Things to know before reading:

--I have never read a book in the Heralds of Valdemar series where the building for the Unaffiliated is described…so live with my description of how I think it looks like.

Kismet of a Changechild

Chapter X

By Aura Kage

Dawnshadow woke up, dazed, blinking slowly as she peered up at a blurred, skin-colored thing before her. Her right eye said that it was a human; her left eye wanted to focus but did not until a few seconds later.

"All better?" Kuriana asked sweetly, innocently, as Derik leaned against a chair nearby, whistling.

"What…" Dawnshadow winced as her mouth moved to talk; it hurt. She remembered that something had happened earlier, but…whatever it was, it was unknown to her.

"What is a broken leg, a hurt cheekbone, a black eye, a fractured arm, one broken rib, and several other large bruises that are healing," Kuri explained, grinning. "I'm surprised I remember them all, but there they are."

Oh. Now Dawnshadow remembered what happened…she was attacked. By that large group of people…they thought she was a-

"Demon," Dawnshadow whispered, jaw still feeling sore, her chest feeling as if it would collapse in despair. She didn't even know what a demon was – but those people did, and they had been afraid of her.

"Oh, hush," Kuri snapped – though her kind eyes took any sting out of her words. "You're no demon, Dawn. You're a Changechild, and that's not even close to what those people thought you were."

"Dawn?" Dawnshadow echoed confusedly.

"Oh, yes, that's right…Snowsong told us your name," Kuri said, eye sweeping up as if remembering something. "'Dawn Shadow', right?"

"Dawnshadow," Dawnshadow corrected.

"That's what I said. Dawn Shadow. Well, right now you're in the Healers' own little Collegium place, and you gave some of the lower-ranked Healers help…that was the only good thing about the attack, I suppose." Kuriana shook her head pitifully. "Well, I guess there's one other good thing – you got to Haven quicker than you would have gotten at the rate you were going."

"Mmm…"

"Stand up, now," Kuriana said, extending a hand that Dawnshadow took and used to get into a sitting position. "That's good. Let me show you to your room."

"Snowsong? Kestri? Kyrrith?" Dawnshadow inquired.

"Snowsong and Kestri are with Talia, visiting the Councilor people," Derik responded, waving his hand in a dismissive kind of way. "Kyrrith's in the Companion's Field with Ranaena…you don't expect them to just be trotting around the Collegium, do you?"

"Well…" Dawnshadow looked away.

"Oh. You did, didn't you." Derik smiled reassuringly. "Well, don't worry – you can keep contact with him any time you want, just by Mindspeaking."

:Yep,: Kyrrith said in her mind, 'phasing' in momentarily and then 'phasing' out again.

"I see." Dawnshadow slowly slid off the bed at Kuriana's prompting, and stood shakily on her feet. Her left leg seemed-

"It should feel kind of odd," Kuriana said, letting go. "But you should be able to get your strength back anytime now. Though, what's a bit funny…is that your face is still all blue-purply. Ah, well. At least you don't hurt, right?"

Dawnshadow looked at a mirror – which was conveniently located by the bed – and saw that the whole left side of her face was blue-purply. She cracked a smile, which hurt and quickly dissolved into a neutral line on her face.

"You'll get used to it. Well, here – from what we know so far, you are a Firestarter and an Empath with a little bit of Fetching gift - gods, that was funny!" Kuri added, laughing.

Does no one feel any sympathy for my lack of riding skills? Dawnshadow asked herself.

"So you're going to take Empathy with Rinna, Fetching with Dirk, Firestarting with Griff – just in case you wanted to know, those last two are the ones that saved you back in the marketplace – and…" – Kuri grinned – "horseback riding with Derik. A Herald that can't ride her Companion is just…odd."

"And besides, I want to see if what Kyrrith told me is really true," Derik added in the background. "C'mon, Kuri – let's show Dawnie to her room."

Derik stood up and stretched, giving Dawnshadow the impression that he had been sitting for quite a while, and walked out of the room with Kuriana not that far behind. Dawnshadow followed, slowly at first, her left leg feeling numb, as if she had been keeping it idle for too long, but slowly it 'regained consciousness'…

She followed Derik and Kuri through a maze of hallways, and finally into a blazing sunlight.

