Chapter 2
Firesong relished the feel of the magic pulsing through his body in time with his heart as he used it to purge a particularly taint piece of land. The thick vines moved with a mind of their own, a poison sheen tainted their broad toothy leaves. Firesong could feel its poisonous roots stretching out into the wasteland surrounding it and into the underground stream below his feet. It was easily old enough to date back to the Mage wars themselves.
A stirring on the edge of his senses was all the warning he had. He opened his eyes and realised the strange plant had him surrounded.
He silently cursed himself for not bringing someone to watch his back, but the only scout available was his sister and he didn't need her acid wit needling him as he worked.
He placed his strongest shields around himself and his bondbird, Aya. Thinner, more mobile tendrils of the vines twisted in the air above them. As the skeletons of hundreds of animals proved, this vine was deadly. One touch would probably kill Aya. If the plant's activity was any sign his magic had only fed it.
:Strengthen your shields, fusspot, it is about to get a little hot.: A familiar voice warned.
:I do not need your help! I have everything in hand.: Firesong insisted.
The voice just laughed.
Firesong strengthened his shields as much as he could as the temperature around him started to climb.
The veins started to writhe as flames started consuming them from within making the thick stalks glow with a reddish light.
Firesong watch, fascinated, as first the smaller vines and then the larger vines burst into flames. Aya screamed at the inferno around them, Firesong quickly cast a sleep spell on the firebird to keep from been incinerated by his own Bondbird.
A path was slowly created, revealing a figure sitting on a rock clad in the dark greens of a scout, a white owl on her shoulder. Sweat poured down her face as the vines continued to burn until only four large vines so thick he couldn't see over them remained, the rest were smouldering stumps and piles of ash, not one of the poisonous leaves remained. The acrid sent of the smoke made him cough and his eyes water.
Firesong staggered out of the ring of fire and embers and leaned heavily against the rock she was sitting on. "I'm out."
Honeyfeather opened her eyes and fixed him with a scornful gaze. "You should be more responsible. You are our only fully trained Healing Adept, if you manage to get yourself killed we will have to leave important tasks undone." She slid from the rock and stretched.
She was easily his height and as graceful as a dyheli mare. Her shoulder length hair was died in mottled browns and greens and she wore the green and brown clothing of a scout. Honeyfeather looked like nothing more than an ordinary scouts, a misleading appearance since she was an adept nearly his equal. Privately Firesong thought she could use a wardrobe beyond the scout gear but had learned not to comment.
"It was worth a try." Firesong protested.
"You should have asked for a guard, or at least brought another mage who could have alerted you when they started to circle you." She pointed out. Curin hopped down to her wrist and she tossed the owl into the air.
"And how long did you sit there watching me?" Firesong asked hotly.
She favored him with a look that their mother used when they were being particularly dense. "I wasn't following you, I Felt you using magic and came to investigate. When I arrived you were already surrounded. I've called a dyheli to take you back before the change beasts decide to investigate."
"I can make my own way back." Firesong said stubbornly.
She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder how you survived childhood. We know this thing feeds on magic and we know that it poisons the air around it, you have to get back before it starts to affect you."
Firesong grumbled unintelligibly. What had happened to the brat who had called him basilisk face and died his clothing ugly colors? She was definitely better than the self-assured brat she had become, that was right far too often.
By burning the vines she had been forced to release it's toxins into the air around them in a high dosage. Firesong finally noticed the odd shape of the smoke where she had trapped it with a shield over the area. The shield was just inches from her feet. Honeyfeather stepped into the shield to make certain the vines would not flare up again.
If had been anyone else running to his rescue, Firesong would have been grateful.
Two dyheli bucks emerged from trees and galloped towards them.
"Thank you for the ride." Honeyfeather said as she swung onto one of the deer-like creatures.
:It is our honor. The death-vines have killed many dyheli.: Her mount responded.
Firesong remained silent as the dyheli bound into the forest. He could feel himself losing grip on reality as the poisonous smoke started to affect him.
:He is starting to slip.: Firesong's dyheli warned Honeyfeather.
She turned and stopped next to him. He was looking rather drugged at the moment. Drawing back her hand she slapped him across the face.
