Disclaimer: I still don't own Valdemar or anything involved in it....Heralds, Companions....anything else....also, I don't own the rest of that respective world. ^_^ Yay for not getting sued.

Notes: Ai! Writing from a Companion's POV is so haaaard! I didn't think it would be as hard as it's turning out to be, but... yeah. Everyone seems to be liking it so far, though, so I'm going to try to finish it.

BTW: if anyone happens to want to use any of my characters (Companions, mostly, that I've made up, or their Heralds) just ask and there's no problem. I'd just like to know where my characters are going. But if anyone likes my characters enough to want to borrow them, I really don't mind! ^_^

Angel Wings

Chapter Three: Forward Of Choosing

Imagine this, if you will; you are yourself, naturally. You're sentient, you're intelligent, you're a person, inside if not out. And you live out your life in a field, surrounded by grass and only able to watch a limited section of the world outside; you have no plays, no theater of any kind and no books. You've already discussed anything worth discussing, and there's nothing else happening at the moment that's particularly interesting.

Now pick one word to describe your existence.

I'll take a guess which word you picked. It's the same for most people who have that question asked of them. Just one word for all that? The word, more often than not, is 'boring'. It's the word that I would choose, anyway...

Hence the Races.

:Your only competition is Yeo.: Lani told me. :I KNOW you can beat any of the others who're competing this time.:

:Are you kidding? Have you even seen Guardell? He runs like his tail is on fire!:

:No way!: A snort, :of COURSE I've seen him run; Guardell uses up all his speed right at the beginning and lags at the end of the Race. If you keep yourself paced you should be able to pass him after the first leg.:

:If you say so.: I shrugged mentally, but had to admit that Lani was probably right; with what I'd seen of Guardell's running, she had just stated exactly what he would do. Besides that, Lani had only participated in one or two of the Races, to my knowledge. After that she had contented herself with watching the runners, so she would be the one to know. Lani had always been the analyzing type. :Is Meriol running today?:

:I don't think so...: she said slowly, :it seems to me that he's sitting this one out.:

:Oh.:

I really didn't mind, despite that I may have sounded disappointed. No, I preferred not having to compete against him; I was already constantly worried about doing something to embarrass either myself or Meriol. If he ran and I won, he might think himself less than me... if he ran and he won, I would be embarrassed beyond belief.

-because even though I'm in love with him doesn't mean he's a better Racer than me. I KNOW I'm a faster runner than him. If he beat me I'd want to crawl under the trees of the Grove and die.

But if Meriol simply watched the Race, I could almost guarantee that he'd be cheering me on, and I could handle that.

I had competed in my first Race when I was only two years old; fairly young by Human standards, but I was an adult by Companion's. And it may have had something to do with my wings... or maybe there was something else about me... but I had excelled at it. I had won -- not by a nose, but by at least a body length or more -- on my first try, which was unheard of.

And I had continued to Race from that day on, every Race I could possibly have participated in. Every single one. Including the one Lani and I were about to arrive at. Of course... as the reigning champion, I had to defend my position.

Not that I minded at all...

:Sera! Lani!:

I knew that Mindvoice. Very, very well.

:I told them you'd be here!: Meriol chuckled as he cantered up to us, :you sure took your time about it, though. Even Tessin was starting to doubt that you'd show, and she's your Mother, Sera! I thought you were going to GET her, Lani, not keep her to yourself.:

:Jerk.:

:Oh, so now you've resorted to childish name-calling?:

:Bloody right.: Lani replied brightly, then looked toward the sidelines, :in any case, I'm going to stake out a place near the finish line so I can usher Sera in when she wins. Again. What about you, Meriol?:

Meriol pretended to consider, then; :I SUPPOSE I could go and cheer for her with you I just wish it wouldn't take up so much of my precious time...:

I glared at him. :You're right Lani, he IS a jerk.:

:Told you.:

He snorted softly, :Sera, I'm hurt.:

:No you're not.: I retorted.

:You're right. I'm not.: A chuckle and he turned to follow Lani, who was standing near the fence on the outskirts of Companion's Field. :Good luck Sera,: he called back, :not that you need it... though you would if you were Racing ME...:

:Sure, Meriol- keep telling yourself that!:

:Race me again sometime and you'll see.:

:A challenge?:

He chuckled, :sure, why not?:

A joke, right? He knew he couldn't beat me. Ah, but Meriol's sense of humor has always been somewhat off. Or maybe he was serious for once? Maybe. If it was true and he really wanted to Race, no way I'd turn him down. No way.

I'll whoop him good.

Pacing over to the front lines, I quickly surveyed the competition. Several younger Companions, possibly hoping to prove themselves through the Race, were there; Yeo and Guardell were as well, as Lani had said, and from the way Guardell's eyes were glinting I could already tell he was going to jump start at the beginning and use up his energy quickly. Yeo had always been a more restrained Racer, and in the past handful of Races, had been my only competition besides Guardell. But with what Lani had predicted and what I was seeing from them already, Guardell would be no problem this time.

So I'd have to focus on Yeo.

