AN: This is the first fic I've ever posted so I decided to rewrite it. For
anyone has read this already I think you should reread this. There aren't
any big changes, but I would like your opinions on what I've done.
Disclaimer: I'll keep it short; I don't own anything belonging to Mercedes Lackey's. (Or anything else for that matter) I just own Highflier/Shadowcat, Swiftowl, Laughinghawk, and Kara. That's all for now folks, please, RER; read, enjoy and review!
'Text' is thoughts.
::text:: is mind speech.
~*~
Chapter One
'Quiet now, quiet, almost there!' The Hawkbrother named Highflier stalked quietly towards the Dyheli stag sleeping on the ground in a patch of sunlight. Every step, every rustle, and every heartbeat sounded, at least to her, loud enough to alert the entire vale, let alone the sleeping dyheli.
She had chose the noon hour to perform the final manhood trial; the dyheli where drowsy in the heat and not as alert. To her left a handful of does slept with their fawns. Thankfully the king- stag Tyrsell was away at a council meeting with her father and other k'Valdemar Vale officials. 'I definitely wouldn't be able to pull this off if he was here.'
Sneaking forwards a few more feet she smacked her scarlet painted hand down on the young bucks flank. The young stag leaped up startled very badly. What happened next was almost to fast for her mind to process. First the stag- Mees- jumped in between the does and Flier, lowering his prongs. Secondly, he seized her mind and took control of her body.
The does looked up and took the scene in. They shook their heads slightly and went back to sleep. Mees recognized her and let go. He realized what she was up to and looked around to his flank, where he now boasted a smeared hand print.
He apologized. ::I didn't hear you coming.::
::That's all right.:: Highflier told him with a tired smile ::I'm sorry to startle you, but I chose you because you had been out with the scouts this morning. I figured you would be tired.::
Mees Sent approval tinged with a bit of consternation, then he took himself off to find a hertasi who could clean him up.
"Don't forget to show it to Shaman Celin, he's in the council chamber!" Finally the trials were over. Highflier could finally be considered a warrior and a hunter of the Ghost Cat tribe of barbarians. Perfect.
There was a light brush of feeling across Highflier's mind and she threw up her hand (which had a thin leather gauntlet on it) and braced herself for her peregrine falcon to land. ::Good hunting, Kara? Catch lunch?:: She stroked the slate-gray back then scratched the lighter colored breast.
::Yes, it was good squirrel.:: The pleasure in Kara's 'voice' was almost palpable. ::Squirrel? That is good Kara!:: Indeed it was, Kara was still fairly young and to catch such a fast moving ground animal was awesome.
::Why do you do boy things? You not a boy.:: The raptor's eyes bored into her while she waited for an answer. 'So patient and calm for a falcon,' she thought, not letting her bond-bird hear her. ::To prove to them that I'm good as any boy, to be accepted as an equal and not inferior because I'm a girl,:: she answered with honesty. For a moment Flier thought she had gone out of her friend's limited grasp of abstract things, but Kara surprised her by tucking her head under her bond-mate's chin and sending approval through their bond. 'Well, maybe dominance isn't out of her grasp. Female birds of any race are hardly subservient,' she thought, amused.
Kara turned to her. ::You smell like grass and dirt. Bath is good.::
She looked down at herself and sighed. She looked like a walking grass stain. Her tight fitting breeches and shirt were a deep green color with streaks of very visible brown and not so visible green. Her hair was dappled with green, brown and sunlight-yellow, ingeniously done by a hertasi dyer this morning. 'Well one thing can be said about it,' she thought shaking her head, and launching Kara into the air, 'it hasn't soaked into my hair so badly that I can't get it out without a fight.' Smiling Flier headed towards the hot springs.
When she got to the hot springs there were already three people there. The first was a young man. He had long hair that was dyed mottled brown and he was almost as tall as their father. Wearing camouflage clothing, much like hers, she almost missed him against the trees placed around the springs to act as a veil. The young woman beside him was his current interest, and was dressed almost exactly like him except her long hair was elaborately braided. His name was Swiftowl, and hers was Laughinghawk. Both of them where scouts from the fifth scouting group. Their job was to escort anyone to and from Sanctuary.
The slightly older girl beside them was Moonshadow, her cousin and best friend in the all of k'Valdemar Vale, despite the fact that she was five years junior to Moonshadow. With un-dyed black hair and merry blue eyes she was the daughter of her father's brother and sister-by-marriage Snowfire k'Vala k'Valdemar and Nightwind k'Leshya k'Valdemar.
