Disclaimer: All Valdemar related items in the below story are the possessions of Mercedes Lackey, not me.

            A/N Special thank to my reviewers … I will take this moment to announce that they are all my new best friends (at least onlineJ).  I love reviews!  Anyway I hope you enjoy the story.

            Elsa's father had been released by the healers two days previously.  He was living in Haven.  With his recovery Elsa was left entirely to me and her classes.  To my vast disappointment she was required to devote more time to the latter then to the former.  Still, we had grown much closer over the past few weeks.

            Then again, our relationship had started with hatred, so there wasn't much it could do but get better.  Elsa left her last class a few minutes ago, she said she would meet me in the stables, so I have been waiting for close to a quarter of a candle mark.  She should have been here by now.  I decided to see what was happening.

            :Elsa?: I asked tentatively, my chosen still jumps at any mind voice sometimes.

            :Sorry Asia, I will be there soon, Calvin had a question about our history class: Elsa said without a hint of her normal trepidation, good, I thought, she is gaining confidence.

            :Calvin?: I comment slyly, she hasn't told me anything about that particular year-mate yet.

            :Stop it Asia!  Calvin is just in my class.  We're just friends:  Elsa sent firmly.

            :Of course chosen:  I agreed with amusement, wink, wink, nod, nod; okay maybe I wasn't that convincing, but I was just glad that Elsa was making friends and didn't jump and squeak when I spoke to her anymore.

            :How is your back feeling Asia?:  Elsa asked innocently, a low blow.  I suffered hours of scrubbing to fully remove that muck, which I had acquired for her!  At least my skin had finally gotten over feeling raw and I no longer matched my chosen's trainee grays.  It had been decidedly unpleasant to be the only companion in the field who wasn't white.

            :It's been better: I responded :and good news, your friend is invited to my pity party, if he will bring me some sugar cubes:

            :I'll forward that invitation: Elsa told me with a laugh.

            :So is this Calvin a herald trainee?:

            :Yes, his companion is Stella:

            :Stella?  Last I saw her she was a foal:

            Elsa sent me a mental shrug :Calvin told me Stella is his companion, take it up with them if you don't believe me:

            :I believe you chosen … it just seems odd to me:

            :Well, you will be pleased to know that you will be having two guests at your pity party after all, and we do have sugar for you:

            :Have I mentioned how much I like Calvin?:

            :No:

            :Well I like him, but not as much as you … and sugar:

            Elsa laughed at that :I'm glad I come before the sugar:

            :You are much better than sugar … I can't talk at sugar!:

            :We'll be there soon Asia, just as soon as we figure this assignment out:

            :I'll be waiting for you then:

            Nice as that conversation had been I still didn't have anyone to fuss over me, or feed me sugar.  I could have listened in on the history paper, but I had always hated history and politics … which might be why I didn't know anything about the clan.  Or that might have been because the clan was a relatively new and small development.

            Even so, a group of people who traveled about scamming honest laborers and pressing anyone who had mind-magic into service in their scams should have been well known at least in the herald's collegium.  I blinked as I realized I had been mentally turning over the facts.  At least I had something relevant to contemplate.

            Anything was better than what I had been thinking on recently.  The clan was a better topic than dark broodings over what had happened over the course of my journey to find my chosen.  Tally and my other friends all insisted that there was more to the story, yet if there was I couldn't remember it.  I had thought out the entire trip multitudinous times, and by the end of it I had been so sick I hadn't remembered my own name.  Even after all the effort I had put into it though, I still hadn't been able to separate dream from reality.  I might have eaten something that disagreed with me, or forgotten to eat at all, or something else entirely, I just couldn't remember.  The only thing from the time just prior to finding Elsa that I was truly sure of was my need to find her, as fast as possible.

            I caught myself, everything seemed to lead back to that brooding now, even dwelling on something seemingly inconsequential had not helped.  Earlier that day, I had been reduced to trying to figure out and simplify an equation for the rebirth rate of companions and heralds.  Granted I hadn't gotten very far, but even my favorite subject, other than myself and my chosen, hadn't sidetracked me from my pursuit of answers.  Math had always been sure to divert my attention in the past, yet in these matters I could not think of ought else.

            "I brought a gift to your party Asia," a boy said to me as he came into the stable behind me.  I nearly jumped out of my skin at the unexpected voice.  I might have sent him an angry rebuke via Elsa had he not presented me with his gift, a large mound of sugar cubes awaited me.

            "See, I told you Calvin is nice," Elsa informed me aloud for her friend's benefit.

            :I told you I liked him: I reminded my chosen :how could I dislike anybody with that much sugar for me?:

            That earned me a giggle.  Calvin looked at her questioningly and she passed my comment along, Calving joined her in laughing.  I liked watching Elsa laugh.  Laughter meant happiness and happiness was good.

