite you to join our group as a guide, and help us find our way along these trails. Not that we can pay you, but you'd have food and a guarded place to sleep…as well as working off your debt." "You would let me…ME…travel with you? That is quite a danger," he replied cautiously, voice not quite hiding the brimming excitement it held. "You have quite a debt," Aerin put in. "It balances." "But…I am not sure how…" "We are," Sarai said, moving closer to him. She touched him gently on the shoulder, and asked, "Will you come with us?" He shuddered for a moment, as if feeling some cold, then looked all about the camp. His eyes were met with light and dark ones, all intent by the light, and for a moment he wondered what in Perdi he was getting into. Yet, finally, his head bowed, and he acquiesed with a, "Yes." "At least attempt enthusiasm, my boy," Sykes said in stage whisper. "It is hard to attempt enthusiasm, Sykes, when you feel what you thought was a long lost happiness," he replied quietly. "How sweet," Yin murmured, and Lo growled beneath his breath. She knew that sound; it wasn't a threat, it was a test. Lo was careful in who he stayed with, and this man would have to earn his trust. This man… It suddenly occured to her that they didn't know his name. She covered her mouth in surprise, hiding a giggle; they had just invited an almost complete stranger to travel with them! Only among the Gifted, she thought wryly. Still, this had to be rectified…"Pardon, sir, but if we are to travel with you, we must have a name. I am Yin, or Lyn, and this is Lo." "And I Aerin," she chimed in. "Sarai, sir," came the gentle tones. "You know me as Sykes," the woman said, smiling a little. "And Yin is right; we will need something to call you. Preferably your true name, though; Lo can smell a lie." Not quite true, but close enough, Yin smiled. The man stared into the fire, and his posture conveyed thinking. Finally, he looked up, and softly said, "Those who would hate me know me as Limon di Deshaw, and those who fear me call me 'Thing.' But as to my friends, they know me simply as Esteben."