Things to know before reading:

--First off, I'd like to say a special thanks to YfandesV@aol.com…my first ever reviewer on this ficcy via e-mail. Thanks so much! I know a mere 'thanks' is really not like giving you the whole Heralds of Valdemar series (if you don't own it already) for free, but…thanks. ^-^

--To the Flamers: why bother reviewing a story that you so obviously dislike, just to tell someone that you dislike their work? I mean, seriously – if you don't like someone's fic, then why are you even going to waste time reviewing it anyway? And to anyone flamed…don't worry, and don't let anyone discourage you from doing anything, or else you'll be doing exactly what a Flamer wants. Yeah. (*turns off her sound-like-an-adult voice box*)

--In the last chapter, before it was edited, there was much interfering into the story…I think I fixed most of that, but I'm sorry if it was still so disruptive. ^~^()

Kismet of a Changechild

Chapter IIX

By Aura Kage

"Hmph. This is going to be a problem, then, en't it." Derik ran his tongue over his lips and looked at Dawnshadow with a tilted frown, trying to figure out how to smuggle her into the village without getting the poor soon-to-be Herald stoned to death, mistaken for a demon or other satanic monster.

He sighed and rummaged about in his saddlebags, finally lifting out a large, dark blanket and showing it to her. "If you put this over your head and pretend it's a cloak, then maybe someone'll buy it. And…and the story can be that you're trying to protect yourself from the evil spirits, and the only way to do so is to cover yourself entirely."

He flung the blanket over the Changechild, and she struggled underneath it for a while before lifting it just over her face. From underneath, two orbs of bright acid green flashed and peered confusedly at the ex-scout and Herald. Derik shuddered and collapsed the dark blanket over the Changechild's reflective optics.

"Cateyes, could you walk blind through this place?" Derik asked. "Dammit, those eyes look big…"

"I think so. If I can hear," Dawnshadow said hesitantly, the makeshift cloak bobbing as she nodded.

"Well, you can hear," Derik said curtly, turning. His enormous white cape fluttered behind him like a wing – the Herald had changed to full, formal Whites for this trip. Just in case. "Better than I can, I think. Snowy-"

"Snowsong," the Tayledras interrupted.

"Right. Snowsong, I think you'll be fine…though keep your bondbird sky-high, alright? We don't want anyone thinking…something we don't want them to think," Derik said.

:Pfft. You need to expand your vocabulary,: Ranaena snorted in his mind.

:Be quiet. I'm trying a hard as I can with these two barely-fledged behind me. Besides…this isn't Valdemar, sweet. We're just entering Rethwellan, and I want to make a good impression on the village just past the gates.:

:Then why are you wearing your Whites? It won't matter here.:

:Neither would my duty to Valdemar, but I had to sustain it anyway,: Derik replied lightly. :Besides, this will at least tell everyone I have some type of power, and that I'm not to mess with.:

:Well, yes. But you'll have to convince everyone else that the two behind you aren't to be messed with either,: Ranaena said, tossing her head in a gesture at Dawnshadow and Snowsong. He was helping her with the blanket, making it look more convincing, and she had her arms stiff at each side while taking a few experimental steps forward, trying to walk without seeing. All in all, they looked like two playmates having a good time…not very threatening at all.

:Wish I had the Mage-Gift,: Derik sighed. :Well, nothing for those two. I'll just have to ward everyone off.:

:Good. Kyrrith says that now's the best time to go, this early in the morning, because hopefully no one will be that awake to notice Dawnshadow and Snowsong,: Rae conveyed, raising her head and trotting by Derik. He mounted, and she lifted her head while trotting forward a few paces.

:What are you doing?: Derik inquired, turning and watching Rae's tail bob, making the ivory hairs gleam in the dawning sunlight.

:Umm…just…: Rae trailed off uncomfortably.

:You're flirting, aren't you?: Derik said mischievously after a moment's pause. :With Kyrrith. You really like him, don't you?:

:I…: Rae stuttered again. Derik grinned – Companions never lied. Too bad for her.

:Ooohh…my little baby's growing up!:

:Be quiet,: Ranaena snapped, jerking forward suddenly and making Derik lurch. He fumbled for his reins and almost fell.

"Ready yet?" Derik called out to the two behind him, hoping they didn't see him stumble.

