Disclaimer: Don't own the World of Two Moons.

This is the first of three prologue-like chapters, providing information for later in the story.

One

Prophecy of Destiny

"So few, and yet so many," a thistle-headed youth mused softly to himself. Dart gazed at the crystalline wall of the Palace of the High Ones without seeing it. He sat on a bench formed of the same star-stuff all alone, in an unoccupied corner of the magnificent palace, having chosen this small room, lit as all of the mystical ship by the glow of the vessel itself, because of its remoteness. The wolfrider did not wish to speak with anyone right now; he wished to think. Truth be told, he wanted to breathe.

So few, so many. Though it seemed like many, in truth few days had passed since the palace and its occupants had left the Wavedancers at their new home site, to build anew what had been shattered in the challenge for chief hood that had started in the conflict and confusion following the strange Recognition of Sunstream, young mystic of Sun Folk and Wolfriders, and Brill, maiden of the Wavedancers. That was over and done with; former chief Surge was content in spirit-form as another eternal inhabitant of the palace, and his son Snakeskin had taken his sea elves to find a new home. Brill had gone with them, with the promise that Sunstream would come to see her often in the palace. Ah, Recognition, Dart sighed. But love had come before Recognition, before they had even touched, the youth reflected.

At any rate, Sunstream was still the only one who could do the task set him by Timmain, last High One, and Savah, near-High One and Mother of Memory to the Sun Folk. Only Sunstream could find and unite all the elves on the World of Two Moons.

Quite an undertaking for one who was just two eights and two, Dart thought, then smiled slightly to himself. Really, he wasn't that much older. And Sunstream had been in Preserver wrapstuff for three turns of the seasons, absorbing all he needed to know. Even his body had changed in that time, to where he was much taller than even his father Cutter.

So few, so many. So few to find so many. Sunstream, guided by Timmain and Savah, with Skywise attending, had to find every last elf on the planet.

So few, so many. One would think, Dart mused as he had often recently, that in the millennium that had passed since the High Ones' great crash landing, their descendants would have covered the entire world. Well, they were almost everywhere, but still, so few tribes. Dart had thought the number of tribes of elves would be unbelievably large, yet Sunstream the number was unbelievably small.

As he had often recently, Dart counted the number of tribes on his fingers.

Wolfriders, Sunfolk, Go-Backs and Wavedancers. A total of five, counting both Cutter's Wolfriders and Ember's segment. The Gliders, except for the odd survivors scattered about this world, were dead; those who survived were loners or attached to another tribe since the fall of Blue Mountain. Well and good, that was plenty already, and those tribes were found before Sunstream had called to all the others. When he had called he had found several more, but not the number many elves had been expecting. An obscure group calling themselves the Wanderers, up north, who were perhaps a branch-off of the Go-Backs. A tribe of elves who each were able to shape-shift into one animal from birth, the Changelings. Then there were the merry Islanders who were always ready to hold a party at the least excuse, and, finally, the shadowy Haunters from the south who could all "go out" at any time.

All told, one eight and one total named tribes. Of course, there were other elves who lived alone or in smaller groups, perhaps a Recognized pair and their children, perhaps a small extended family. They were many. In days when humans were everywhere, the fewer, the better. Less likely to attract attention.

Still, so few. And yet, so many. So many.

Dart let his head lean back and hit the wall of the palace with an irreverent thud. More elves than the tales of humans in the Djun's Citadel during the battle for the palace's shards. So many.

A smile twitched the corner of his lips. And more to come. Two spontaneous recognitions already, not even counting Sunstream and Brill. Some thought Leetah's sister Shenshen was mismatched with her new Lifemate Devur, a Changeling who take the form of a hawk, but Dart had accidentally glimpsed the two together, and knew they would do well. The other pair was not a complete surprise, but their Recognition had come at a rather awkward time. Personally, Dart wouldn't be surprised if Timmain or Savah or another magically gifted elf hadn't done something to prompt Clearbrook and Treestump to find each other, but truly, just when the palace had landed to meet a group of wandering elves? Poor timing, but it was clear that the two old, old friends could stand to have their relationship helped along, and this was the perfect way, whether a well-meaning magic-user her assisted them or not.

"Dart?" The wolfrider sat up, smiling as he recognized the voice.

"Hello, Kimo," he greeted his brother in all but blood.

"I'm sorry, but Sunstream sent me to find you." The wolf shape-shifter smiled apologetically. "He plans to visit Brill now. I'm planning to accompany them. We haven't all met the Wavedancers yet, and I'm eager to meet every elf on this world. Cutter agrees; I think he was ecstatic about his uncle, and Leetah's sister." Dart smiled.

"I may as well come," he said, mostly because he didn't really want to move. He didn't want to face the changing world right now, but knew that he had to eventually, and meeting even more new elves was as good a way as any to lift the spirit, especially if what Skywise had said about the Wavedancer maidens was true.

Kimo nodded and left, sensing that Dart wanted to enjoy his last few moments of time alone.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply and sighed even more deeply. "It this what it was like for you, Crescent, sister I never knew?" he murmured. "To see so many new faces, and be unsure if you truly want to know them all? Knowing each one will change your life a little bit, and all that will add up to a lot of changes?"

Yes.

Dart sat bolt-upright. "Crescent?" he asked, searching the room. There; a flicker of a form in the crystalline wall of the palace. "Is that you?"

Yes.

Dart bit his lip. He had often spoken aloud to the spirits of the elves who had died, but this was the first time his long-dead sister, who he had never met, had spoken back to him. He didn't know how to respond.

Listen, my brother. He did. There comes a child who will bear the light of the crescent moon upon her. She will be born in the palace, and you will know that I am with her. She will need my guidance.

"Why?"

I was killed, Crescent said, sounding sad. Dart winced, wondering if it was painful for elf spirits to speak of how they died, but she continued. I was young. But even then, the power slept within me. I never realized my gift, but she will. And she will need me. Promise me something, brother.

"Anything, sister," he whispered.

Care for her always, and bring her to me when you know the time is right.

"But how will I know?"

Crescent was fading. You will know…

"Wait!" Dart stood, reaching for the spirit form.

Watch for the child, was all she said.

And then Crescent was gone.

Dart sat alone for a long time. He started when the palace moved, but remained where he was, trying to imprint into his memory what his long-dead sister had said. "I will watch," he promised softly. "Crescent. I will watch for you."

He knew not what fate had in store for either him or the child, but he knew that, whatever it was, the destiny of the child Crescent waited for was unlike any since the days of the High Ones.