Disclaimer: Borrowed bits of elf legend from everywhere: Tolkien, Elf Quest, Dungeons and Dragons, various cultural mythologies to make up my own elf world. I own none of that. BTVS is, of course, all Joss'. I only own non-BTVS characters.

A/N: Takes place during Season 4, right after Hush. Differences in Canon: Jenny Calender never died. She and Giles broke up, but she remains in Sunnydale. In this story, she is from a Jewish redheaded Irish gypsy clan, otherwise known as "Travellers". They put the curse on Angel. Jenny and Tara were able to restore the curse. Giles and Jenny broke up in season 3. Other than that, things were pretty much the same as in canon thru season 4. Tara takes Willow's place as Buffy's best friend, but comes out in high school.

// flashbacks //

Summary: A certain blonde Slayer meets a redheaded magickal creature with an impish grin.

The redheaded creature's hand reached up in an effort to touch the deep velvet blanket night sky dotted with twinkling bright lights commonly known as stars.

The creature missed the Neverending Realms with an intensity that sometimes frightened her. The Neverending Realms was a very large place, but it was alive with magick and wondrous creatures. The creature's home in the Neverending Realms was a forest simply called the Glen. It was said that the Glen was a being unto itself; sentient and aware. The redheaded creature felt this to be true. Spending long periods in the Glen alone, the animal and tree spirits began to appear to her. At first, they were skittish, and she would only see them for a few seconds before they would dart away. Then, the animals and the tree spirits gradually grew to trust her. She eventually began having long conversations with them about things like the intricate relationship between nature and magic. They taught her, above all, respect and reverence for life. Animal bonding with one specific animal was expected, and was a natural ability in her world. The creature, however, was able to form lesser bonds with many other animals as well; the animals becoming close and dear friends, especially the Golden Dragons who lived in the Blue Mountains. One Golden Dragon in particular was her favorite to ride on into battle. Although the creature was more comfortable using her magickal or healing abilities, she was more than capable of being a noble warrior, proficient in bow and arrow. She had not seen many battles, but when she had, she had always served well, and was admired.

The creature especially missed her friend Pan, who was a very mischievous prankster spirit who inhabited the mountain pastures where human shepherds would tend their flocks. As humans were forbidden in the Glen, the creature either had to secretly leave into one of the near-by human lands to see her friend and his musical pipe, or, hope to see him by chance during one of his infrequent trips into the Glen. King Teyrnon did not like him, and he was forbidden from entering the Glen, but the Queen, Rhiannon, would grant access, often leading to fights between the royal couple. Wherever, and whenever, the creature would encounter him, Pan would prove to be fun and delightful. He could always make her laugh, and brighten even the darkest day.

Her father, Fionn, was a great warrior and taught her everything she needed to know for the Hunt and Battle, as well as imparting great wisdom upon her. The Glen had a sacred place filled with ancient texts and scrolls that he encouraged her to read. The young creature loved this most of all. She would go to this sacred place time and time again. It seemed to call to her. When she was there, she felt safe and warm and comfortable.

Her father was proud of her ability to learn in any situation. Although her father could be strict, he was nevertheless kind and gentle with her; forever offering support in whatever she chose to do. Fionn would tell her wonderful stories of her mother, who had been forced to leave the Glen because she was human. Her mother had been in the Glen in secret. She came from another Time and another Place of which the Halfling knew little about. Once the high elves discovered her existence, her mother was banished. Fionn had wanted to leave with her, but she convinced him to stay to tend to the young redheaded Halfling. Fionn finally relented, promising that someday they would be together once again.

The Halfling knew her human mother was a gifted mage, and that her name was Jenny. Her redheaded features came from Jenny's side. Fionn was extremely fair and almost androgynous in appearance, like most elves. The Halfling's appearance was an interesting combination between the two. Her elfin characteristics of pointed ears and four toes on each foot contrasted with her more obvious human female features, especially her red hair. But her short haircut and impish grin sometimes lent to the androgyny of her Father's clan.