"Almost…Herald Syrkaderik, I cannot walk very well," Dawnshadow admitted. "I might stumble."

"Well, no good, then. Snowy, could you-"

"Snowsong!"

"Alright! Snowsong, could you direct Cateyes with your Mindspeaking? You can Mindspeak, right?" Derik asked. Snowsong muttered something under his breath, which Derik took for assent.

:Derik…Dawnshadow can ride Kyrrith, remember?: Rae said in the back of his mind.

"Yeah, she can ride him, can't he," Derik said, seeming to the two to be thinking aloud. "But you know…I'd rather not that she ride him. If she somehow gets uncovered and people find out that she's a Changechild, well…she'll be damn obvious on a horse, if you get what I mean."

"Are you addressing me, Snowsong, or Ranaena?" Dawnshadow asked, confused.

"All three. Snowy, you're-"

"Snowsong!"

"Alright, already! Snowsong, you're going to ride Kyrrith, because when people see you on him, they're going to automatically assume that you're his Chosen. You will guide Dawnshadow – or she can hold onto Kyrrith's tail, I don't care – through the city. Could you ask Kestri to be the sky-eyes for us? That'll be helpful. And if anything happens, anything, then I'll tell you where to go…and you better listen to me, you two, because this could be life and death."

:Um…aren't you being a little too dramatic about this?:

:I want this to be interesting, I want those two to take it seriously,: Derik explained, hiding a smile as he turned. Snowsong and Dawnshadow were staring at him from behind, and as the Herald and Ranaena trotted forward Snowsong scrambled into Kyrrith's saddle and Dawnshadow lifted the 'cloak' slightly to see where her Companion was; she grabbed Kyrrith's tail with an urgency forced upon her by the Herald.

:Well, it's working.:

:I know!: Derik said resiliently.

The group trotted out towards Rethwellan's gates as Snowsong informed Kestri of her temporary job. She gave mental assent and gained altitude…falcon's eyes saw all, even at the greatest heights.

But even at the greatest heights, fleeting shadows darting through unlit lands are missed.

~

"Thank the godsss," Kelvren sighed, following Nightwind, twitching his tail to keep the three gryphlets interested behind him and to stop them from wandering off. Though their claws were extended to try and snatch the fluffy tailtuft of the gryphon, they always missed and tumbled over each other in their determination to rip off Kel's tail. "I thought forrr a moment therrre that I would have to…"

"Yes, I know," Nightwind said, rolling her eyes. "I know. You thought you might become father to gryphlets you didn't even sire…which would take out most of the fun."

"Hmph. Well, I'm glad that Rrrrelina and Korrrrorrrru decided to take them," Kelvren said tartly. "Korrr isss too old to sirrre anyway, and Rrrrelina wissshed cubsss. It worrrksss perrrfectly."

"I suppose," Nightwind said, looking behind to make sure the three were still following. "But what if Kororu and Relina die? Then what?"

"Then we sssshall trrry to find Kirrrevan, Ssssakirrra, and Evah homesss again. It will not be harrrd," Kelvren added, mostly for his own benefit.

"Is that an assumption, or a proof?"

"I do not know. I do not carrre. Rrrright now, I wisssh only to rrrrid myssself of thessse insssufferrrable thingsss that I cannot kill."

Kelvren winced visibly as Kirevan ripped a clump of hair from his tail; the three started their high-pitched giggling at this, making Nightwind place her hands over her ears and flinch, quickening her pace.

"Such a bloodthirsty gryphon! But I think I may agree with you, this time," Nightwind said, her voice rising to overcome the gryphlets. "As much as they are innocent and sweet, I'd rather not take them in as my own."

"Well, Rrrrelina and Korrrrorrrru wisssh to. Sssso let'sss jussst hurrry and give them alrrready, beforre I…errr…accssidentally morrrtally injurrrre one," Kelvren said, his voice lowering dangerously as he hurried towards the expectant pair's aerie.

~

A/N: Epps…I think that's it for k'Vala and the rest of the Tayledras. I continued them because I needed to add the part where the odd wannabe-gryphon attacks, and I guess the gryphlets are a discontinued idea, and an added drama that wasn't very…interesting. Unless I want to do some more fun writing stuffs with them later…. So say bye-bye, now! The rest of this is all Dawnshadow, Snowsong, Kestri, Kyrrith, and everybody else that I decide to add. -.-;;

~

:Talk as little as possible,: Derik advised Dawnshadow as they neared the gates. The guards eyed the group warily, but they drew near at Derik's prompting.