"What was that for?" He demanded as he rubbed his cheek.
"That stuff makes you sleep. Now kindly stay awake." She said and continued back to the vale, sending Curin ahead with a call for a Healer. Firesong was still awake, and grumbling when they slid to the ground just inside the Vale's shields.
"What happened?" Arrowsong, the speaker for the scouts, demanded as she ran towards them.
Honeyfeather glanced at her still coughing brother. "Firesong had an idea for dealing with that vine. Unfortunately it backfired."
Firesong gave her a curious look.
"What happened?" Arrowsong asked. A healer finally arrived and went straight to Firesong.
"He was trying to heal the plant at the roots and the plant circled him. I gave him as long as I dared before I burned the vines. I think, given time and a great deal of power he could have succeeded." She explained.
"You should have told us before you two decided to experiment." Waterlight, a Clan elder, said as he entered.
"Yes sir." Honeyfeather agreed. "We have the smoke contained there and only the four largest vines and the roots remain."
"We will send a mage to deal with the smoke." Waterlight assured her.
"It seems rather dangerous." The healer stepped away from Firesong and started to examine Honeyfeather. "Other than some smoke inhalation the main problem for both is this toxin, I am surprised both are still awake. Firesong is in worse shape of course." The healer straightened. "I have done what I can, the remaining effects will wear off in a few days."
Arrowsong nodded. "Honeyfeather, I'll have Sunstone take your patrol. When you are back in shape I want you to report to Moonhunter and Windbear."
Honeyfeather stared at her for a long moment before quickly containing her excitement. Moonhunter and Windbear were night scouts and needed a third for their night patrol. She had wanted to become a night-scout ever since she bonded to Curin.
"Thank you." She said politely.
~ * ~
"Hey, Firevine!" One of the scouts haled her as she emerged from her ekele.
"Firevine?" She repeated doubtfully. "Imagine what that is going to do to my brother's ego."
The scout, named Silverwolf after his close association with the kyree in the area, laughed. "You earned the name."
"I think it is too close to Firesong. I'll stick with Feather."
Silverwolf shrugged. "I hear you have been assigned to a night patrol."
Honeyfeather grinned. "Arrowsong has me working with Moonhunter and Windbear."
"Congratulations." Silverwolf thumped her on the back, nearly sending her sprawling.
"I am glad she finally thinks I am capable of a night patrol." She admitted.
"She always knew you were capable. You have the best night-sight of most the clan. I heard the Elders were concerned that you would be injured and they would lose their Firemage. You are the only Firemage in all of the clans, not just ours, you are too valuable of a resource to risk. I know for a fact Arrowsong has wanted you on nights for the past three months, she just used this incident to put you there." Silverwolf explained.
She started to complain but stopped. "You know, I gave Firesong an earful for risking himself when he is our only Healing Adept. I guess I am guilty of that as well. Just don't you breathe a word of this to him or he'll have me wrapped up in mage robes so fast my head will spin."
Silverwolf laughed. "The main reason I sought you out was to go hunting. I thought, since you had the day off…"
"I'd love to, but I am still tripping over my own feet. I would be worthless hunting." Feather admitted with a grimace.
"Maybe another time then." Silverwolf said with a shrug.
"I should go see if my brother has recovered. He probably has hertasi waiting on him hand and foot."
"He certainly has enough of them to do that." Silverwolf laughed. "See you tonight?"
"What for?" She asked as she stopped at the base of the tree holding Firesong's ekele.
"You didn't hear?"
"No. Should I have heard?"
"They are calling you a hero for burning so much of the vines. They are having a large party in your honour."
She groaned and rolled her eyes. She hated being crowded in by people and a clan celebration promised to be very crowded. "What, did they run out of people who wanted to have a party in their honor?"
Silverwolf laughed. "More like any excuse to celebrate. Are you going to wear scout gear?"
"I guess, I don't own anything else." She started up the stairs, almost wishing she had left Firesong to the vines.
She knocked before she pushed the door open. "Are you dead?"
"Blessings!" Two male voices cursed in unison.
"You are supposed to rest. I highly doubt anything that involves someone in your bed is restful." She leaned against the doorframe and eyed the two annoyed mages.