No problems there.

From near where my Mother was standing -- a few feet from Lani and Meriol -- Rolan walked over to stand before myself and the rest of the Racers. The Queen's Own Companion had begun to judge the Races before I could remember; before I had started Racing, anyway. He did it because, as a Grove Born Companion, he couldn't compete. Or, he could, but chose not to as both he and Gwena (who also didn't Race, and instead Chose to assist in Judging the Races) had more speed and endurance than any other Companions in the Field...

...except maybe for me.

:You all know the rules,: Rolan called, :-the Race runs from here to the opposite end of the Field and back again. When you reach the other side of the Field, you touch the fence with your nose. The first Companion to reach the starting line again, after touching the fence, wins.:

The rules were simple, and almost never changed. The only time I could remember them having changed was during a grief period when I was younger; the fence had been torn down to be replaced with a new one, and so we couldn't touch it before returning, obviously. But Rolan and Gwena, being innovative as they were, had gotten willing Companions to stand at the opposite end of the Field. Instead of touching the fence, we tagged the Companion who was standing opposite from us and then returned...

:ON YOUR MARK!: Rolan began.

I tensed, readying myself for the Race.

:-GET SET-:

:Go Sera!: Lani called to me. :You can do it!:

And I chuckled mentally when Meriol chided; :dummy. She always DOES, doesn't she?:

:-GO!:

I launched away from the starting line, my hooves digging up chunks of grass as I leapt. Next to me, the others who were Racing had done the same thing... as predicted, Guardell raced ahead of us as we made our way across the field en-mass, simply blurs of silver-white. Yeo and I kept pace, neck-and-neck as the younger Companions struggled to pass us, so simply to keep up.

I felt bad for them, really. They were only Racing to prove themselves, as opposed to myself. Racing was bliss for me... the wind rushing past me... my mane flying, my tail flagged... the thunder of my hooves on the grass of the Field...

I tilted my head upward, loving the feel of the wind in my mane.

My eyes half-closed...

Yeo vanished from my thoughts...

My hooves hit the ground lightly to come up again a second later...

I was practically flying...

A twinging in my shoulders jerked me back to the current situation.

No!

My shoulder muscles stretched as my wings pushed to be released. I should have expected this! I should have known! But... the ache to let the magnificent appendages out from beneath my hide had never been so strong before.

I concentrated on holding them in-

-and stumbled.

Next to me, Yeo's eyes showed surprise for only a second before she took advantage of my slip and brushed past me. A part of my mind cursed, but I couldn't take the time to worry about the Race right then; if my wings opened right then and there...

:No!: I shrieked again, mentally. Surely someone had noticed me shout, but they would most likely have assumed it was because I wasn't winning the Race anymore. No. I thought with a mental snarl at the wings; not now! You are not-

The twinging of muscles stopped and I thanked the Gods that I wouldn't have to deal with that as well as Yeo, who was yward ahead of me... she had caught up to Guardell, who was slowing, and passed him already.

I am – not -- going to lose! No way!

Bunching my muscles, I slowed just long enough to ready a burst of speed. And then-

-I passed Guardell-

-I passed any of the younger Companions who were ahead of me-

-I came up on Yeo's tail-

...we reached the other side of the Field at approximately the same time, both of us skidding to a stop and 'tagging' the fence -- in full view of Gwena, who was judging the touches -- before whirling around and flying back the way we had come; we passed a startled Guardell on the way back...

And my wings began to twinge again.

:Shimatta!:

Even as I set about controlling my wings -- which seemed to have a mind of their own -- we were nearing the starting line again. Those who had stayed behind were prancing in excitement; there hadn't been a race that was this close in some time.

My wings strained under my skin.

Yeo stretched her neck, trying to pull ahead of me.

I pushed back against my wings, shoving them into their hiding place and holding them there, then concentrated once more on the Race... Yeo and I were the only ones left, now... there was no more competition...

Both of us lengthened our strides...

...and a sudden wave of blackness washed over me, leaving me all but blind.

With a startled cry I stumbled and fell, tumbling through the grass to land on my side. Taking heaving breaths, I attempted to blink my eyes back into commission... Mindvoices clambered at me... Lani... Meriol... Mother...

:Sera! Sera!:

...white-blonde hair...

:Oh, Sera! Come on! Answer me!:

...bright blue eyes...

:Seraphim!:

What was I seeing? A Human... a human girl... young, blonde... blue eyes...

My vision cleared and I blinked a handful of times, then turned my head to look at those who were crowded around me. My friends; Lani and Meriol. I had recognized their voices through the din. Mother, as well. And Rolan. Also several other Companions, and I thought I could hear the sound of approaching Human footsteps.

Someone must have Called their Chosen when I fell.

:Sera?: Lani asked worriedly as I began to climb to my feet shakily; :are you okay? What happened?:

I was silent, contemplating. The tug at my heart was undeniable.

Meriol nudged my side, :Sera?:

:Lani...: I said somberly, looking at my friend, :you said you might be going on your Choosing Journey soon, but... I think I'm going to go sooner.: