Things to know before reading:

--Oowww, 'twas written in a day. My poor, poor fingers…^~^

--Just to tell you…I gave Yue-chan's book back, so now I don't have a map of Valdemar in the Reign in Queen Selenay, and that's honestly why the landscape is badly described as just a road with grass and a forest to one side.

--Hehehe…just something to chew on if you really are enjoying this: when you read something here, is your comprehension of the words something you know or assumed? It's hypothetical, of course, since no one but Yue-chan or me knows how this is going to turn out, but…I don't know, something to chew on. ;)

--Wheee…please R+R! And thank you to those who have! Otherwise I seriously would not have gotten as far as (*gasp!*) SIX WHOLE CHAPTERS.

Kismet of a Changechild

Chapter VI

By Aura Kage

It was some kind of very large mouse, crouched on a spotty granite rock the size of two Companion hooves put together. Its long, shortly furred tail was curled halfway around the rock's base, the mouse's semi-large ears swiveling for any sounds while its beady little dark eyes seemed to stare into space. Dawnshadow watched its whiskers and nose twitch violently while it nibbled on a nut of some sort that it had discovered lying on the ground. Unknowing that it was the bait that she had set.

The Changechild herself was crouched behind a bush, watching all this with her breath hardly rustling the leaves. Her fingernails flexed in the slightly damp soil, and she adjusted her eyes patiently, the equivalent of someone twiddling their thumbs or whistling to pass the time.

The mouse suddenly lifted its head, eyes wide, ears swiveling to meet somewhere above, whiskers giving a steady heartbeat-paced twitch much slower from its usual one. And then Dawnshadow felt herself tense, her muscles coiling to make the pounce-

And then something dropped down heavily from above with the velocity of someone dropping a small boulder, and Dawnshadow heard the smallest of high-pitched squeaks before the unmistakable crack of a neck – or spine – being broken.

:Mouse!: Kestri said triumphantly, arching her neck and giving off a single killy.

"Kestri-bird!" Dawnshadow cried indignantly, standing up from her hiding place. "That was mine!"

Kestri turned her head and gave the Changechild a dark glare. :Mine now. Go get own!:

And with that, she presented Dawnshadow with a shriek and dove her beak into the mouse.

"Mean," Dawnshadow grumbled as she stalked away. Kestri's neck feathers bristled at that, but she didn't reply and instead continued eating.

The Changechild walked back to the camp that she had made last night, frowning as she saw that Snowsong was still sleeping. It was midday – if he didn't wake up soon, then they were never going to make it to the Collegium. Kyrrith stood at her arrival and followed her gaze and thoughts with a snort of agreement.

:I'm starting to wonder whether Snowsong is more of a help than a hindrance,: the Companion voiced privately. :He said he wants to 'protect' us, but it's more as if we're going to have to protect him.:

:I agree completely, Companion,: Dawnshadow said, kneeling down by the place of the extinguished fire and twisting her fingernail through the ashes absentmindedly. :Should we just wake him up, then? Can he ride a horse?:

:Just because you can't ride a horse doesn't mean he can't,: Kyrrith said. :I'm pretty sure he can ride a dyheli, which would mean he can ride a horse. Go ahead and wake the lump up, will you?:

Dawnshadow nodded and stood up again, lifting a hand to prod the scout awake. Kyrrith emitted an odd discomfort through their link, and Dawnshadow sent back confusion.

:It's…strange, the way you move. I almost expect a tail to come after you.:

:It would be easier to move with one,: Dawnshadow said wistfully, poking the scout's shoulder. He moaned and shook his hand in her direction, drowsily brushing her hand off his body.

"Wake up, Snowsong," Dawnshadow said gently. "Time to get going."

"Already…?" Snowsong groaned to himself, turning over and brushing away his matted hair from his face. He yawned loudly, then sat up and stretched his arms. "Alright. Hold on…"

In a fraction of a candlemark, Snowsong had changed into a more travel-oriented outfit, while Dawnshadow fit Kyrrith in his riding gear and watched the skies out of the corner of her eye for Kestri's return, stomach giving a low growl of hunger.