"Heyla guys, what are you doing here?" She was surprised, she certainly hadn't been expecting the fifth scouting group back for two days at least; she also thought Moonshadow would be too busy to come see her. Flier clamped down hard on that thought, it wasn't Moonshadow's fault she was training to be a Trondi'irn like her mother. And it certainly wasn't her fault Flier hadn't chosen to join the Silvers.
"Well, Little Dreamer, we came to see you of course," her brother started, causing her to wince. 'Little Dreamer' was what her mother had called her when she was born because she had dreamer's eyes. Her mother and father finally settled on Highflier as her name instead, which was ironic; her favorite daydream was to fly. Swiftowl saw her wince and understood. He continued despite it. "I was just in the council chamber making my report to Da when Celin got the message that you succeeded at the trial. I'm told the report Shaman Celin got for you was incredible, no dyheli heard you!"
Flushing with pleasure she just shook her head. "If Tyrsell had been there than I wouldn't have stood a chance." Flier demurred.
"Maybe, maybe not. Part of the whole thing is strategy, and it was very strategic to pick both the hot noon hour and the time when Tyrsell would be gone."
"Highflier, Highflier," Moonshadow murmured. "That name doesn't really suit you anymore, you need a new one."
As if that was a cue Laughinghawk chimed in, "Something that describes your stealth, I think."
"Hmm, cats are stealthy, and she did prove how stealthy she is in the Ghost Cat Manhood trial." That was her brother, and by the wicked twinkle in his eyes she knew they had planned this. She decided to play along.
"Oh, really? Yes, cats are stealthy, but what about dogs or owls or... fish!" She waited for a reaction, not taking her eyes off her brother, she could see Moonshadow grin out of the corner of her eye.
"Um, well, yes but dogs make more noise, fish are, well, fish and you don't fly an owl. Wouldn't that insult Kara?" You could tell he had to think quickly about that.
"Look, guys I've got to get clean 'cause I'm going to Sanctuary to visit Mum, would you just tell me what you have in mind?" Flier was suddenly in no mood to banter over a possible new use-name. Her anger was sparked because no one would tell her outright what it was. 'No one ever tells me things! All I get to do is guess, it's not fair. They never ask me my opinion either, they ignore what I say and do, even if I'm right!' Again she kept her thoughts tightly under shield-- they wouldn't understand anyway.
Her brother was startled by her sudden bluntness. "Um, okay sis, we were thinking you could use the name 'Shadowcat.' We think it describes you perfectly." Her brother grinned, but it faded away when she didn't return it.
"I will think about it. Now if you don't mind I would like to get clean." Without waiting for a reply Flier turned her back on them, stripped to the skin and hopped into her chosen hot pool, one far away from the others. She set about cleaning the dyes out of her hair and the dirt off her face. After a moment the other three said goodbye and left.
~*~
Once she was all cleaned up Flier went in search of a dyheli who would take her to Sanctuary. The dyheli who volunteered was the one she had painted earlier. ::No hard feelings, Mees?:: She inquired.
Her ride snorted and shook his head in amusement. ::No, of course not, but next time I will be more alert.::
::There's a first time for everything.:: She replied genially.
She grew quiet and introspective as they left the Vale. Why were people always trying to do things for her? It was bad enough that her parents were these honored people who did great things like prevent a war and Heal the Summer Fever, among other diseases. Her oldest brother was a well-respected scout leader, her other older brother, the middle child, was an accomplished healer. That left her. 'How can I live up to those standards? I can barely heal a bruise, let alone something major! Even though I am an Adept potential mage I only have training as far as a Master in magic. I don't want to join the Silvers, and there isn't any need for new recruits among the scouts.'
::You could always join the Healers. Your Gift is weak but you know all that your mother could teach you about non -- magical remedies and they could always use the extra hands,:: the dyheli said and turned his neck to look back at her. She was startled for a moment but remembered dyheli have very strong Mind-Speech and since she was so upset her shielding slipped. ::I'm sorry, I should shield better, and you probably don't want to hear this.:: Great, now she was slipping into a self-pitying mood!
::It makes no difference to me one way or another, but I don't really mind,:: he replied with a mental chuckle, and she flushed with pleasure.
::About the Healers though,:: she came back to the previous topic. ::They don't need me really, and there's nothing I can do that hasn't already been done.:: She sighed aloud.
::Ah, so you feel shadowed by all the important and powerful people in you life and you want to do something to distinguish yourself,:: his 'voice' sounded sympathetic and conveyed the images of her family, Starfall, Firesong and Silverfox. She Sent wordless consent. She sighed again.
Kara, who had been following her, sent her a feeling of reassurance as well. It quickly changed to wariness and curiosity. The falcon had seen something large moving through the forest.
