All five of them rushed to get properly dressed for an evening of fun. Sandry grabbed an delicate yet sturdy dress with wide skirts for riding. Her hand had paused over the breeches, but...Lark would be angry if her charge was romping through temple grounds in improper dress.

Putting her blonde streaked brown hair in a single braid, she grabbed her satchel and ran out into the hallway. Banging on Briar's door, she yelled, "Briar, Kethan? You ready yet?"

The door opened, nearly bopping her on the head. Briar stepped out, his shirt in disarray and his sleeves unbuttoned. "Help!"

Smiling, she fixed his collar and sleeves. Catching her hands, he gave them a quick kiss before Kethan stepped into the doorway.

Daja, wearing sleek brown breeches and a clinging white shirt, bounced excitedly into the hallway. Sandry raised one eyebrow at the tall, slim girl. Daj?

What?

Does someone have a crush on the new boy?

Huh?

'Cause i never saw you wear such a...revealing outfit before.

Daja blushed slightly, the red hard to see in her dark cheeks. Embarrassed, she smoothed her clothes over her long legs. Walking into Sandry's room, she inspected herself in the long mirror. Do i look okay?

Sandry grinned. Go get'm Daja.

Lark came up to them. "Sandry, put on a shawl, or you'll catch a cold again."

"Why? Its summer..."

"And, you've just healed. Going out in a small strapped dress will not help," Lark said tartly. "Daja, at least take one with you! Young people nowdays..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And this is the gate," Daja pointed to the entrance to Winding Circle.

Kethan looked. "What's beyond this?"

"Well, its a field, and a road."

Sandry clapped. "And wildflowers!"

Groaning, Tris rolled her eyes. "Sandry, are you going to go off and pick flowers again for hours?"

"No!" Then the girl winked. "Well, probably," she admitted.

Kethan turned to Daja. "Do you want to go?"

The metalmage's heart fluttered. His eyes sparkled like the forge when he smiled like that. "Sure," she said, her fingers tingling.

Tris groaned. Everyone seemed to be pairing off...where did that leave her? As they walked into the field, she saw the separation already beginning to go into effect.

For consolation, she reached for the wind. It swirled around her fingers, warming her heart. In its own form of wordless communication, it told her how wonderful she was, that it would always be her friend. The clouds, ocean, and storms echoed the same, tickling the back of her mind.

Tris smiled. She wasn't really alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lark, weaving, felt the air. "Rosie?"

"What?" came a shout from the plant mage's workroom.

"Don't you feel something different?"

Just then, Niko rushed in. "Where's the children?" His hair was windtossed, and he held a scrying stone in his left hand.

Moonstream sprinted in after him. "Windsblaze!" she cried, her eyes flashing angrily. "His spells backfired, and theres a huge disturbance heading this way. I mean, a storm of epic proportions, that will wipe out both the City and this temple. Windsblaze's Shining Circle has already been destroyed from the explosion of wind!" she rambled, losing her usually poised demeanor.

Rosethorn gasped. "What can we do?"

The Superior bit her plum colored lip. "If they could stop it, the way they saved themselves from the earthquake five years ago, its...our only hope. We cannot possibly evacuate everyone to far enough lengths away from this storm..."

Niko added grimly, "Our student's powers may have expanded enough to actually pull it off. May," he reminded.

Rosethorn buried her hand in a vine instantly, contacting Briar as quickly as the plants could relay the message. Briar! We need your help, now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~