Starlight's Dance
Chapter Ten
~*~*~*Story*~*~*~

The bright new morning saw the Fellowship extremely close to Moria. And as before, Gimli was the only one happy about it. Simply saying the words 'mine' or 'Moria' sent him into ecstasies.

It was hilarious.

Yet only Cammi and Ami didn't take part in the taunts. They were in deep in conversation about what Hoshi had said when Cammi talked to her.

"So, Hoshi said that the suits, if all goes according to plan and there aren't any set backs, shouldn't be done until after we leave Moria? That's a while away, Camm! What are we going to do until then?" Ami asked.

Cammi shrugged. "Yeah, Mama said another score of days until they'll all be perfect. I told her we don't have that long, so she said she'd try her best. We have to keep everyone off of our backs until then. Mama, I mean Hoshi, said that she would be consulting me time to time for things like who's is who's, and what names they'll have to respond to."

Ami gnawed on her lip. "But that means we won't have them for another." she did a few hasty calculations in her head. "Twenty five days! We don't have that long anymore, Cammi."

"Ca-amm-ee!" called a voice from in front of them.

"What, Rena?" she yelled back.

"Are you de-hermited yet?" called another voice

Cammi and Ami laughed. "Yeah, Lita, I am!"

"Then come here and sing for us," yet another voice called

"My throat hurts too much to sing right now, Mina."

"Well.then recite a poem or something for us!" Rei called back.

Cammi jogged ahead to the main group, Ami not far behind. "Must I?"

"It's either that or you clean dishes tonight," said Ami sternly. Everyone could see she was having a hard time trying not to giggle.

Cammi appeared hurt. She bowed in mock respect to Ami. "Yes, Ma'am." In a loud stage whisper, she called out to the others behind Ami's back. "Boy, What a stern Task Mistress I've been pinned with!"

Ami's eye twitched in response, still perfectly in character. "Cammi! Hurry up and recite, or I'll make you wash dishes anyway!"

Cammi thought for a minute, and then began. "This is a poem that I read in a book back in Japan. The book was called 'The Long Patrol' (CA: I don't own the Book. It's by Brian Jaques)

Sometime I sit here through the night,

Dreaming of those far-flung days.

I'll gaze into the fires warm light,

As if into some sunlit haze.

And here they come, those comrades mine,

Laughing happy brave to see,

Untarnished by the dust of time

Forever fresh in memory.

The way we walked, the feasts so grand,

I'll tell you of them all

From Salamandastron's west strand,

And north up to Redwall.

Of high adventure each new dawn

As side by side we stood in war.

This tale is told that you may learn

Just what true friends are for."

There was applause for Cammi's poem, and she blushed. Modesty was one of her weak points. Sometimes.

She walked with Legolas for a while, and he asked her about the world she spoke of in the poem. She explained eagerly.

"Redwall is a great red sandstone abbey full of mice, squirrels, hedgehogs, moles, hares, and sometimes badgers. The badgers normally live in the 'Fire Mountain' That's Salamandastron. It was a volcano, but it has since gone dormant. The hares live there mostly too, and they serve under the Badger Lord that rules there."

Legolas was even more confused now. "Hares, mice, hedgehogs, squirrels, moles.how do they all live together? And in an Abbey made of sandstone? Wouldn't it be a small abbey?" he asked.

"It's a fantasy story, Idril," she explained. "It doesn't have to make perfect sense. Here." she pulled a book from the satchel at her side. It just happened to be the book that started the entire 13-book 'Redwall' series; the self-titled book, 'Redwall'. She tossed it to him, allowing him to look at it, and read the summary on the back cover. "You can read it," she said. "I've finished it."

He opened it, and took one glance at it. He then shut the book, and looked at Cammi.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"What language is this written in?"

"Oops." she said sheepishly. "It's Japanese. Need me to read it?"

"Please."

He handed her the book, and she began reading. "It was the start of the Summer of the Late Rose. Mossflower country shimmered gently in a peaceful haze, bathing delicately each dew-laden dawn.."

They traveled all day. They stopped shortly after sunset. Cammi was till reading to Legolas. They were on chapter 4 of part 2. Legolas was deeply interested, but Cammi would not give away the ending for him.

"..But the old gatehouse-keeper kept pointing. He began to chant. 'Matthias. I that am, Matthias, you that are.' The young mouse sat tapping his tail in exasperation. 'I wish you'd tell me what you're so excited about,' he said severely. 'Why are you saying my name?'.."

The others had given up trying to converse with them. Ami, Mina, Merry and Pippin listened also, after they had been informed about the first two chapters that they had missed. Everyone else was shooed away.

When they finally slept, Cammi sat up with Legolas on night watch again. She sat with her back to the fire, humming a song quietly.

"What is that tune?" he asked her.

"It is called the 'Moonlight Sonata'. It's one of my favorite pieces from Beethoven," she replied, and continued humming.

Suddenly, Legolas stood. "Did you ever learn to dance, Cam?" He offered her his hand.

"When I was young, my mother taught me. Is this an invitation?" she asked, taking his hand in her own.

"Maybe," the elven prince grinned at her, and led her away from the others to a spot dimly lit by the stars overhead. "Will you provide the music?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"But of course." Cammi smiled as she hummed, and they assumed the waltzing position.

As Cammi began her humming, they danced.

It appeared that they were waltzing through the sky. Their movements, graceful and smooth, complimented each other's perfectly, and with the stars as company, they danced, even when Cammi stopped her humming.

(*(Comment from the Authoress: This is where the Story gets its title, Starlight's Dance. Please note this fact as it will not be repeated, Thank you)*)

But as the perfect pair danced on, oblivious to their surroundings, a pair of impish eyes watched them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Fini

Chibi Arwen: Well? You like it? That's wonderful. ...

NOW GO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!