"Good morning!" Derik said cheerfully, waving and winking at the guard with the most shiny ornaments adorning his dull brown tunic. "And how do these fine sirs fare today? Good? Hah, thought so. I have Foresight, yah know." Derik tapped his index and middle fingers against the side of his head, by his right eye, for emphasis. "I guess that makes me an expert fortune-teller, yah?"

The guards exchanged glances and discreet grins, but the lead's face didn't stray from the glum frown and gray, squinted eyes.

"Yer an 'Erald, aren't yeh," the lead said gruffly, peering up at Derik suspiciously.

"Oh, yah I be! Full-fledged 'Erald an' me magic talkin' 'orse," Derik replied, copying the lead's form of talking with a flexibility of an expert. He patted the side of his Companion's head as if she was a regular horse, and she snorted and shook her head, acting it. Perhaps these guards didn't know the true nature of Companions…that could lead to some sort of advantage. Maybe.

Dawnshadow snickered, but the sound was lost behind the blanket/cloak.

The lead didn't seem to notice that Derik was mocking him. "A'right…what be yer business 'ere? Aren't yeh serposed ter be in Valdemar?"

"Aye, sir," Derik said, sounding serious. "I do. But Ah've got meh sum busee-ness 'ere wit' theh new 'Erald." Derik leaned forward as if he was about to tell the lead something secret, and he leaned forward as well. "Yah see, sir, he's a bit o' a…err…dark in the attic, if yeh git what Ah mean."

Snowsong glared, as the whisper was not meant to be inaudible, and his cheeks stained an angry red. Dawnshadow started to giggle louder, calling attention to herself though the sounds were muffled.

"Who she beh?" the lead said suspiciously, determining Dawnshadow's gender by the soprano tones in her laugh. "She kint beh a 'Erald too…? Only two 'orses 'ere…"

"Nay!" Derik said, shocked, as if the lead had just verbally wounded him. "Nay, nay, nay, sir!"

:Keep that naying up and you're going to look as horsey as I do,: Kyrrith whispered privately to Dawnshadow, making her laugh all the more. Kyrrith gave a mental grin. :And remember, Companions can't lie…:

:Hurry, hurry, give me an excuse!: Derik said privately to Ranaena.

:Um, um, um…Dawnshadow is…oh, I don't know! Stick with the old story about the holy woman!:

"She be a 'oly woman!" Derik exclaimed, arms waving to try and explain the extent of what he meant. "She be…ridden wit' evil, evil spirits! She be their food of choice! Tha's why she be dressed in tha' there cloak…to protect 'erself. We be escortin' her – dunt worry, everyone'll beh safe from 'er contamination."

"Eehhh…" the lead said, trailing off, watching Dawnshadow apprehensively. Evidently, he was not convinced that Dawnshadow would not spread her taint.

:Umm…Chosen…?: Ranaena perked at the back of the Herald's mind.

:What?:

:How can a holy woman be ridden with evil spirits?:

:…:

"Well…I serpose yer allowed in, then," the lead guard said reluctantly, turning aside and gesturing to the guards behind him. They immediately perked to attention – they were half-asleep at this early hour – and pulled back the doors to the gates-city.

Derik tipped a nonexistent hat on his head respectfully to the lead guard and jiggled the reins, signaling his 'horse' to walk into the gates. Rae snorted and shook her head – exactly as a true horse would – and trotted despondently into the city, as if she would rather die.

Kyrrith followed her example, and Snowsong shot each of the guards a steely glare as if they had been into Derik's joke too. Dawnshadow hobbled behind Kyrrith as quickly as she could, glad that at least she could watch her feet and make sure she didn't trip over anything. She saw the abrupt change from barren ground to worn multicolored cobblestone, and stomped on it experimentally – she had never seen anything like it.

"Well, here we are," Derik said, as if making a big announcement. "Beautiful Rethwellan gates-city!"