"It's the same day, but the sun's just setting," Kuri said to Dawnshadow's unanswered question. As Dawnshadow's pupils contracted to accommodate the sunlight, Kuri pointed out the various buildings around them. "This is the Healers' Collegium-like thing – I already told you that, though, didn't I? That's the palace…beautiful, I know – Queen Selenay lives there. Talia is the Queen's Own…like the Queen's best friend, kind of. That's the Heralds' Collegium – that's where you're going to stay and train with us, and me, if we get Griff at the same time. I'm a Firestarter too, see. And that…"

Kuri frowned as a girl with shoulder-length mouse-brown hair emerged from the building, sweeping back her hair from her face. She was wearing a vivid, clean blue habit, which stood out brightly against the sunlight and earthliness. She looked at the three ahead of her, Herald Syrkaderik in his Whites, Kuri in her Grays. Dawnshadow was suddenly aware that she was garbed in a gray habit as well, and the female in blue assessed her with a glance, mouth dropping open. She glared at her for a moment – a venomous glare that made Dawnshadow want to kill – before strutting off with her nose in the sky, a conceited quickness in her step.

Derik's fist clenched as he continued for Kuri. "That's the building for the Unaffiliated…nobles' spawn out to make something of their pitiful selves."

"'Spawn?'" Kuriana laughed. "That's something I've never heard them being referred to before."

"They're the real demons around here," Derik told Dawnshadow, winking. "You'll never meet a more dislikable soul…if they ever give you any trouble, Dawnie, tell them that you're a Firestarter, and that Herald Syrkaderik gave you specific permission to fry them if they got in your way."

"That's Derik for you," Kuri laughed, throwing an arm around Dawnshadow's shoulders. "Blues may be the dislikable ones, but he's the bloodthirsty, odd-humored one. Come to think of it, I think he's starting to rub off on me."

So…those people – the 'Unaffiliated' – must be the ones that Kyrrith told me were bad. I have to watch out for them…at least I'll have Snowsong to be with all the time.

Dawnshadow followed Derik and Kuri, right eye trained on the Blues' Collegium-like place until it got too far out of view.

~

"I…I can't…?"

"Snowsong, I'm really very sorry," Talia told him, feeling a sore spot in her chest as she watched the ex-scout very literally break down in front of her. "But…the Collegium is a place for Heralds, or people who are going to become Heralds."

"But…I don't have anywhere else to go," Snowsong whispered, hands trembling. Kestri chirruped and preened some of his light-colored hairs affectionately. "I can't go back to k'Vala…I can't go live anywhere else, I don't know anyone else. Please let me stay!"

"You can't. I'm really very sorry…if you like, I can let you stay for a week or so, just in case a gift starts to manifest," Talia said, taking a deep breath to keep herself going, to keep herself looking at those glazing sky-blue eyes so like a Companion's. "It's a very strict rule…if I could change it, then I would."

"But…" Snowsong started. Talia stayed firm, and with a resigned, trembling sigh Snowsong turned and nodded to the wall. "Alright. I'll stay…for a while…and hope that I have a gift, or something, that'll let me stay here…"

Talia nodded back, though the ex-scout couldn't see her, and turned, opening the door. After an awkward moment of silence, she turned again to glance at the ex-scout; Snowsong was sitting on the bed, having moved silently from his standing position, and had Kestri perched on his finger, ungloved. The little kestrel had her feathers fluffed out in agitation, and he was staring at her; they were having a conversation.

Talia sighed and placed her hand on the doorknob, and to her surprise it came away before she had even turned it. Derik stared at her, surprised to find someone behind the door, but grinned quickly.

"Heya, Talia! Showing Snowy – I mean, Snowsong – to the room, were you?"

"I guess," Talia replied awkwardly, shrugging. "And I suppose that you're showing Dawn to her room as well."

"Yep, you 'supposed' it alright. Here, let me get out of the way…"

After the Queen's Own departed, Derik and Kuri led Dawnshadow into the room. It was a nice place, if rather bare – two beds mounted on each other, leaving enough space for one person to climb in, and a desk with a lamp, and a single painting on the wall of a landscape…the Pelagir Hills, maybe?

And a window…the room was located pretty far up, so the window showed a nice view of the Haven marketplace and the greenish-gold landscape that lie ahead of it.

"This was my old room," Derik mused, grinning. "I shared it with Kuri – we were both new, and we knew each other, so it was okay. We used to take our Farsight and look out over there-"

"And I would try and set things on fire," Kuri interrupted, laughing. Dawnshadow and Snowsong looked at her, and the almost-Herald stopped and held up her hands, palms out. "Hey – I was young! I didn't know what I was doing! And besides, no one got hurt."