Right towards them.
Disclaimer: I'll keep it short; I don't own anything belonging to Mercedes Lackey's. (Or anything else for that matter) I just own Highflier/Shadowcat, Swiftowl, Laughinghawk, and Kara. That's all for now folks, please, RER; read, enjoy and review!
'Text' is thoughts.
::text:: is mind speech.
~*~
Chapter One
'Quiet now, quiet, almost there!' The Hawkbrother named Highflier stalked quietly towards the Dyheli stag sleeping on the ground in a patch of sunlight. Every step, every rustle, and every heartbeat sounded, at least to her, loud enough to alert the entire vale, let alone the sleeping dyheli.
She had chose the noon hour to perform the final manhood trial; the dyheli where drowsy in the heat and not as alert. To her left a handful of does slept with their fawns. Thankfully the king- stag Tyrsell was away at a council meeting with her father and other k'Valdemar Vale officials. 'I definitely wouldn't be able to pull this off if he was here.'
Sneaking forwards a few more feet she smacked her scarlet painted hand down on the young bucks flank. The young stag leaped up startled very badly. What happened next was almost to fast for her mind to process. First the stag- Mees- jumped in between the does and Flier, lowering his prongs. Secondly, he seized her mind and took control of her body.
The does looked up and took the scene in. They shook their heads slightly and went back to sleep. Mees recognized her and let go. He realized what she was up to and looked around to his flank, where he now boasted a smeared hand print.
He apologized. ::I didn't hear you coming.::
::That's all right.:: Highflier told him with a tired smile ::I'm sorry to startle you, but I chose you because you had been out with the scouts this morning. I figured you would be tired.::
Mees Sent approval tinged with a bit of consternation, then he took himself off to find a hertasi who could clean him up.
"Don't forget to show it to Shaman Celin, he's in the council chamber!" Finally the trials were over. Highflier could finally be considered a warrior and a hunter of the Ghost Cat tribe of barbarians. Perfect.
There was a light brush of feeling across Highflier's mind and she threw up her hand (which had a thin leather gauntlet on it) and braced herself for her peregrine falcon to land. ::Good hunting, Kara? Catch lunch?:: She stroked the slate-gray back then scratched the lighter colored breast.
::Yes, it was good squirrel.:: The pleasure in Kara's 'voice' was almost palpable. ::Squirrel? That is good Kara!:: Indeed it was, Kara was still fairly young and to catch such a fast moving ground animal was awesome.
::Why do you do boy things? You not a boy.:: The raptor's eyes bored into her while she waited for an answer. 'So patient and calm for a falcon,' she thought, not letting her bond-bird hear her. ::To prove to them that I'm good as any boy, to be accepted as an equal and not inferior because I'm a girl,:: she answered with honesty. For a moment Flier thought she had gone out of her friend's limited grasp of abstract things, but Kara surprised her by tucking her head under her bond-mate's chin and sending approval through their bond. 'Well, maybe dominance isn't out of her grasp. Female birds of any race are hardly subservient,' she thought, amused.
Kara turned to her. ::You smell like grass and dirt. Bath is good.::
She looked down at herself and sighed. She looked like a walking grass stain. Her tight fitting breeches and shirt were a deep green color with streaks of very visible brown and not so visible green. Her hair was dappled with green, brown and sunlight-yellow, ingeniously done by a hertasi dyer this morning. 'Well one thing can be said about it,' she thought shaking her head, and launching Kara into the air, 'it hasn't soaked into my hair so badly that I can't get it out without a fight.' Smiling Flier headed towards the hot springs.
When she got to the hot springs there were already three people there. The first was a young man. He had long hair that was dyed mottled brown and he was almost as tall as their father. Wearing camouflage clothing, much like hers, she almost missed him against the trees placed around the springs to act as a veil. The young woman beside him was his current interest, and was dressed almost exactly like him except her long hair was elaborately braided. His name was Swiftowl, and hers was Laughinghawk. Both of them where scouts from the fifth scouting group. Their job was to escort anyone to and from Sanctuary.
The slightly older girl beside them was Moonshadow, her cousin and best friend in the all of k'Valdemar Vale, despite the fact that she was five years junior to Moonshadow. With un-dyed black hair and merry blue eyes she was the daughter of her father's brother and sister-by-marriage Snowfire k'Vala k'Valdemar and Nightwind k'Leshya k'Valdemar.