Dawnshadow wished that she could look up, and her untrained Empathy gift conveyed this to both Snowsong and Kyrrith; to solve this, Kyrrith allowed her use of his vision. It was an odd feeling…she could just see the cobblestone, like a ghost in her 'true' vision, and see the city in her 'inner' vision. It was…entirely new, something so alien and strange and beautiful all at once that it intrigued her immediately. To an eye worn into these surroundings, it was nothing special – merely a rundown-looking city, rather dirty and worn-looking. But to Dawnshadow…

The city was so wonderfully odd! Strange-shaped cubes rose from the ground like bizarre square-trunked trees, and cut into the wood were windows, scant on one cube but looking at them all, windows seemed prevalent. It was like a low-altitude ekele of the Tayledras…except different. Words were shoved into her mind, words that Dawnshadow knew she could never have known herself – bar, inn, house, people, baker, building…

:Thank you, Kyrrith,: Dawnshadow told her Companion, who only bobbed his head as a sign of hearing.

She continued to take a share of his sight, and he allowed her to do it. Snowsong was looking around as avidly as the Changechild, as intrigued and drawn into the peculiar architecture…he had never left k'Vala Vale.

Derik, meanwhile, was making observations of his own – all bad.

:This place is made entirely of wood,: he told Ranaena flatly. :Scare Cateyes, and the whole place bursts into flame.:

:Don't worry, Chosen,: Ranaena said comfortingly. :It's still so early in the morning…anyone who would be awake at the moment will be inside, preparing for the morn.:

Derik sighed. :You're right, I guess.:

:I always am.:

:No you aren't! What about Midsummer's Day, hmm?:

:Don't even get into that!: Ranaena said hotly. :I was still a young one then, and you were still wearing Greys!:

:Pfft…:

The two continued arguing – and having a lot of fun doing so – when they finally noticed that they were no longer leading anyone.

"What the-? Hey! Snowsong!" Derik called, reining Ranaena around. "Hey! Where are you?"

"Over here!" Snowsong called back. Ranaena trotted quickly over to where the voice had come from, and saw that Snowsong had dismounted and was at an open booth with Dawnshadow. He was looking at a case of daggers, and a belt and sheaths for them, remembering he had never retrieved his old ones after he was attacked, and she was fingering a piece of well-woven scarlet string of yarn tenderly, making it shimmer as silver strands caught into the lantern light.

"Hey! Hey!" Derik shouted angrily, bringing Ranaena nearer. The boothkeepers, an old man and a younger one that appeared to be his son, withdrew slightly and watched the Herald. "What did I tell you about wandering off, hmm?"

"Sorry, Herald," Snowsong said sheepishly, putting the dagger down and climbing onto Kyrrith's saddle again. The Companion was staring at Ranaena, and she was looking back; they were having a conversation.

:It's so pretty…: Dawnshadow murmured in the Herald's mind, her voice dazed, as if her mind was absent from her mouth.

"Well, what did I tell you two?!" Derik shouted, his voice echoing in the empty alleys and streets of the gates-city. "I told you to stay behind me! What do you think I am, crazy? I do this for a reason, you two-"

:Syrkaderik!: Ranaena shouted in his mind, interrupting his rant. :Don't be so mean, they've never been in a place like this…look who you're talking to! They're at least seven years younger than you are, Chosen…be nice. Besides, if you scare Dawnshadow into thinking you're not really her friend…:

Derik took a deep breath, contemplating all that his Companion was saying to him and reminding himself that she was never wrong – well, except on that Midsummer Day – and looked down at the two below him with what he hoped was a warm smile.

"Okay, look," he said, one hand reaching behind him and digging quietly into a moneysack hidden behind a saddlebag, "you two can look around here, fine. For a candlemark. By then, it'll be true dawn, and the city will start to wake up." Derik lifted the sack in one hand, and it jingled pleasantly. Dawnshadow immediately perked at the sound, and the tiniest slit of her eye peered avidly at the sack, which Derik was now tossing from hand to hand.

The Herald turned to the boothkeepers, and the younger one stepped forward, dark brown hair illuminated.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'd like those things…the things that those two were playing with," Derik said in a low voice, tossing the whole sack into the counter. The boothkeepers stared at the sack, then looked back up at the Herald and cautiously took the bag, as if they were afraid that he would take it back. The older boothkeeper glanced at Snowsong and Dawnshadow pointedly, and the ex-scout took the case of daggers wonderingly and obtained Dawnshadow's ball of yarn, which she snatched eagerly, 'clawed' fingers shuddering with glee as she pulled it under the blanket.