"Except the dog."

"He was a mean dog. He deserved it."

"He protected the sheep, Kuri," Derik said, trying to be serious but failing as a grin spread over his face.

"Well, yes, I suppose so," Kuri admitted. "But you should have seen what he did to those innocent little wolves! They only wanted to eat something…and besides, I only burnt him a bit, and that was just his tail, see…"

They walked out arguing and laughing at each other, and Dawnshadow and Snowsong watched them in half-amusement and half-confusion.

"So," Dawnshadow said finally, sitting next to the ex-scout. "How do you think you are going to like it here? I think it'll be fun."

"I don't know," Snowsong said, giving a deep sigh. "Ta-"

:No tell,: Kestri said suddenly. :No tell cat-girl. Not like, not happy.:

"Ta?"

"Ta – um…Talia seems pretty nice, I guess," Snowsong continued. Kestri's tail bobbed up and down as she fixed Dawnshadow with her raptorial glare, and then she flapped up to the top bunk.

:Up here, I like,: she said happily. :Like tree.:

Snowsong smiled; Dawnshadow laughed. As far as the Changechild was concerned, life here was going to be good from now on; as far as Snowsong was concerned, his life was falling into pieces around his ears.

~

"You will not believe what I just saw," Havlah fumed, walking into her dormitory with her four dorm-mates, who were all female. They all looked up at her arrival, and saw that she was ready to rant…in fact, she looked ready to kill, which wasn't surprising since her face was flushed angrily, palms clutched so tightly her knuckles were white.

"What?" Mria asked for all of them.

"I just saw someone who got Chosen," Havlah said, so angry that she could hardly breathe. She sat down on the space on the plush blanket before the fire, and the girls leaned forward intently.

"Who was it?" Lana asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

"It was a – you are so not going to believe me, but I swear I saw her!"

"Get to the point already, Havlah!" Bree cried.

"Well, there it was – standing there in the grounds between the Heralds' Collegium and the Unaffiliated, with that one guy with the really long name-"

"Sir Kaderik?" Vyra interrupted.

"Yeah, him. He was standing out there with Curry, and they were showing the new Herald around – and you will so not believe what it was…"

"Get on with it already!" Bree said again. "And why do you keep calling the new Herald 'it'?"

"Because that's what it is!" Havlah cried. "It's a Changechild."

Long silence. The fire in the fireplace crackled, as if laughing, and the girls exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"What's a Changechild?" Mria said finally. Vyra rolled her eyes.

"Duh. A Changechild is like a human-animal thing," she snapped.

"What did it look like? Did you see closer?" Bree breathed.

"Well, no, because I don't like that long-named person and he was watching me all funny. But it was a cat-Changechild, and she was just – gods, she was ugly! You should have seen her!" Havlah said, spitting into the fire and making it hiss. "She was all gray-colored – not just because of her Grays, but actually because she had gray fur - and she had this horrible, dirty black hair and really stupid-looking eyes, like if you slapped her she wouldn't even notice."

The girls all laughed at this, even Havlah, though she was the first to stop and as soon as she started talking again the giggles ceased.

"I can't believe that I haven't been Chosen yet," Havlah fumed. "How is it that some walking cat can get Chosen, and I can't? She looked almost my age, even – though you can't really tell just how old she is, whether it's in cat years or human years."

"Don't worry, Havii," Lana comforted, reaching forward to pat her friend's back. "You'll get Chosen soon – you told me yourself you were able to Fetch the goblet of wine to you this morning, so you wouldn't have to bother anyone."

"Yeah, you're right…" Havlah said, sighing and brushing Lana's hand away (of course, though, the event had never happened). "But it's so stupid…she's basically just a cat posing as a human, couldn't any of them tell? The feeling was horrible! What does that thing have that I don't?"

As she was speaking, the three girls stood up and were walking to the main hall to eat dinner, just as the boys dormitory next to them was opening up. Only one person was walking out, however – the rest had already left. Havlah's group 'abruptly' intersected with the boy's path, and he glared at them with dark brown eyes.

"Oh, hi, Zohariel!" Havlah said, suddenly perky and cheerful. "How are you doing today?"

"Fine, I guess," the brown-haired male replied, the corner of his mouth turning down into a frown. "Sorry, Havlah, but I've got to…um, go now…"

So saying, he broke into a run down the hallway, and the four behind Havlah giggled.

