Chapter 2
*
Icefire awoke at dawn. Stonefall had already left her ekele for an early patrol. Icefire slipped out of the empty bed, pulling on the silk robe that had fallen, forgotten, to the floor.
Icefire had no duties to discharge today. She sat for a while at the foot of her rumpled bed, and made a decision. If she did not leave K'Drena today, she probably never would, so it was time to start packing.
A silent laugh filled her eyes as she made her abrupt decision. She found the packs that she used for overnight patrols, and filled them with the clothes she needed, and the few provisions she could not provide for herself. She dressed in scout leathers, and placed the silky robe in the packs before fastening them closed and lifting them on to her back.
:Where are we going?: Dellan asked her curiously.
"We are leaving this Vale forever, dear one!" She laughed aloud, unable to restrain her overflowing joy. "We'll explore the Outlands! We can do whatever we want!" Giddy with joy, she almost danced down the steps of her ekele and out of the Vale.
She went to the dyheli, for a farewell and some last advice before her departure.
"Devren!" she called to the stag. "I'm leaving!" She laughed again as Dellan alighted on the stag's branching antlers, only to be shaken of by an impatient head.
:Already?: Devren asked her, surprised. :Isn't this a bit sudden?:
"Yes, already, and yes, I know it's sudden, but I want to go now. I left a note in my ekele explaining things." She smiled reassuringly at the worried dyheli. "And don't worry, I'm not about to go strolling off into the horizon. I'm going to Gate near to some Vale. I wanted your advice on which one."
:A youngling of sense.: Devren approved pompously. :I suggest K'Vala. It is near the Valdemaran border, and very - ah - modern about Outlanders.:
"So they won't lock me up for wanting to go out of the Pelagirs?" She smiled her thanks. "all right, a Gate spell it is."
She initiated the draining spell, and quickly pulled power from a nearby node. She pierced the gate space and took the coordinates from Devren's obligingly open mind. The fiery portal showed a circle of strange forest - K'Vala.
"Devren, my friend -"She said, caressing his neck. "I could never have done it without you. I hope to see you again someday."
:I share your hope, youngling.: He told her, pushing his soft nose into her chest in a dyheli kiss.
"Bright the day, my friend!" Cried Icefire as she stepped through the closing Gate.
:Zhaihelleva, youngling.: said Devren as the Gate closed. :Wind to thy wings!:
*
Icefire stumbled through the Gate, suddenly exhausted, and collapsed, leaning on a tree for support.
:Tired?: Dellan sent, worried. :Tired now?:
"Yes, I'm tired." Icefire whispered, wishing that she dared to use one of the nodes to replenish herself, but it would might be rude. She needed to find the K'Vala clan, before she collapsed from energy-drain. "Dellan, find a bonded bird, let him know who you are." Her eyelids fluttered. "Quickly."
*
Icefire awoke at dawn. Stonefall had already left her ekele for an early patrol. Icefire slipped out of the empty bed, pulling on the silk robe that had fallen, forgotten, to the floor.
Icefire had no duties to discharge today. She sat for a while at the foot of her rumpled bed, and made a decision. If she did not leave K'Drena today, she probably never would, so it was time to start packing.
A silent laugh filled her eyes as she made her abrupt decision. She found the packs that she used for overnight patrols, and filled them with the clothes she needed, and the few provisions she could not provide for herself. She dressed in scout leathers, and placed the silky robe in the packs before fastening them closed and lifting them on to her back.
:Where are we going?: Dellan asked her curiously.
"We are leaving this Vale forever, dear one!" She laughed aloud, unable to restrain her overflowing joy. "We'll explore the Outlands! We can do whatever we want!" Giddy with joy, she almost danced down the steps of her ekele and out of the Vale.
She went to the dyheli, for a farewell and some last advice before her departure.
"Devren!" she called to the stag. "I'm leaving!" She laughed again as Dellan alighted on the stag's branching antlers, only to be shaken of by an impatient head.
:Already?: Devren asked her, surprised. :Isn't this a bit sudden?:
"Yes, already, and yes, I know it's sudden, but I want to go now. I left a note in my ekele explaining things." She smiled reassuringly at the worried dyheli. "And don't worry, I'm not about to go strolling off into the horizon. I'm going to Gate near to some Vale. I wanted your advice on which one."
:A youngling of sense.: Devren approved pompously. :I suggest K'Vala. It is near the Valdemaran border, and very - ah - modern about Outlanders.:
"So they won't lock me up for wanting to go out of the Pelagirs?" She smiled her thanks. "all right, a Gate spell it is."
She initiated the draining spell, and quickly pulled power from a nearby node. She pierced the gate space and took the coordinates from Devren's obligingly open mind. The fiery portal showed a circle of strange forest - K'Vala.
"Devren, my friend -"She said, caressing his neck. "I could never have done it without you. I hope to see you again someday."
:I share your hope, youngling.: He told her, pushing his soft nose into her chest in a dyheli kiss.
"Bright the day, my friend!" Cried Icefire as she stepped through the closing Gate.
:Zhaihelleva, youngling.: said Devren as the Gate closed. :Wind to thy wings!:
*
Icefire stumbled through the Gate, suddenly exhausted, and collapsed, leaning on a tree for support.
:Tired?: Dellan sent, worried. :Tired now?:
"Yes, I'm tired." Icefire whispered, wishing that she dared to use one of the nodes to replenish herself, but it would might be rude. She needed to find the K'Vala clan, before she collapsed from energy-drain. "Dellan, find a bonded bird, let him know who you are." Her eyelids fluttered. "Quickly."