She sometimes wondered about her mother, and whether she would ever see her again. She also wondered about her human half. While Halflings were allowed in the Glen, no humans were, and human contact was forbidden. The Elders were the only ones allowed this for diplomatic purposes in dealing with the other lands in the Realms, and their interaction was never discussed. The redheaded creature knew other Halflings, but they were few and far between. They had all been sent away to distant elfin clans before the age of maturity out of concern for their safety due to the Glen's close proximity to the Drow Clan. The redheaded Halfling was an exception, making it past the age of maturity, and participating actively in elfin society on all levels as Warrior, Mage, Healer, and an Elfin Scribe. Her high intelligence afforded her the right to transcribe and relay all of the treasured scrolls and texts. However, the Halfling had never found her Lifemate. Elves, by nature, were monogamous, regardless of whether an elf was with a member of the opposite sex or the same sex; it made no difference. Before Joining with a Lifemate, a few would have a lovemate sometime during their lives. Most, however, did not, choosing to wait for their Lifemate. The Halfling would wonder who hers was, whether it was an elf or a human. She would know, though, through the moment of Awareness between herself and her Lifemate. It was said that when their eyes met, that they would involuntarily surrender their soul name to the other. No one, but her parents knew her soul name. It safeguarded an elf's innermost feelings and thoughts. To have a Lifemate was an important part of her elfin heritage that she had someday hoped to claim.

But things change.

The Drow elfin clan had grown stronger, and had launched a war with all of the elfin clans of the Neverending Realms. The Drow considered the war to be a "Cleansing" Their main objective was to get rid of the taint of the Halflings whom they called "Mongrel half-breeds". The war had been vicious, with heavy losses on both sides. There had been horrific stories about the torture and killings of Halflings by the Drow. Fionn, fearing for his daughter's safety, had sent the Halfling through a Time Portal. It was the same Portal used for her mother, and only the Supreme Elder knew of its existence. In gratitude to the Great Warrior Fionn, the Supreme Elder had agreed to let the Halfling pass through the Portal. The Halfling had begged and begged her father to stay, but he would not relent.

It was a cool fall evening as she laid on her bedroll placed on the soft grass. The gentle breeze was more like a whisper through the trees, causing her to wonder if the nymphs lived in this land as well.

The Halfling sat up, and reached into her soft leather pack. Her face lit up as she found the desired object: a small wooden flute. It had been a gift from Pan upon noticing the Halfling's exuberance when Pan himself would play his own pipe. Upon giving her a wink, Pan had declared that even an elf could learn such a simple instrument. She had taken the instrument in great wonder, seeking Pan out as often as possible to learn how to play her prized instrument. Before Fionn had forced her to leave, she had become quite good, even playing once for her father. After her performance, Fionn took her to task about seeing Pan, but the Halfling could tell that her father was not terribly angry with her, just simply worried about her association with a spirit banned from the Glen by the King. The Halfling had argued in defense of her friend, relating his various acts of kindness towards her, as well as the knowledge he provided her. At last, Fionn relented, as he often did concerning his daughter, telling her that she may visit him in his homeland, as long as she kept out of sight of the human shepherds.

Having retrieved the wooden instrument, the Halfling laid back down upon her bedroll, resting her head upon her pack. The night was chilly, and although her elfin made clothes kept her warm, she knew she would need her cloak soon. As the Halfling watched the unfamiliar constellations, she began to play a simple melody; one which reminded her of the many wonderful times spent with her friend, and one which made her feel not so alone.

........

Buffy was sooo not in the mood to patrol in the forest on the outskirts of Sunnydale, but her best friend Tara persisted in declaring the need to do so.

The Slayer had learned a long time ago not to question her friend when Tara went into her 'witch-y mode', as Buffy liked to call it. The Slayer tried to remind herself of this as she and the Wiccan scoured the woods. Her nighttime plans certainly did not include this. As they walked, Buffy's thoughts drifted to earlier in the evening.

// The Slayer returned to the dorm after a short patrol only covering the campus. Buffy had had a Final that day, and was more than ready for bed. She counted herself fortunate that vampire and demon activity was so low. 'Only one bloodsucker for me! Woo hoo!' was the thought that had crossed her mind.

Coming up the stairs, she could smell Tara's distinctive incense fragrance as it wafted through the air, signaling Buffy that the Wiccan was probably meditating at the moment. This lead Buffy to hope the Hall Director didn't make an appearance tonight. While the RA held a laissez faire attitude, the Hall Director didn't. Tara had fretted about the scent, but Buffy had eventually convinced her not to. Worry over whether you would receive warnings from the Hall Director was the least of Buffy's problems. Tara, however, was at heart still the same bashful girl Buffy had met her first day at Sunnydale High, not wanting to call attention to herself in any way. The tall blonde had come a long ways from the day she realized that things that go bump in the night were real. Buffy was proud of how far her friend had come; how much more self-assured she had become in every aspect of her life. The wallflower had blossomed into a formidable witch, as well as a confidant young woman not afraid to socialize at a party, and comfortable enough to express her own opinions in class. Buffy surmised that Tara would always be concerned about doing the right thing. Not one for towing the line herself, Buffy supposed Tara's predilection for this sort of thing helped to keep the Slayer in line. Tara was the steadying, calming influence Buffy needed in her often turbulent young life.