            :Have they decided which gifts you have yet?: I inquired anxiously.

            :Not yet: she spoke mentally to avoid having to translate our entire conversation.

            :I wish they would!: I told her emphatically.

            :Me too, the sooner I start my classes the sooner we can get out on our first circuit:

            I was about to respond, but suddenly Elsa's mental presence was snuffed out.  Her shields had gone up.  Calvin barely managed to catch her as she stumbled and fell.  I tried frantically to contact her, but my efforts seemed futile.  Suddenly I found myself in the middle of a vision.

            Smoke billowed from a house and barn.  People and animals screamed in terror and pain.  I looked at the burning buildings until the vision spiraled me toward three shadowy figures on a hill.

            I saw the face of a youth concentrating on the blaze; he was mounted on a black horse and flanked by two men also mounted.  They watched the scene unfolding below them intently.  As I watched the boy shook his head as if to dislodge the image of fire and then grinned broadly.  The two men patted his back approvingly and seemed to be congratulating him.

            I found myself back in my own mind, Elsa's shields once more blocking me out.  Moments later she was pushing away from Calvin who looked ready to catch her again at any moment should the need arise.

            :What just happened chosen?: I blurted.  Dumb question, it had obviously been a vision.  So, Elsa had foresight. Wonderful, just what I wanted to wake up with on dark stormy nights.

            :Nothing Asia, it happens all the time.  They're just nightmares … sort of:

            :Elsa, have you told your teachers about them?:

            :No … why would I?:

            :This is the sort of thing they need to know to figure out your gifts.  Didn't you at least tell your father about them?:

            :No, like I said it happens all the time, nothing to worry about:

            :It is something to worry about.  Tell your instructors, this is probably foresight:

            :Foresight?:

            :Yes, did you recognize that boy?:

            :Harold? Yes, he's my cousin, so what?:

            :He's a firestarter, does he work for the clan?:

            :Yes, and I am fully aware of what he is.  Harold doesn't have the stomach for that kind of destruction though:

            :Tell your teacher's what you saw Elsa, for me, they will know better than us if it was a silly dream or magic:

            :All right, if you insist Asia: Elsa agreed with an air of longsuffering.

            :I do: I insisted primly.

            "What just happened?" Calvin asked with concern.

            "Asia thinks I have foresight.  Silly pony, anyway she wants me to tell the heralds about it."

            "Foresight?  Wow, that's a really strong gift, and a hard one to deal with at that."

            "I doubt it really is, but Asia insists that I find out for sure."

            "What did you see?"

            "Just a fire, nothing too terrible, I mean I've seen worse," Elsa explained.  She then yawned, "I'm tired; I think I'll take a quick nap before dinner."

            "Do you want me to walk you to your room?" Calvin asked concernedly.

            :I definitely like him!: I remarked to Elsa.

            :Piffle!   I have no need of an escort:

            :Have a nice nap Elsa:

            Elsa and Calvin left, despite her protests she allowed him to accompany her.

            Foresight.  Fire starters were dangerous I knew that much.  If the clan really did have a firestarter then they could do all sorts of damage.  The clan, every thought seemed to come back to the clan.  Elsa's vision had felt real enough to me.  She had promised me she would tell someone, so I knew she would.  Still, it couldn't hurt to tell them myself, or have a friend do so for me.

            :Tally?: I called to my friend, she could at least help me think of to whom I should tell what.

            :What is it Asia?  I'm kind of busy right now. Fred has gotten it into his head that we should practice on the course:

            :Ouch!: I winced at the memory of her chosen's lack of riding skill.

            :Tell me about it.  He hasn't gotten any better for the extra practice either:

            :Well, I'll be quick then.  Supposing I had an idea of what Elsa's gifts are, who do you suppose I should tell?:

            :Not me!  Tell Mr. Grove Born:

            :Is that how I should address him?: I asked my friend with a laugh at her nickname for the other companion.

            :Depends, would you actually like an answer?

            I just laughed :I hope your ride ends soon Tally, I'll see you around:

            :You couldn't hope it as much as me, talk to you later:

            I sighed, I have always had a definite aversion to talking with older companions.  Something about it just freaked me out.  On second thought any news of foresight could wait until Elsa told her teachers, after all there was plenty of time, what she had seen hadn't even happened yet.

            What can I say I have never claimed to be brave.  I am rather a cowardly little pony.  There is only so much one can ask of a girl after all, and I definitely draw the line at talking!  Funny how my favorite activity is part of my greatest fear, but it's better than being afraid of the dark … which I am.  Oh well, fires and foresight can wait until Elsa wakes up, it's her responsibility anyway.  Which sort of makes it mine, but that's beside the point.