"He's really shy, en't he?" Bree said, blushing. "He's never with the other boys either, just always alone and reading his books…"

"And he's so skinny and tall and mysterious and never talking," Vyra added, smiling wildly, as if her mouth couldn't control itself (her mouth, in fact, had a mind of its own – whether talking, eating, talking, smiling, or talking some more).

"Yeah…I guess," Havlah said, sighing. Nevermind that all of them knew (Havlah especially) that she had Zohariel looked the best together, with their matching hair-hues – it didn't help at all that she still had competition over the strange Zohariel with her four dorm-mates – but he was shy, too. Maybe one without the other was fine, but both?

Well, that just made him a harder trophy to earn, then. Besides, Havlah liked a little challenge…

~

"Whew."

Zohariel stole away from the building for the Unaffiliated, running his arm over his head to wipe away nervous perspiration. That Havlah – her and her friends…they were so annoying! Practically stalking him wherever he went…it was a surprise they didn't just attach themselves to him instead of going through all of the hassle being separate organisms.

It's like a parasitic relationship, 'cept she doesn't feed off me or something…

He turned his dark-brown gaze to the Herald's Collegium, regarding its presence as he gasped for breath, running through the labyrinth of halls of the Unaffiliated taking quite a bit out of him. He took a small sack out from under his blues and cradled it in the crook of one arm as he dashed towards the Companion's Field, his eyes easily identifying an ivory frame standing in the middle of the most forlorn corner of the fields, watching him with azure eyes.

:You're late,: she growled, stomping a foot and crushing clover underneath it as Zohariel approached. She tossed her head, making her mane cascade beautifully across her elegant snow-hued neck. :I can't believe you!:

"I'm sorry, Khira," Zohariel panted, leaning over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. The Companion – not full grown, though perhaps would be in two or three years – watching him with growing amusement, eyes flickering back and forth between him and the Unaffiliated building.

:You don't mean to tell me that that little run tired you out?: she said skeptically, head tilting to the side and looking for all the world like a puzzled, but pleased, cat.

"Yes, well, unlike you, I'm only human," Zohariel laughed, straightening his back and running a hand through her softer-than-silk mane. She lifted her head into the caress.

:Hmph. That's no reason to be slow,: was all she replied before craning her head away and looking at Zohariel's sack with a greedy eye.

"Greedy!" Zohariel laughed, withdrawing an apple from the sack. It was a Golden Beauty apple – he had managed to take one from the tables, telling his teachers that he was 'finally deciding that he needed his nutrition,' and they had beamed and told him to take more if he wished. Zoh couldn't help noticing out of the corner of his eye that Havlah and her gang of idiots had suddenly developed a craving for the Golden Beauties, and helped themselves.

:Greedy, indeed! Gimme that!: Khira laughed, lunging for the apple. Zohariel laughed as she took the whole thing out of his hand and was attempting to chew it, later dropping it on the ground and resolving to eat it from there.

:Good job,: Khira sniffed indignantly, turning her nose to the sky as if snubbing him. :But I know you have more, you mean old boy.:

Zohariel rolled his eyes and withdrew what was left in the sack – three sugar cubes, their sweet sand-small components glistening. Khira eyed them hungrily for a moment before Zoh gave those to her, and she ate them delicately from his paper-flat hand.

:Is that it?: she pouted, hanging her head sadly.

"I'm afraid so," Zoh sighed. Khira looked up and glared at him accusingly.

:I bet you ate the rest!:

"I did not!" Zohariel protested, laughing. "I swear I didn't! Those were the last left…after Havlah and the rest took them."

:Havlah,: Khira spat. :If I could only get my hooves on her and the rest that stole my sugar cubes…!:

"Oh, knock it off," Zoh said, rolling his eyes. "You get it easy – you don't have to live in the dorm next to them, with four other boys who think it's funny to eavesdrop on them."

:Eavesdrop?: Khira said, suddenly interested. :And how in the world are they able to do that? And while you're at it, explain why you think it's so bad to eavesdrop on them, hmm?:

"Give me a break already!"

:Well, if you won't tell me, then I'll just have to find out for myself,: Khira sniffed. :You know I can, and you know I will!:

"Fine, fine…no need to get black-maily on me. Well, the two share walls, and last month Tayirr found out that we also share air vents. They gather around it each night and listen to what the girls are saying," Zoh explained, lying down on the grass and beckoning the Companion to 'sit' next to him. She complied, treading delicately around the wild clover and nuzzling Zoh's hair affectionately.