As Buffy came upon their room, she hesitated, wondering if her friend was still deep in her trance. Glancing down, Buffy noticed light showing underneath the door. The Slayer breathed a sigh of relief, really not wanting to hang out in the lounge while waiting for Tara to finish her meditation. Opening the door, she saw Tara sitting cross legged on her bed, seemingly deep in thought. As Buffy entered the dorm room, the young Wiccan gave her head a quick shake before addressing the blonde Slayer. "Buffy, hey, how was patrol?"

Buffy placed her keys on her desk, and shrugged out of her leather jacket, tossing it haphazardly onto her desk chair. "Oh, you know, same o' same o'." She flopped down onto her soft bed, feeling the exhaustion start to kick in. The Slayer turned her body on her side to fully face her best friend. "You want to tell me what has you so deep in thought?"

Tara softly smiled. "That obvious, huh?"

"Tara, we've been best friends for 4 years. I can tell when my favorite Wiccan has something on her mind. So spill." Before Tara could answer, Buffy suddenly, excitably rose to a sitting position on her bed, with her legs dangling off the side. "Ooh! Did ya meet a new girl? Maybe at that new Wiccan group you just started attending? "

Tara had to laugh at Buffy's exuberance concerning her social life. The young Wiccan had had such a hard time dealing with her ex-girlfriend Veruca leaving after the whole werewolf incident with that boy Oz that Buffy had to kill. Tara had cried herself to sleep night after night, even shocking Buffy when she broke her Wiccan basic principles by casting an "I will" spell in order to stop feeling the pain. The fact that Tara, the sweetest, gentlest soul Buffy ever knew would go to that extreme, really woke the Slayer up and smell the proverbial coffee. From then on out, she put her casual dating of farm boy Riley on hold to focus solely on really being there for her best friend. If it hadn't been for Tara's help all these past years…well, Buffy didn't think she would be here to tell the tale.

"Ok, yes, I did meet someone. But-"

"Yes! I knew it!" Buffy shouted triumphantly, startling the Wiccan with an impulsive leap from her bed to Tara's, hugging her fiercely. "See? I told ya it would happen!" Pulling back, Buffy looked at her friend appraisingly, smiling big. "Okay, details. I want details."

Tara was gasping, a bit out of breath from such an enthusiastic Slayer hug. "Buffy, I will give you details later on it, but now-" Tara's tone became serious. " -there is something else I need to discuss with you. It has to do with something I sensed during my meditation."

Buffy's smile disappeared as her countenance slipped into Slayer mode. " What is it? Dark magicks?"

"No, no, not that. Just…" The Wiccan hesitated, trying to find the right way to express what she had felt. After a moment's pause, she continued. "I've never felt anything like it. It was… ancient magicks that were somehow…off."

"Off?" The Slayer was confused. Magicks were often beyond the Slayer's comprehension at the best of times. "Off how?"

Tara tried to put it into terms the Slayer would understand. "Well, you know how when I meditate I become very aware of the magicks nearby?" Buffy nodded. "As you know, the Hellmouth naturally lends itself to a great deal of magickal energy. When I meditate, I try to align myself to the natural white magick surrounding the area."

Here Buffy interrupted, incredulous. "Okay, you're trying to tell me there is "WHITE" magick here? There's a REASON this place is called a Hellmouth, you know."

Tara smiled. "Buffy, there is good and bad everywhere; it's just a part of nature. Yes, this area is full of a lot of Dark Magick, but there is still goodness here. Whenever I meditate, I try to tap into that 'good' or white magick. But, by the same token, white magick doesn't necessarily mean it's good. It depends on how that magick is used."

Buffy was beginning to feel the rise of impatience she got with Giles when he went into one of his Watcher rants while Tara continued. "There is a difference when I tap into the magick here from the magick energy I sensed tonight. It's so ancient, so unlike here. It …well…I know this may sound w-w-eird…" She trailed off, seemingly in embarrassment as she tried to hide her face in a curtain of her long blonde hair.