:Be quiet, you. We'll eat on the way,: Dawnshadow reprimanded herself, digging into her traveling sack for a section of journeybread as proof. Part of it crumbled to her touch and fell away, but for the most part it remained intact.

"I will ride in the back," Dawnshadow said aloud for Snowsong's benefit while she patted the saddle to make sure it was firmly strapped on the Companion. Kyrrith snorted.

:If it were loose, kitten, then I'd tell you.:

:No harm in reinforcing habits,: Dawnshadow replied coolly, placing a hand on Kyrrith's mane and smoothing it to one side. In response to that, Kyrrith shook his head again, displacing the ivory hair.

:Then maybe you'd like to act less feral while on the road,: Kyrrith said seriously, turning to give Dawnshadow a sapphire-eyed look. :Honestly…:

:Kyrrith, I am not human,: Dawnshadow said again in exasperation. :There is no point in acting something you are not! Do you act like a pretty no-minded stallion?:

:That's different!: Kyrrith protested. :There's no reason for me to act a stallion – but if the time came when I would have to act a normal stallion, then I would! Now when you get to Haven, you will have to act human, for the benefit of…everyone.:

:But that is not fair,: Dawnshadow argued flatly. :That-:

:Is how the world turns,: Kyrrith interrupted. :Chosen, listen to me. There are those at the Collegium who will dislike you at sight, as soon as they realize what you are, regardless of the fact I Chose you. If we get lucky, maybe someone at the Collegium will be able to reverse some of your alterations-:

:Kyrrith, no! Never!: Dawnshadow shouted, feeling her anger rise to her face like blood poured into a bottle of water. :Fine, I will act human, but you cannot just…change me to look so! If you had to act lame mule, you would not allow someone to break your leg, would you not?:

:If it was necessary,: Kyrrith replied stonily. Dawnshadow blinked in surprise and sought the Companion's eyes to see if he spoke truth, but he had turned away and was shaking his head as if to rid himself of something on his head. :And besides, you were human before the mage caught you and changed you. It wouldn't be a change – it would be a correction.:

A hand fell heavily on Dawnshadow's shoulder, and she jumped. Snowsong started laughing – a light, tired chuckle that was not offensive – and grinned at her.

"Well, let's get going then!"

~

Kestri dove again, talons outstretching before her and caressing the grass. She lifted her talons, both fisted, and swooped back into the azure embrace of the sky, her dark form shrinking as she gained altitude. Then she dove down again, wings stretched almost parallel behind her, and just before she crashed into a tree flared them and began to hover. Finally, she swooped back to bondmate, Companion, and Chosen, landing on Kyrrith's neck and trying not to bury her talons into his flesh and grasping ivory mane instead.

"Here, Kestri," Snowsong said, stretching a gloved right hand towards his bondbird. She inched towards it, finally hopping onto it with great difficulty as she struggled to maintain her clutch on whatever she had caught in the grass. A small black snake wriggled in her grasp, emitting a raspy hiss with its mouth wide open. Kestri lifted the talon with the snake in, as if to show Snowsong her hunting prowess, and the ex-scout smiled weakly and uttered faint praise. Satisfied, Kestri lowered her head and clamped her beak behind the snake's head – Snowsong winced at the brittle snap that followed – and showed him the other talon, now able to use the talon with the limp snake.

It was a flower. How the kestrel had been able to pick it at plummeting rapidity, he didn't know – but here it was. A fiery blossom with a bent stem, so that it was hanging crooked in the bird's talon. And Kestri was offering it to him.

Snowsong took it, smiling both in amazement and thankfulness. Amazement for the fact that Kestri would pay attention to anything that didn't immediately concern her bigger-than-supposed-to-be-for-such-a-small-bird stomach, thankfulness for the fact that she had given him something.

"Thank you, Kestri," Snowsong said. Kestri's neck-feathers ruffled and she tucked her beak under her wing – which reminded Snowsong uncannily of how much she looked like a young girl blushing – and then shook her head as if to dismiss that stance, crouched on Snowsong's hawking glove, and pounced back into the skies.

Snowsong tucked the flower in his breast pocket, patting it twice as if to make sure it was safe and then resuming a two-handed hold on the rein.

