There was a stillness to this place that Sidra had never felt before. Even the waystation had not been so quiet. Sidra stopped walking, straining to listen with all her senses.

"What?" Talia asked. Sidra could have flinched; the echo of her voice sounded so harsh.

"I-" she whispered back. On a sudden impulse, she let go of Talia's hand and removed the soft shoes and stockings they'd given her early that morning. The stone beneath her bare feet was cool and comforting and she breathed a brief sigh of relief. "Okay," she said quietly, reaching out for Talia's hand.

"Why did you do that?" Talia asked, whispering now too. She took Sidra's hand as she shrugged.

They began walking again, the scraping of Talia's boots sounding ten times louder than it should. There was sunlight streaming through the windows; she could feel the warmth. Was it warmer than usual? It wrapped around her like a heavy shawl.

"If I wanted to, could I meditate here?" she asked Talia, her voice never wavering from its hushed tone.

"You'd have to ask Karal, but I don't think he'd mind," the woman answered, puzzled but also amused.

"Have I been here before?"

Talia chuckled softly. "It was one of your favorite haunts while you were in your trance. I can't tell you how many times Karal brought you back across the Field from this place."

"Do you think he'll like me? I want him to like me- An'desha said he was so nice." Sidra was babbling. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so nervous. It was so strange because this place- the Sun Shrine- was so warm and inviting. It seemed to want to assuage her fears.

A flash of light suddenly came slinking into the room. Talia felt her jerk and asked her what was wrong, but Sidra was too intrigued to answer. It was like a Companion and yet different- small to a Companion's large, white hot to Jereth's cool and calm presence.

Sidra knelt down onto her knees, crouching to the same height as the newcomer. "Well aren't you just warm and fuzzy," she called. The light came closer, so close she could just reach out and touch it. Then she laughed, "Well, that's because you actually are warm and fuzzy!" The cat- the Firecat- pushed his face against her own, purring like he was bigger than the griffins she'd been introduced to that morning. His fur was soft, silky and short, and he leaned into her scratches with enthusiasm.

Oh I like her, she heard him say and her stomach suddenly sank when she realized he wasn't talking to her. She is more than An'desha said.

Sidra didn't hear the reply which made her both confused and relieved. She did, however 'look' around and noticed another newcomer but this one stayed away, obviously just observing. The first thing that struck her was that he was like Jereth and An'desha- connected to some Other thing, he and the Firecat. Her nerves calmed in an instant- he seemed the perfect embodiment of the Shrine, warm, inviting, and forgiving. Nice did not begin to describe him and now she knew why the Sworn One had taken to him so readily. An'desha hadn't told her his whole story, only that he'd been touched by blood path magic and had been wounded in his very soul. Karal had helped heal him without magic; if she had doubted the story, she definitely didn't now.

Will you tell her? the Firecat asked, pulling away from her hands for a moment.

"Tell me what?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Damn her curious nature!

But neither Karal nor Altra seemed surprised. "Well it seems An'desha's hunch was right. He said there might be a chance you could hear bondbirds and even Companions." His voice was low and pleasant to listen to, his tone a bit disappointed. She hoped it was because he wished that she couldn't hear the Firecat and other Companions, not because she wasn't what he was expecting.

"You can hear Altra?" Talia asked.

Sidra nodded miserably. "I didn't mean to. I was really hoping that I couldn't- Jereth said it might cause trouble."

Talia's mood darkened for a second and Sidra's stomach dropped. So she was a liability- how could anyone hold any sort of private conversation if she was around? What if she couldn't control it?

Don't make me come in there after you. It's just another wall for you to climb over, Jereth told her.

A pretty big one, she replied grumpily.

Altra rubbed his wet nose against her own, momentarily distracting her. She rubbed the sensitive spot just below his ear and he started purring again.

"Oh no," Talia said. Sidra heard her sit down next to her on the floor. 'I think you're spoiling him."

"He's already spoiled," Karal said, coming closer as well. His gait was much quieter than Talia's- he knew how loud little sounds could be in this place. He sat down somewhere nearby, Altra abandoned Sidra for him. "I have to say, it's nice to see you and actually be able to talk to you. The other times, you were a bit…"

"Distracted," Sidra said quietly, bringing her knees up to her chest. "I think I probably knew you were here. Or at least I was drawn to Altra, I think."

I am a magnet, the Firecat clarified.

"What's a magnet?"

Karal paused. "You'd have to ask Natoli, I think. She can explain it better than I can."

"What were you going to tell me? Altra asked you if you would tell me something." Sidra hadn't forgotten Altra's question.

Karal hesitated again and then said diplomatically, "I think that's something you and I should discuss another day, in private."

It has something to do w/ An'desha, doesn't it? she asked Altra in her Mindvoice. Somehow she knew this was a delicate subject, one he didn't really want to talk about in front of anyone else.

It's complicated and has a very long explanation. There'll be time later, the Firecat answered.

Sidra accepted that and changed the subject. "Do you think I could come in here and meditate sometimes? The quiet- it shuts everything out."

"This place is always open to anyone," the Sunpriest said quietly.

"We can't stay very long today," Talia warned. "Your Gifts still need to be tested."

"Just for a few minutes?" Karal asked before Sidra could. A suspicious shadow passed over Talia before she answered.

"All right. I'll just rearrange my schedule later," the Queen's Own finally said.

"If it's so much trouble, we can go," Sidra told her. "I know there's things to do."

"No, no. It's just I was planning on coming back but now I won't have to," Talia assured her.

She's a Sunpriest, like Karal, Jereth told Sidra. The proper time for her to come for her vigil is high sun, but she can't always make it because of her other duties. So Karal told her just to make sure she comes before the sun begins to set.

Well that's nice, she answered a bit distractedly. She had just become aware that all three of her companions were staring at her.

"You can go," she told Talia. "Do whatever priestly duties you have to do. I'll just find a place in the corner and meditate."

"I don't think I've ever met a youth who liked meditation as much as you," Talia remarked.

"I feel more focused after I do," Sidra explained. "I used to do it for hours when Jereth and I were on the road."

"I have never been able to meditate on a horse, even a Companion," Karal put in. "Here, you can do it on the bench over here."

Talia helped Sidra stand and led her to the bench, where the girl crossed her legs beneath her and began to regulate her breathing. She heard Talia and Karal move off, but Altra jumped up and sat down next to her. He was bigger than a normal cat, big enough that his head was the same height as hers. She knew because he began sniffing her hair.

You smell like horse drool, he said, pawing a stray lock of hair.

Jereth snickered.