"There," Derik said, feeling both supremely proud and stupid for spending his money. "Now be good. When I call you, you'd better come, even if I have to Fetch you."

Snowsong, grinning brightly, dismounted Kyrrith and took Dawnshadow's hand (which was still clutching Kyrrith's tail) and led her away. Kyrrith shook his tail, looking back at it, and walked over to stand by the Herald and his Chosen.

:Kyrrith says that he wants to thank you for buying those for them: Ranaena conveyed. :Dawnshadow – not surprisingly – is fond of string, and Snowsong lost his old daggers when he was attacked back at k'Vala Vale.:

:You're welcome, Kyrrith,: Derik said cheerfully. He caught the gazes of the boothkeepers watching the Herald and his 'horses', and looked back at them with a shrug.

"The holy woman's blind, and the light-headed boy is her best friend," he lied casually, reining Ranaena away. "And the light-headed boy likes daggers because…uh…I don't know. Go figure for yourselves."

~

He walked into the Singing Raven, staggering, his breath trembling and raspy through his throat as if there was something wet obstructing his breathing. Several people in the inn turned to look at him strangely; others just ignored him and continued on their conversations. The odd man was dressed in full black garb, and every step he took seemed to take more and more effort. He was holding his chest, and beginning to lean forward…but he met the counter easily enough, and the waitress came forth to attend to him, though her face was twisted into one of extreme discomfort and frustration. The man was leaving a trail of reddish mud in his wake, staining the floors she had worked so hard to clean.

"May Ah help you?" she inquired, leaning heavily on the counter, one arm propped to hold her cheek and chin boredly in her palm.

"Just…" the man began, but his words were cut off by a fit of coughing. When he regained control of himself, he continued: "Just a small drink, if you please."

She frowned at him and his wheezing, but stood up and walked towards a shelf that glimmered of shiny bottles and glasses. She took a small crystal one swiftly and filled it with a garnet liquid that shimmered just as elegantly as the glass; she walked back to the man and sat it before him, extending an empty palm. He dropped several coins into it and reached for a glass; within moments he had tipped and emptied it hungrily, coughing several times as the wine was gorged. The waitress watched disgustedly, closed her palm into a tight fist around the coins, and strutted away.

The man stood up and left the Singing Raven just as discreetly as he had entered, and no one ever thought of his presence again.

~

[A few candlemarks after Midday, in Rethwellan]

"Okay, I know you're not a Herald yet, but this is something you absolutely need to know now," Derik said urgently, putting his hands on Dawnshadow's shoulders and shoving her into a sitting position. She was clutching her glittery red yarnball; he yanked it out and set it to her side, and she watched it for a moment before looking back up at him confusedly, though her eyes regained their 'intelligence.' Before, they had seemed empty…entirely focused on the yarnball as she tossed it back and forth between her hands, like Derik had done with the moneysack earlier. Playing.

Snowsong was with Kestri hunting for food in the nearby forest that was large enough to be charted, not very far into Rethwellan.

"What is it, Herald Syrkaderik?" Dawnshadow asked meekly, staring up at him with inhuman eyes.

"It's called shielding," Derik said curtly, sitting down himself and crossing his legs. Dawnshadow watched the movement, interested; her idea of as 'sitting' position was to have her knees forward and bent, the rest of her legs behind her, and her hands stiff in the middle. Cautiously, she attempted to sit cross-legged, and Derik watched amusedly as the Changechild tried to mimic him.

"Alright," he said as soon as she had caught the position. "Shielding. You're an almost-Herald, and Kyrrith told me that your known Gifts are a slight Fetching – he told me about your riding lessons too, and gods that was funny! – and Empathy that allowed you to give off emotions like a sun, and Mindspeaking. Right?"

"Ye-"

"Right. Well, Empathy is when you give off your emotions, like what I said just before…that's why the k'Vala Tayledras were able to feel what you were feeling whenever you had a flashback. Well, it doesn't just give off fear…it gives off all emotions, so you're basically sharing yourself to everyone."

"Rea-?"

"Yep, Cateyes, and you don't want that to happen…first of all, it's against the laws of Valdemar since you might accidentally use it to persuade someone, and second of all, it's just not good for you. How would you like it if I knew exactly what you felt all the time?"