"Kyrrith wants to know if Kestri is a kestrel," Dawnshadow said suddenly from behind him. She had her arms around his waist, and her head was tucked boredly in the small of his back. Her voice sounded reluctant, either as if she didn't want to relay Kyrrith's words to Snowsong, or she thought it was a stupid question.

Snowsong thought it was the latter. If someone knew what a kestrel was and how to identify one but still was not sure, nothing like the name 'Kestri' screamed an affirmative.

"She is," Snowsong answered cheerfully, hoping to lighten her mood somewhat. There was a pause as Dawnshadow supposedly consulted this with her Companion, and then she relayed some more. For some reason, Kyrrith would no longer Bespeak.

"Now Kyrrith would like to know if Kestri is your bondbird," Dawnshadow said, this time even more boredly. Snowsong had a fleeting image of a cat and their aura of 'I'm better than you, and if you didn't know that when you first met me than you must be very stupid indeed.'

"She is," Snowsong replied tentatively, wondering what the Companion was getting at.

Dawnshadow was silent a moment more…then, "And now Kyrrith would like to know if what he has heard is true, and that bondbirds are two or three times larger than the rest of their normal species."

"Hmm." Snowsong tightened his grip on the reins, then loosened it and repeated that movement thoughtfully. Now the ex-scout knew what the Companion had been really trying to ask, and why he had nibbled around the corners of the question before coming right out and asking it and looking foolish. It was true – bondbirds were larger than regular birds. Kestrels – normal kestrels – were the size of jays. So a bondbird kestrel should maybe be the size of a hawk or a normal falcon.

Snowsong's eyes were drawn to a shadow flitting overhead – Kestri. He instinctively lifted his glove again, and the kestrel landed instantly, wings flared and tail bobbing as she fought to gain balance. When she settled, she gazed at Snowsong expectantly, head tilted to the side, as if waiting for his judgment. Her weight was almost unfelt on his fist, her size – not counting wings and tail – the equivalent of his head.

"Well…" Snowsong said, trailing off uncomfortably. What was he supposed to answer the Companion, a being which could tap into his very thoughts? He cleared his throat and tried again. "Well, Kestri's a growing bird. She's still…very young. I'm sure she'll be bigger when she's older…and if having Kestri being large is all you're worrying about, then leave her alone. She's fine the way she is."

Kyrrith snorted, displeased; obviously, he had been looking for a direct answer, not an excuse. But Kestri's head rose happily and leaped off the glove again, flying circles in the sky.

:Happy. Good Snowsong,: the kestrel said approvingly. Snowsong shook his head, smiling to himself, and the band continued onward.

~

Dark…dark, dark, dark, dark, dark. But dark in a good, blissful way…a comforting, secure, allied darkness, like the darkness of a guarded hiding place, like the lightlessness of the night descending upon the weary, the obscurity of a someone's deepest secret.

And happiness. Bliss. Two…no, three. Little, helpless, happy, dormant. No, not dormant – sleeping. Three sleeping helpless, happy…no, four. Four! Four there, three happy, three sleeping. Their slow, steady breaths were like the pulse of life, fallow vivacity in the darkened region of…of…

In the cool wash of moonlight, bronze feathers shifted, fluffed and smoothed. Paws paddled weakly through the air, and in dream-state he walked through a land of shadows and unknown, where he only tried to make sense of what was happening.

Of…an aerie. That's where it was.

Now the movements of his paws and legs grew stronger, more purposeful. No matter that the gryphon was on his side – in dream-state, he was walking dizzily through the paths that were of no substance or texture, roads that were both affixed and restless, constantly wavering under his nonexistent weight like metallic gray-white-black water…or was it wind?

There was no color – even his copper plumage was no more, only movements outlined in light gray, his outline a sketchy white as if someone had drawn him. But it all seemed normal…there was no question of why he, or the world, was colored so. That conscious, sense-filled part of his mind was in abeyance, so that his subconscious – which was more versatile than his conscious was – could come and walk this land of leareth.