Buffy sought to ease her friend's anxieties, feeling concerned at Tara's stuttering making an appearance. 'God, how bad can it be?' "Tara, this is the Hellmouth we're talking about. Weird is its middle name. " Buffy paused, before amending, "Well, ONE middle name since I can really include other names like: dangerous, terrifying, gross, fangy…Okay, whatever, weird and Hellmouth go hand and hand, like the PB & J, but the PB & J are sooo much better."

Tara emerged from her cocoon, and half smiled. "Alright, well," Tara took a deep breath, smile disappearing, "the magick feels like it is not of this world, or, maybe, even this known universe."

Buffy's eyebrows rose into her hair. "Are you talking UFOs here with Area 51 green little E.T.s eating reese's pieces?"

"No. It's not from outer space. It's from another world, perhaps even another Time."

"Okay, so there's no mother ship overhead ready to colonize us. That's of the good. So…what, then, are you saying, Tara? Does this still mean that whatever is connected to these magicks is posing some sort of threat?"

"I don't think so, Buffy. Like I said before, this magick feels benevolent. But, I do feel you need to check it out. It's very strong right now. I haven't meditated in a couple of days, so I'm not sure how long these magicks have been around."

"So, you're saying that I should check this out NOW. Tonight."

"Yes, tonight." Tara stared at her friend intensely and emphasized her point. " It IS really important, Buffy."

"All right." The Slayer let out a long-suffering sigh, unhappy that her plans to snuggle up to Mr. Gordo while drifting blissfully into sleep were interrupted. Buffy rose from her cushiony bed, and tugged her jacket back on. Tara rose as well, heading to her closet to grab her own coat. The Slayer saw this, and balked.

"No, no, no. Tara, you are not coming out with me. It's too dangerous."

"Buffy, you need my help." Tara tried to reason with her friend. "This all deals with magicks, and brute force really won't help."

The Slayer gave in, grudgingly, while grabbing her weapons bag. "Fine, then. Get your witch-fu stuff together, and let's motor." //

Buffy was brought out of her thoughts as the young witch seized her arm, halting their progress through the dark woods lit only by the moonlight and a smattering of stars.

"Tara, what is it?"

Tara tilted her head as if listening to something Buffy couldn't hear, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, Tara's eyes flew open in realization. Leaning close to the Slayer, she murmured, "Buffy, I think it was a good ancient magic that dark magicks tried to penetrate, but were unsuccessful." The Wiccan pointed, still whispering as if afraid she would disturb the power of the magick that surrounded them. "The heart of the magicks is coming from straight ahead."

The Slayer nodded in acknowledgement, and protectively stepped in front of the Wiccan, gently pushing her friend behind her. "Tara, we still don't know what is out there, so I want you to stay behind me." Buffy's right hand reached over her shoulder to draw her sword from its sheath.

"All right." Tara was really not pleased, but knew better than to argue when Buffy got into full-on Slayer mode.

Buffy silently forged ahead. Tara was not quite so successful, stumbling on various broken branches or jutting rock. Buffy glanced at Tara in annoyance, and Tara just gave her a half apologetic smile in return. Eventually, they hit a small clearing surrounded by tall pine trees.

They stopped their trek on the edge of the clearing in awe. The area seemed to radiate power; the place was so alive and so heavy with it, it made it difficult to breathe. Tara, who had always been sensitive to any kind of magickal aura, could clearly make out the trace of the power residue. There was a very subtle low hum, as well as a nearly imperceptible sheen of mystical energy.

Buffy's Slayer emerged, as Buffy felt her primal side responding to this level of power. Her eyes flashing, Buffy's heightened senses came more into focus. "Stay here." It came out almost as a growl, but Tara seemed to understand it, for she simply nodded, standing still. The Slayer, confident that Tara was safe where she was, gripped her sword as she stealthily investigated the clearing. After completing a circle of the sight, the Slayer was satisfied, despite the leftover residue, that whatever had occurred was gone. If there had been a threat from Dark Magicks, that threat no longer existed. This concluded, Buffy reined the Slayer in a bit, but remained on alert.

Just as she turned back towards the young Wiccan, Buffy stopped in her tracks. She could feel a presence nearby…human, but something else in the mix as well. The Slayer reached out fully with her senses, searching for location of the presence. She cocked her head, listening. A faint sound filtered through the forest. Music. A flute of some kind. This was where the presence was.

The Slayer looked back at Tara, signaling her to join her. As the young Wiccan approached, the Slayer put her fingers to her lips in a gesture to be quiet. With Tara in tow, the Slayer took off through the woods towards the origin of the music.