"Well, I do not-"

"Exactly. So, this is what you do…well, it's hard to explain, but you reach down and inside of you…to grasp a hold of your power…" Derik's voice was fading as he was swept into trance.

"How…?"

"Here…it's like this. Pretend that you have something…something strong. Look…inside for it, like you would be looking for a specific arrow…in a quiver…" Derik muttered.

Dawnshadow complied, trying to find what Derik was talking about. It took a while, but she finally found it; it was always there, always overlooked…because it had never been showed to her before. She dipped a mental hand into it, felt it feel shimmery and soft, like her yarn.

"Good…" Derik murmured as Dawnshadow informed him of her discovery. "Now withdraw a bit, and shape it…into a kind of shield around you…"

Kyrrith, who was watching nearby, informed Dawnshadow what a 'shield' was, and she dipped her hand into her power again and felt herself withdraw a string of it…at her bidding, it grew and thickened, and the Changechild felt a kind of giddiness in a part of her mind – string!

:Not string, Chosen,: Kyrrith reminded gently. :Power. Listen to the Herald.:

:Okay, good…now take it, and shape it into a shield, like I said,: Derik repeating, this time talking in Mindspeech. Dawnshadow gave him assent and drew the string of power out of her, then made it flatten and thin around her, making a 'shield'. It shone iridescently in her mind's eye, like water.

:Make it stronger, Dawnie! This isn't a game – this is a shield, one that has to be powerful enough to protect you,: Derik ordered, and Dawnshadow immediately drew more of her power and molded it into the shield, reinforcing it, strengthening it.

:Okay, now don't be scared…:

Suddenly, her shield felt as if a hammer was pummeling it; Dawnshadow felt her muscles tighten in response, and her mind shouted for more power, for more strength, to protect herself. The hammer blows kept coming, brutally powerful, breaking her power like a blacksmith working at cherry-red iron.

:There's more than one way to skin a cat, if you get what I mean,: Derik hinted, the hammer blows increasing. :And don't play bunny on me…if you're ever truly attacked, it won't help to panic.:

More than one way to skin a cat? What in the world…

As if a lantern had been lit, the darkness receding, Dawnshadow figured out what he meant. She withdrew some of her power and began to soften the shield, and felt the hammer sink into the elastic shield. Though it had changed its texture, its strength held – the hammer blows slowed with a few stronger hits, then stopped.

:Nuh-uh, not done yet, Dawnie,: Derik said, his voice accompanied by a mental, wicked grin. :Let's so how you can handle this…:

So saying, an invisible, sharp force pressed against her shield, defying the elastic feel and slicing through. Panicking again, Dawnshadow realized that her power was pouring through, unleashed; she drew it back and threw it at the force, bidding the shield to freeze and stiffen. She got the impression of a sword clashing against ice; this foe quickly retreated, coming back with another – something large and smothering, that pressed against her, oblivious to the stiffness and even elastic of her shields. Biting her lip – though she didn't feel it, in the state that she was in – her mind sought quickly for a solution; and she found it almost immediately, with the memory of slipping once on the ground because she had lost her footing and because it had recently rained (though anything out of that single memory, like the setting or time, was lost to her). Quickly she shifted the texture of her shield to one of water, and the pressing force slipped away.

:Good job,: Derik praised, clearly impressed. :Let's get back to the real world, now…:

His voice faded away, and Dawnshadow followed, feeling as if she were swimming and coming back to the surface for a breath of air. She 'emerged' into the real world dizzily, her eyes unfocused and allowing too much light – she quickly adjusted that, and Derik watched her oddly, a frown creeping along his face.

"Alright. So you've learned shielding good…well, listen – you'll have to use that technique anytime you get around anyone, or else your feelings will leak through, as well as their feelings leaking through to you. I always keep my shields up, and that's a good example for you to follow…now to learn how to ground and center."

"What's that?" Dawnshadow inquired, glad that the Herald had not interrupted her.

"It's…eh, well, you'll learn when I teach you," Derik said, scratching his head. "It's…see, it's when you feel oneness with the earth. That sounds really stupid, but that's how it feels."

"Oh, no. It makes perfect sense – I feel that when I am just about the pounce on something, like that mouse that Kestri stole earlier, and it is like this…unshakable concentration," Dawnshadow replied, saying the words that described the feeling just as Kyrrith was telling her about them.