He approached the glowing, life-stained bodies of the three sleeping ones, who radiated existence like a trio of tiny stars. He knew what and who they were now – three gryphlets, Kirevan, Sakira, and Evah. They were new, born of…then names of their parents came, but were not acknowledged. They slipped off his awareness like water on glass – so they were not important.

Rather, the fourth was the one at hand. He was not one of the three gryphlets – in fact, he was not of them at all. The impression he gave off – like the gryphlets' radiating light – was one of someone radiating darkness. He was the opposite, outlined with dark, grayish red that made him both hard to see and obvious to sense. He loped towards the gryphlets with a murderous swagger, and his hands and feet were a mess of dripping crimson and shining blades. His hair was tousled and long, strangely covering his whole body like a coat of long, dirty fur. He continued loping, though a limp was starting to show with every advancing step, as if his side had been injured. He neared the gryphlets, and as he did the dream-state's hackles rose, a snarl escaping unbidden from the throat that lay behind it. He could not go near those gryphlets!

The dream-state started forward, but now something was holding him back, as if he was walking on ground that was circling underneath him so that he would never progress anywhere. No! He had to save the gryphlets! He broke into a run, and time seemed to slow as he continued-

:You cannot save them in while in this body! Go – AWAKEN!:

A call, a bidding, a request, an order, a command! As coaxing and inviting as a clear blue sky studded with thermals, as utterly powerful and gentle as a hand clasped about the frail, delicate body of a baby kestrel.

Kestrel? Where did that come from-

:Awaken AND SAVE THEM!!:

Someone shoved him, and he fell through that once-solid ground, a path of frost in his wake that looked an awful lot like feathers…

AWAKEN!!

Kelvren Skothkae finally awoke, breathing hard as if his dream-state had drained all of his energy. He lie there for a precious few heartbeats until he realized-

The gryphlets! The intruder!

Kel was on his feet and into the darkened skies before he was able to assess the situation, wings flapping in the air and carrying him higher…higher…higher…and then too high for comfort, but still they rose, unconsciously carrying their owner to his destination while he fought for air in the high altitudes and shivered.

And then he dropped his altitude, in control of his wings once more, and saw straight below him what he had seen so clearly in his dreams – Kirevan, Sakira, and Evah, both sleeping in front of their aerie while something large and dark stalked towards them with careless glee, knowing he could not be denied such a succulent meal.

"Neverrr!" Kelvren screeched, dropping like a rock over the gryphlets, surprised that he had not impaled them on his many weapons. The dark figure froze in place, but it was too late – he had been seen.

Below Kel, the gryphlets stirred at the sounds of the landing, but they were quickly hushed by a mental-given command.

"Shhhade!" the dark one snarled, torso bending forward in an aggressive challenge. "Blood-lusssst."

There was something oddly familiar about him…

When he realized, Kelvren's eartufts and head perked.

"You!"

"Shhhaaade!" he growled again, hissing with a gryphonic accent that made Kelvren's hackles raise. How dare he – make a mockery of gryphon speech, like living proof of their disgrace. But this…thing was not gryphon.

"Eeep!" something cried from below Kelvren, sounding very afraid.

:Shh, little one,: Kelvren assured. :I will protect you.:

And during that pause, the dark one struck.

For one who was not gryphon, the dark one slash with the rapidity of one – Kelvren did not see his attack until it was made known with a triumphant hiss that came too soon and warned him. Kelvren ducked, and winced as a few of his crest-feathers were ripped clean from his head.

"Shhhaade!"

:Away!: Kelvren cried, and while the gryphlets scattered he slashed out with an unforeseen strike, catching the dark thing easily at his chest. The thing gave an unearthly cry of pain and staggered back, one talon rushing to meet the wound and somehow comfort it.

The movement of attempted healing was strange – the reflex was all wrong. The cry was instinctive enough, but it…it was just wrong. It bothered Kelvren to watch him, like it would bother someone to watch a human, when lacerated, to start licking his injury.

But that gave him strength, and now he knew where he had seen that black form, and wondered why he had not noticed it earlier. The dark thing from the forest, the one who had come clear to murdering the scout.

And Kelvren's attacks gained new strength and ferocity.