"Heyla guys, what are you doing here?" She was surprised, she certainly hadn't been expecting the fifth scouting group back for two days at least; she also thought Moonshadow would be too busy to come see her. Flier clamped down hard on that thought, it wasn't Moonshadow's fault she was training to be a Trondi'irn like her mother. And it certainly wasn't her fault Flier hadn't chosen to join the Silvers.
"Well, Little Dreamer, we came to see you of course," her brother started, causing her to wince. 'Little Dreamer' was what her mother had called her when she was born because she had dreamer's eyes. Her mother and father finally settled on Highflier as her name instead, which was ironic; her favorite daydream was to fly. Swiftowl saw her wince and understood. He continued despite it. "I was just in the council chamber making my report to Da when Celin got the message that you succeeded at the trial. I'm told the report Shaman Celin got for you was incredible, no dyheli heard you!"
Flushing with pleasure she just shook her head. "If Tyrsell had been there than I wouldn't have stood a chance." Flier demurred.
"Maybe, maybe not. Part of the whole thing is strategy, and it was very strategic to pick both the hot noon hour and the time when Tyrsell would be gone."
"Highflier, Highflier," Moonshadow murmured. "That name doesn't really suit you anymore, you need a new one."
As if that was a cue Laughinghawk chimed in, "Something that describes your stealth, I think."
"Hmm, cats are stealthy, and she did prove how stealthy she is in the Ghost Cat Manhood trial." That was her brother, and by the wicked twinkle in his eyes she knew they had planned this. She decided to play along.
"Oh, really? Yes, cats are stealthy, but what about dogs or owls or... fish!" She waited for a reaction, not taking her eyes off her brother, she could see Moonshadow grin out of the corner of her eye.
"Um, well, yes but dogs make more noise, fish are, well, fish and you don't fly an owl. Wouldn't that insult Kara?" You could tell he had to think quickly about that.
"Look, guys I've got to get clean 'cause I'm going to Sanctuary to visit Mum, would you just tell me what you have in mind?" Flier was suddenly in no mood to banter over a possible new use-name. Her anger was sparked because no one would tell her outright what it was. 'No one ever tells me things! All I get to do is guess, it's not fair. They never ask me my opinion either, they ignore what I say and do, even if I'm right!' Again she kept her thoughts tightly under shield-- they wouldn't understand anyway.
Her brother was startled by her sudden bluntness. "Um, okay sis, we were thinking you could use the name 'Shadowcat.' We think it describes you perfectly." Her brother grinned, but it faded away when she didn't return it.
"I will think about it. Now if you don't mind I would like to get clean." Without waiting for a reply Flier turned her back on them, stripped to the skin and hopped into her chosen hot pool, one far away from the others. She set about cleaning the dyes out of her hair and the dirt off her face. After a moment the other three said goodbye and left.
~*~
Once she was all cleaned up Flier went in search of a dyheli who would take her to Sanctuary. The dyheli who volunteered was the one she had painted earlier. ::No hard feelings, Mees?:: She inquired.
Her ride snorted and shook his head in amusement. ::No, of course not, but next time I will be more alert.::
::There's a first time for everything.:: She replied genially.
She grew quiet and introspective as they left the Vale. Why were people always trying to do things for her? It was bad enough that her parents were these honored people who did great things like prevent a war and Heal the Summer Fever, among other diseases. Her oldest brother was a well-respected scout leader, her other older brother, the middle child, was an accomplished healer. That left her. 'How can I live up to those standards? I can barely heal a bruise, let alone something major! Even though I am an Adept potential mage I only have training as far as a Master in magic. I don't want to join the Silvers, and there isn't any need for new recruits among the scouts.'
::You could always join the Healers. Your Gift is weak but you know all that your mother could teach you about non -- magical remedies and they could always use the extra hands,:: the dyheli said and turned his neck to look back at her. She was startled for a moment but remembered dyheli have very strong Mind-Speech and since she was so upset her shielding slipped. ::I'm sorry, I should shield better, and you probably don't want to hear this.:: Great, now she was slipping into a self-pitying mood!
::It makes no difference to me one way or another, but I don't really mind,:: he replied with a mental chuckle, and she flushed with pleasure.
::About the Healers though,:: she came back to the previous topic. ::They don't need me really, and there's nothing I can do that hasn't already been done.:: She sighed aloud.
::Ah, so you feel shadowed by all the important and powerful people in you life and you want to do something to distinguish yourself,:: his 'voice' sounded sympathetic and conveyed the images of her family, Starfall, Firesong and Silverfox. She Sent wordless consent. She sighed again.
Kara, who had been following her, sent her a feeling of reassurance as well. It quickly changed to wariness and curiosity. The falcon had seen something large moving through the forest.
Right towards them.