:You say that as if you don't find it very amusing to eavesdrop on girls.:

"It isn't," Zohariel sighed, leaning against her side and rubbing her shoulder. "All they talk about is how everyone else is so stupid, and that they're the only ones sensible in that school."

:Hah! If you ask me, someone who steals sugar cubes is someone not to be trusted,: Khira advised. Pause…then, :how would you know this if you don't listen?:

"I can't help listening," Zohariel said, giving as long-suffering sigh. "They follow me around everywhere like…like they're all lifebonded to me!"

:Scary thought.:

"I know! And even when they're not following me, I can still hear them," Zohariel pouted. "Like earlier, I was packing up the apple and the sugar I had for you, and they were talking so loud I could hear them through the vent…Havlah was talking about some newly Chosen, and how it was something like a cat. Do you know anything about that?"

:As a matter of fact, I do. That's my uncle's Chosen – her name is Dawn, and she's a Changechild.:

"A…a what?"

:Changechild, silly! I'm assuming you don't know what that is…well, it's like a creation made by mages, of a human with animalistic traits. Uncle said that he found her with the Tayledras, and they gave her that use-name…it's actually Dawnshadow, but the Heralds think it's 'Dawn Shadow', like a first name and last name.:

"What else?"

:Oh, well…she's a Firestarter – that means she can start fires – and she has Empathy, too. And she can't ride horses, either! Like, my Uncle was telling me about when she was trying to learn how to ride her, and he said she kept falling off…even just mounting him was hard! And he said that he kept calling the stirrup the 'foot-thingy.' Isn't that funny?:

Zoh and Khira laughed for a while, and then the Companion continued.

:Well, she has kind of tufted ears, like one of those wildcats, and she's got really weird eyes, you know – like, cat's eyes, on a human face.:

"That's…weird," Zohariel said lamely as Khira paused, waiting for his thought on this.

:Yeah…Uncle said that she got attacked in the marketplace today because some stupid guy thought she was a demon, but she's fine now. And Uncle said that she really has a good heart – that's why she was Chosen, of course! She wouldn't be otherwise, would she?:

"Havlah goes on and on about how she's going to get Chosen soon," Zoh mused aloud. Khira whinnied, snickering. Zoh rolled his eyes. "She said that she 'Fetched' the goblet by herself today."

:Well, good for her!: Khira scoffed. :It's about time she did something for herself, rather than having several servants hovering around her like hertasi!:

"Her…hertasi?" Zohariel said, confused.

:Yeah – they're this lizard thing that the Tayledras have, and they live to serve. Really,: Khira explained. :Oh, yeah – Uncle said that Dawnshadow has a friend, too…this Tayledras named Snowsong. And he has a bondbird…that's like the Tayledras version of Companions, 'cept bondbirds are…well, inferior to us.:

"Bondbirds, huh? Well…I'd like to have a bondbird," Zoh sighed, running his fingers through Khira's mane.

:You would?: Khira said, stricken. :Not a Companion? Why?:

"Well…let's face it, Khira, I'll never be able to have a Companion," Zohariel said. "I don't have any Heraldic Gifts – and if I did, they'd start showing at this age – and besides…even if I did get Chosen, my parents would never let me go study at the Collegium away from them, even though it's close to the Unaffiliated."

:I'd Chose you,: Khira said comfortingly, whuffing his dark-brown hair. :But I'm not old enough yet, and Uncle says that I have to get 'the Feeling' to know whether it's time to Chose or not. But I'd Chose you, even if you didn't have powers, I swear.:

"Yeah…I guess." Zohariel stood up, and Khira got up with him, cocking her head to the side questioningly. "I have to go…by this time, dinner should be over already, and people will start to notice that I'm gone."

:Oh…darn. I wanted to talk some more.:

"I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" Zohariel said soothingly, running his hand along Khira's mane again. He loved feeling that mane – it was so soft! "And I'll try and get more sugar cubes."

:You'd better,: Khira said threateningly, :or else. You have to pay to be in my presence, you know.:

Zohariel laughed and patted her head, and both departed for their homes, sated with food for thought. Zohariel, for one, was still wondering about this 'Changechild' – maybe he'd be able to get a better story out of Khira tomorrow.

In what seemed like to time at all, he neared the doors of the Unaffiliated, and he swung them open reluctantly, returning back to his loathsome life.