The gryphon reared, feeling equine as he did so, talons flailing to dig straight into the thing's head. But it shot to the side neatly evading the attack – no matter. When Kelvren landed on the worn stone he outstretched his right wing fiercely and buffeted the dark thing against its head, neck, and shoulders, driving it roughly to the side. It screamed as it fell from the aerie cliff, but one talon grasped the smooth stone, cutting inch-deep furrows – an alien movement that no true gryphon should have been able to muster.

Just a little more…!

Kelvren turned with practiced swiftness, arching a talon just as the dark thing arched his own to grasp the cliff. They met and deflected, and though one was not meant for striking they both inflicted damage. Kelvren hissed and withdrew his talon, only to switch to usage of the other. The dark thing screeched again, and looked at Kelvren with bloodshot eyes, which were both pleading and emotionless.

Kelvren felt a heartbeat of sympathy – a heartbeat, and most likely simply because of the dark thing's chosen image. Then he felt the anger that had been suppressed within him from before, saw again the poor mangled body of the scout, and raised his talons.

"Thisss…! Thisss is forrr the Tayledrasss ssscout, who you werrre fool to everrr take asss prrrey-!" Kelvren screamed, clacking his beak together to end the last word that made a sharp crack like two rocks slamming together.

And he brought his knife-sharp talons down on the dark thing's, who gave a pain-filled screech as the weapons made a clean swipe through his arm. And he fell, stump of an arm starting to bleed violently, the remaining talon slashing uselessly at the air, wings flapping…

Kelvren watched as the dark thing fell from the cliff and into the forest, rustling the bushes, a loud crack resounding from the darkness. The dark thing was dead.

Something whimpered behind the gryphon, and he turned to see the three gryphlets huddled together, their outlines just visible in the cave. Kelvren softened, his wrath draining quickly from his body at the sight of their helplessness and fear.

He had saved them. Thanks to…who? He remembered the dream, the odd distortions in his body and perspective and thoughts…and pushed them away to think about later.

"Come, little onesss…you arrre sssafe now. Let'sss find yourrr parrrentsss, ssshall we?"

~

:Uh-oh.:

Snowsong winced. Those two syllables could only mean one thing, especially from Kestri.

:Uh-oh,: Kestri repeated again, flatly, as if she was ordering Snowsong to ask her what was wrong.

:What's wrong?: Snowsong replied.

:Snake-dogs. Coming,: Kestri said urgently. Snowsong's heart skipped a beat. Snake-dogs…Kestri-speak for wyrsa!

:Kestri, scout the area! Safe spot!: Snowsong called as he dug his knees into Kyrrith's side to signal his mount to quicken. Kestri gave a mental agreement and soared out of view.

Dawnshadow stirred behind him – she had fallen asleep.

"Hmm…what?" she moaned sleepily. She yawned, brow furrowing, and then said, "He's a Companion. If you want him to hurry up, tell him so."

"Wyrsa!" Snowsong shouted in reply. Kyrrith whinnied in surprise and broke out of his rather drowsy pace into a new, fall-galloped one that sent Snowsong reeling for a moment until he caught the rhythm of the gait. And then he started to flinch as his back protested against this violent pace, but he endured it. Anything was better than wyrsa-

"Wyr-r-r-sa?" Dawnshadow echoed, her voice bouncing as Kyrrith hastened, risking a glance back and then hurrying further again. "Wha-at ar-re th-th-those?"

:You'll find out sooner or later!: Snowsong responded via Mindspeech, leaning into Kyrrith's gait and shaking the reins again. Kyrrith snorted indignantly, though his speed increased considerably.

And now they came into view – a pack of wyrsa, tongues hanging out of their mouths as they hastened to capture their prey, their scaled skin giving off a dull luster as their pursued, reptilian greyhound-shaped heads pointed forward and upper maw bared, revealing very sharp – and very blood-stained – teeth. Their sulfurous eyes gleamed wickedly, watching their fleeing quarry.

:That…?: Dawnshadow queried fearfully.

:Yes.:

:I do not think I would like to pick a fight with them,: Dawnshadow said seriously, her hold tightening on Snowsong's waist.

