They traveled until night fell, and set up to sleep under the stars that night. With a warm fire roaring, everyone clustered around it, the two kender huddled closely under one blanket.
"I'm sorry I didn't have an extra one for you," Tas sincerely apologized. Dreamflight's eyes glittered happily. Flint frowned, eying the two, and cleared his throat for attention. The others watched him as he stood and looked pointedly at Dreamflight.
"You owe me a song, lass," he announced. "To determine your place." Tanis frowned, feeling his friend's prejudice against kenderkind was being pushed at a risk of Tas's unhappiness. But Dreamflight smiled, and nodded, snatching Tas's hoopak up and resting it across her lap.
"May I borrow this?" she inquired quickly, beaming when Tas nodded. Gently she tapped the metal tip against the stone, making a rhythmic 'chink' to aid her song- a song of dwarves who built a mighty kingdom and defended it valiantly with only their tools and bravery. By the end, Flint was nodding his approval.
"That was lovely, lass," he sighed. "Very well, you have my blessing to stay." Dreamflight smiled triumphantly, blushing as Tas gave a whoop of joy, and the others clapped. Tas, grinning, pulled her back under the warmth of his blanket and the two chatted happily. After a time, when Flint, Caramon, and Tika had fallen asleep, she feigned tiredness.
"I think I'll freshen up a bit," she yawned. "I thought I saw a creek a bit farther from here." Before anyone could protest she walked away. Tanis smiled, watching Tas as he stared after her.
"You think much of her," Tanis mused. "Don't you?" Tas blushed.
"No kendermaid has stayed this long with me," he mumbled. "And she loves my stories… She finds me funny." Tanis chuckled.
"Tell her you like her," Tanis urged, grinning. "I don't doubt she'll be flattered."
"Oh, I have," Tas sighed, leaning against his pouches. "In my own little ways. She likes me back, I think. That is, she's made that impression." Tanis was perplexed. "Then what's wrong?"
Tas frowned, shutting his eyes, and rolled over. "Don't you see? She and I will most likely part. Kender who meet on wanderlust usually do." Tanis noted the bitterness in the kender's voice that Tas had not intended to add. "She'll want to see things on her own, eventually." Tanis patted Tas gently and yawned. Tas smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Tanis. I didn't mean to keep you awake. Go on and sleep." Tanis smiled, yawning again, and began to walk off to where he had this things arranged in a makeshift bed, but not before some parting advice.
"She won't fly away, Tas, if she finds something worth staying for." Tas thought long on the words as he lay, waiting for Dreamflight's return. An hour passed (an eternity to the poor kender), and she did not reappear. Feeling hurt, miserable, and heart broken, Tas assumed she had walked off.
"Not that I can blame her," he muttered, sulking. "What's so interesting about me to keep a girl like her?" He sighed, shut his eyes, and tried to sleep. Sweet repose would not come, for a sound kept Tas awake. It sounded faintly of a flute, which Tas thought he was imagining. When the sound persisted, he crawled out from under his blanket and began searching for its source. After much wandering, he caught sight of a beautiful spectacle. Dreamflight lay in the branches of a small tree, playing her flute softly in a haunting melancholy tune. Solanari's light bathed her, making her white wings glow silver. Tas felt the urge to fall to his knees in awe, but replaced it with the need to be with her. He broke into a run and scrambled up the three. Her flute playing ceased and she looked at him in concern and guilt.
"What's wrong, Tas?" she inquired, shifting around to find somewhere for him to sit. He plunked down in her old seat, and guided her to rest between his legs.
"I thought you'd left us," Tas admitted sheepishly. "You didn't come back." Sighing, Dreamflight leaned back against him.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I lost track of time. It's the human parentage that rubbed off on me. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my thoughts I forget that time doesn't stop when I ponder." She tilted her head back and gazed, doe eyed, into his heart. "Will you forgive me? I didn't mean to keep you waiting." Tas shivered, lost in the depths of the shining blue eyes locked on his. Her lips were parted every so slightly, and Tas, very slowly, leaned closer to them.
"No, no," he thought, miserably, "I can't do this. I've only known her a couple days. Sure, she's enchanting, but I can't rush this…" With a supreme effort of will, Tasslehoff changed his motion from a course of a kiss to a warm, tight embrace. He rest his chin against her shoulder, sighing as the soft feathers stroked his cheeks.
"I forgive you," he whispered, holding tighter. She smiled, resting in his arms, acutely aware all of a sudden of her fatigue but not wanting to break the spell of the moment. "What were you thinking about that kept you away for so long?" She stared at him again, her heart giving an aching throb.
"Things," she murmured. "Like… like… Solinari." She felt it was a lame excuse, but it eased the tension. Curiosity flickered in Tas's eyes as he gazed at the moon.
"Why?" he asked. "I don't see anything different about it. It's the same Solinari that rises every night." Dreamflight smiled and felt her body go lax as sleep tried to claim her.
"It's pretty," she mumbled. "It's a shame I can't borrow it…" Tas was about to ask what she meant, but noticed she'd fallen asleep. Feeling supremely happy, Tas fell asleep soon after, cradled by the tree branch.