"Well, well, well, Master Zohariel…where have we been today?" Wyll, Zoh's accounting and currency teacher, said in a low voice that told Zoh he was in trouble. The man had been standing just behind the doorframe, evidently knowing that Zoh had not been present at dinner today. The boy bit his lip and forced himself to meet his teacher's eyes, frowning defiantly.

"Outside," he answered as flatly as possible.

"Outside, hmm?" Wyll said, frowning. "Zohariel…you are not permitted to leave this building's boundaries. Your family informed me that you have several outdoor allergies, and that you should not on any accounts leave this building at all, unless you are with them going home."

"I know," Zoh mumbled, hoping he sounded apologetic.

"You know, you know, you know," Wyll said boredly. "Well, you've known for too long – it's time you've gotten punished for your acts. You are to take on two new chores this week – yes two, along with your usual chores – and you are to be present at dinner. You're very lucky, you know, to get off with only a week's punishment…but next time I catch you away, I will have to notify your parents."

So saying, the teacher stalked away into the halls, dismissing Zoh with a wave of his hand.

Feeling for anguished and angry, Zohariel walked up to his rooms, fuming at both his teacher and himself. Why wouldn't his parents just let him outside – it wasn't as if his allergies were life threatening! So he would get a few hives, or something…fine! It was a worthy price to pay (along with a portion of his meals) to talk with the Companion for half a candlemark each day. She was the only one that would listen to him in this stupid, messed up place…

How am I going to tell Khira I can't visit her anymore?

~

:Why not eat?: Kestri asked, hopping around the side of Snowsong's head and pecking his hair. :Snowsong not hungry?:

"I'm not hungry, Kestri," Snowsong said, his voice flat and emotionless. Kestri sensed the passiveness in his voice, and was confused.

:What wrong with Snowsong?: the kestrel asked innocently, peering at his eyes. :Sick? Hurt?:

"Nothing, Kestri."

:No, something wrong. Snowsong lying – I know.:

Snowsong sighed. No use lying to Kestri. But how would be explain this? Well…she had been able to comprehend something difficult before, so she could do it again…hopefully.

"Well…remember what I told you, Kestri, about how I can't live in the Vale anymore?"

:Because the dark-thing is in dreams,: Kestri said knowingly, sitting down on the right side of his head and fluffing her feathers comfortable.

"Yeah, that's right. Well…one of the Heralds told me that I can't live here either, not unless I get Chosen and have some sort of gift."

:But…no magic.:

"Exactly. I don't have any magic…so I can't stay here," Snowsong said with great difficulty, though he managed to keep his voice straight. "They'll let me stay a week, maybe, but not any longer."

:So go live somewhere else,: Kestri suggested tentatively. :Find nice tree, live there.:

Snowsong couldn't help a smile at that, burying himself deeper into his blankets. Kestri started preening her feathers, the movement see-able only because of the thin trickle of moonlight illuminating her feathers.

"No, Kestri…I can't live in a tree," Snowsong said, sighing. "I'm a human. Maybe you can live in a tree, but I can't."

For some reason, this seemed to hurt Kestri very much; her neck-feathers fluffed and she retreated into them.

"I'm sorry!" Snowsong said quickly. "What did I say?"

:Nothing. Why not live in good tree?: Kestri asked again.

"Because…well, unless you mean in an ekele. I…I guess we could make one ourselves and live there. But it's not the same," Snowsong concluded. "It's just…Kestri, you just don't understand, and I can't explain it."

:You can! Try!: Kestri urged.

"Well…it's just…I don't know." Snowsong shook his head. "I can't even explain it to myself. I just…Kestri, Dawnshadow and Derik are my friends. I don't have anyone else…"

:Me!:

"Well, yes, I have you…but that's different. It's not the same. Just me and you…I need a human to talk to, someone who can understand me on a higher level of thinking."

:I be human!:

"No, Kestri! You can't be human, because…" Snowsong suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu – he was taking Dawnshadow's side of an argument that he, Derik, and Kyrrith had had numerous times with the Changechild. He finished the sentence softly: "…you're a kestrel."

She was silent after that, and Snowsong wondered with dread whether he had 'offended' the kestrel again; but she came closer to his forehead and preened his golden-white hairs.

:Everything be fine. Snowsong will be Chosen,: she said knowingly. :Snowsong have powers, so can stay with cat-girl and Herald-man…go rest.:

Snowsong sighed, but was no longer in the mood to argue with the bird – besides, he felt so terribly sleepy…