:No, you would not,: Snowsong replied dryly. :They're viper-greyhound hybrids that have poisonous claws, and they're never caught by the same trick twice. Along with that, they'll chase their prey until their dead, and if you kill or injure one then you've acquired yourself a life-long enemy.:

:Then I guess that we would not do well to negotiate…?:

:You're joking, right?:

:Snowsong, Snowsong!: Kestri called, coming back into view and hovering in the sky. :Ahead, forest, right – puddles, past puddles, hole in cliff, big!:

:Can Kyrrith fit? How high?:

:Climb path, then hole in cliff,: Kestri explained. :Then break tree, block way! Maybe kill!:

:Good job, Kestri!: Snowsong said gratefully, and she agreed before swooping away, presumably to the place she had told her bondmate of.

:Alright,: Snowsong said, speaking to both Dawnshadow and Kyrrith though the latter would most likely not reply. :Kestri said that there's a hole in some sort of cliff to the right – yes, turn right here, and through the forest, and past the puddles of water, up the road and then we tip over a tree and try to kill one while we're at it!:

While he was speaking, Kyrrith had made the turn and was shoving through the foliage with uncanny accuracy. His hooves made splashing sounds as they tapped into the water puddles, and their captor's howls and raspy bays echoed behind them, amplified by the forest's vastness.

:There!: Snowsong called out unnecessarily, pointing to a large boulder that looked suspiciously like a mountain. There was indeed a rather worn pathway leading up, where the tiniest sliver of blackness augmented as they grew closer.

Something swooped past speedily – Kestri, passing by as if to assure the trio that they were going the right way.

:Umm…: Dawnshadow said hesitantly, looking behind them. :Both Kyrrith and I are inclined to wonder how those puddles of water got here if there was no rain in this area.:

:What do you mean?: Snowsong asked. :How would you know there was no rain here?:

:Because Kyrrith came past this road – or at least, the one by here – while he was coming to Chose me, and that was only a while ago,: Dawnshadow answered. :And if there was rain, then there would be water in other places besides only this place.:

Snowsong paused in contemplative silence. :You have a point,: he admitted finally, while Kyrrith neared the cliff and reared, clearly ordering them to dismount. :But then how would all this water-?:

BOOM.

Snowsong, Dawnshadow, Kyrrith, and the pack of wyrsa stilled at the loud noise that shook the ground and sent tremors of sound that stilled their hearts.

BOOM.

:You know, on second thought, I don't think I want to know how all that water got there,: Snowsong said, gulping.

:I second,: Dawnshadow agreed. There was a flit of movement above, and her head turned with inhuman speed to meet it. Snowsong's head turned to see what she had done to make so sudden a movement, but when he sent an inquiry she didn't reply…just stared into the canopy, pupils dilated, mouth hanging slightly open in what seemed to be stunned passiveness.

The wyrsa then crashed through the foliage, starting their barks again at the absence of the tremors, their poisonous glares making Snowsong step back into Kyrrith's also still form. Snowsong looked back at the Companion; he too was staring avidly above, with an intent that made the ex-scout shudder.

Then an arrow of ice pierced through the canopy, splitting into two and engulfing three wyrsa in a sickening crack that drowned out any whimpers they would have given off at their departure of life. The rest of the pack watched this, astonished, while the arrow chewed up its prey and gulped, looking back down for more. At least a third of the pack started barking and snarled, but the rest were frozen, their mouths slightly agape as they too were swallowed.

And then Snowsong, his wits returning, realized just what that icy arrow was, and why Dawnshadow and Kyrrith were so oddly motionless, and the answer to his question of the origin of the water puddles.

The arrow was the head of a colddrake, the passiveness of his friends were brought upon them when they had gazed into the hypnotic amethyst oculars of the malicious monster, and the water puddles…weren't exactly water.

All this came to realization just as the last of the wyrsa were eaten, and the colddrake turned to face the remaining visible prey.

Snowsong looked back, compelled – and was caught by lavender eyes, deep and beckoning and comforting, gently drawing him from awareness…there was nothing that mattered anymore, nothing that he would ever need except for that wonderful, tranquil gaze…