"You are supposed to wait to be invited in." Firsong grumbled.
"I figured with so many Hertasi in here you wouldn't be able to reach the door to let me in." She said sarcastically.
Firesong's lover glanced between the two, confused.
"I just came to check on you Pinky." She stood. "And also to borrow some of your wardrobe. Apparently there is a get together tonight I can't avoid, and as you so often point out, I dress like a crow among hummingbirds."
"She's my sister." Firesong and explained and slipped from the bed. "Feather, if you don't mind, I would like some privacy."
She shrugged. "If you can't perform in front of an audience…"
Firesong looked ready to kill her.
"Relax. It doesn't look like he is in the mood to continue." She straightened. "It is your fault I have to go this foolish party so could you kindly help me with something to wear?"
Firesong sighed in defeat and mentally ran through the contents of his wardrobe that would look good on her. She would want something simple. "I'll have a hertasi bring you something this afternoon. Be careful on the stairs on the way down."
Feather met the other man's gaze. :Sorry for intruding, I just wanted to make certain he hadn't left me to do the explaining to our parents.:
Firesong was oblivious to the exchange and was confused when the other man laughed.
"Thank you. Try to get some rest." She started down the stairs, holding on to the rope railing in case she made a misstep.
"Since I wasn't the one calling a Firestorm yesterday I believe you are the one who needs that advice." He called after her.
"Don't you know, the young recover much more quickly that the old." She called over her shoulder.
Firesong was less than pleased to see his bed partner was desperately holding back gales of laughter.
~*~
The simple silver and blue robes were draped across her, the large collar revealing most of her shoulders. Her hertasi had also found a blue ribbon with a silver slider in the shape of a feather and a silver chain with a blue sphere that matched. He hair had been bleached to its normal white and her hertasi had threaded some of Curin's feathers into her short hair.
Curin took a perch on her shoulder and examined their reflections. :Looks good. Find mate?:
:Hardly. I am going only until I can retire for the evening without causing comment.: She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and grimaced at her reflection. She looked like a mage, especially with the white owl perched on her shoulder.
Feather cocked her head to the side and wonder if anyone would notice she was barefoot because she had no suitable footwear.
"Are you still in there, Smokey?" Firesong called from the base of her tree.
She was situated in the lower branches for when she was coming in from a long patrol.
"Of course, they haven't dragged me out kicking and screaming yet." She called out the window. His quick steps on the stairs and Aya's arrival through the window warned her before he burst in.
"I am impressed, you actually knew how to put it on, and here I thought I would have to teach you." Firesong said as he appraised her appearance. It was an improvement over the bushlike look she usually had. Actually, she looked like his sister rather than his polar opposite. "You can keep that one."
"Thanks." She blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. "You do realise this is still all your fault."
"How am I to blame for you incinerating an ekele! And my ekele at that?" Firesong asked. "You were born a Firestarter and I had nothing to do with it."
She actually smiled. "What about yesterday? That was definitely all your fault."
"You didn't have to stop and save me." Firesong pointed out. "That was purely voluntary on your part."
"You know what mother would do if I left you to be a victim of your stupidity? She would give me That Look, and even your presence is preferable to That Look." She contradicted.
Firesong laughed. "Oh really? You actually don't mind my company, Firevine?"
One eyebrow quirked upwards. "When you are unconscious you are much better company."
To an onlooker it was obvious the siblings were actually enjoying baiting each other.
"Come on brat. We have a party in your honor below and we can match wits anytime." Firesong looped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the stairs.
"It is hardly a match." She chuckled.
"I am glad you have finally realised you are no match for me." Firesong said in a very toplofty manner.
"You are like your name, all flash and no substance. I am sorry dear brother but you haven't challenged me since I was a toddler." She said the last in very saccharine tones.
Below them their parents were already chatting with some friends. When they heard Firesong laugh the both looked and stared at the pair slowly walking down the stairs, seemingly on good terms.
"Do you think this experience has helped them any?" Their mother asked.
Their father looked up at the pair in time to see Firesong pat the top of Feather's head. "I doubt it. If he doesn't stop she is going to singe his eyebrows, again."