"Yes! That…like that," Derik said, wiggling his index finger at her. "Try and do that, and me'n Kyrrith here'll try and shake you out of it…"

Dawnshadow fell into trance immediately, and Derik watched her try and ground and center herself, slowing starting to frown.

:I cannot do it,: she muttered.

:You can. Try…concentrate. Feel like you're about to pounce on something. Like your yarnball…concentrate, feel that connection to the earth, tense your muscles…: Derik said helpfully, trying to describe what he thought pouncing might feel like. She gave a slight nod and her head tipped skyward, mouth dropping a bit open as she tried to concentrate…

Derik switched on his OverSight and saw the 'shield' about her waver and focus ever so slowly…like three shields trying to fuse into one. They showed the hue of weakness more than they did of strength; but when she finally got them meshed, she stayed in trance and tried to get them to hold, instead of to strengthen them. Derik sighed.

:Hit 'er, Kyrrith.:

The Companion's mental slap hit the Changechild like a physical slap; she fell over in surprise, concentration gone in a heartbeat, and fell to the ground. She got up again, giving Kyrrith a suspicious look, but he stared back defiantly and Derik supposed the two were carrying a conversation. Dawnshadow frowned again as Kyrrith won the silent argument and sank back into her trance, quicker.

She was thrown off just as quickly, and like a cat falling and landing on its feet, she regained concentration.

Half a candlemark more of trying to ground and center herself unsuccessfully – though she was getting better at it – Derik sighed and closed his eyes in frustration.

:She says it's like pouncing,: Ranaena chimed in at the back of his mind. :See if you can try to explain it to her…in cat-slang. You manipulate accents easily enough.:

Instead of giving a reply, Derik tapped Dawnshadow out of her trance and grabbed her shoulders, looking deeply into the olive-gold optics.

"Look. Think 'cat' for me, alright? The feeling…of grounding and centering…it's like crouching into a defensive position when someone's threatening you."

Dawnshadow nodded, making perfect sense of what he was saying.

"But…it's more like keeping that position all the time. Always tense; always ready for attack, always ready to pounce and strike. Come on, I know you can do this. Hopefully, Snowsong and Kestri will be back by the time you nail this down – though I don't understand what's taking them so long…there must not be much game in there."

Dawnshadow smiled and Derik released her, and she sank back into trance as if dipped back into a pool of water.

Derik watched her for a moment with OverSight. :Hit her.:

Kyrrith complied; Dawnshadow fell, recovered, tried to center. Kyrrith hit, she fell, she recovered, she tried to center. Hit, fall, recover, center. Hit, fall, recover, center.

Just as Kyrrith began to hit again, Derik stopped him, the faintest trace of an idea forming in his mind.

:Wait. Let me try something…after I do, then you try and hit her:

Dawnshadow's ground and center was wavering, but she was trying to reinforce it; she was clearly expecting an attack. Ranaena, curiously, eavesdropped into her Chosen's mind just as he readied himself to try his idea.

:Chosen, no!: Ranaena screamed – too late.

:WAH!: Derik shouted, as loud as he could, into Dawnshadow's mind. She tensed, just as he thought she would, and his OverSight saw that she had grounded and centered perfectly, not even half a heartbeat after his scream. But his OverSight saw something else; and he remembered that Dawnshadow was a Firestarter.

His cloak burst into flame; yelping, Derik stood up and unclipped it from his neck. It fluttered to the ground, turning to ashes before it hit. The fire continued to eat away at the rich grass around it, and Derik quickly unfastened his water bottle from Rae's saddlebags and poured it over it, extinguishing the flames.

His Whites were singed; luckily enough, his flesh was not. Dawnshadow, trembling, was watching the cloak smolder on the ground, pupils dilating. Derik laughed weakly.

"Heh. Well, at least you grounded and centered perfectly, right? Let me tell you what, though…let's not try that again…"

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is so boring and long, but I had to fit in that shielding and grounding and centering somewhere. Now…I want to ask for a Review-Vote – should I write about Dawnshadow, Kyrrith, Snowsong, Kestri, Derik, and Ranaena going through Rethwellan, or should I just pretend they went through all that and are finally in Valdemar in the next chapter already?? Please, I really need input for this one…and oh yeah, thank you for reading. And please…if you haven't already, read the Valdie-ficcy by Yue-chan!!