Chapter 5

*

Icefire winced inwardly as she paused outside of the main K'Vala clearing. The entire clan would be watching for her, and she wished she could hide. What if they thought she was odd, like K'Drena had done? What if they thought she was boring company?

:Shiny spell,: advised Dellan, and she bit back a chuckle. The ice eagle had thought of the perfect solution.

On the few occasions where K'Drena gathered, Icefire had learned a simple spell that enhanced her appearance - the 'shiny' spell, as Dellan phrased it. All it did was make her seem very well illuminated in a dim light, or make her slightly reflect sunlight during the day. The effect was interesting and extremely entertaining. She stood out in any crowd, and peoples' eyes unconsciously turned to her. Yes - the shiny spell would be perfect.

:If you can't hide, flaunt.: Icefire replied with a laugh in her voice, weaving the spell and casting it without making hardly a dent in her magical stores. Then, so prepared, she entered the clearing.

She paused for effect at the entrance to the clearing, and stood regally as every eye turned to her. She then held up a fist for Dellan, who came winging down to land on her upraised hand in a flurry of silver and white.

Then she stepped down among the crowd, hiding a secret smile at the interest on so many faces. It might have been the spell - but then again, it might not.

*

The gathering had been interesting. She had learned a great deal about the way these Tayledras clans differed from K'Drena. She liked the differences.

In the normal Tayledras clans, woman had as much status as men. In K'Drena, the men grasped all the power, and held it in iron fists. In K'Drena, a mage who enjoyed scout work was scorned. Here, people were complimentary about it, and valued her expertise.

There had been a number of offers - and not all of them feathers. One scout group had requested her aid in routing a herd of Change-lions. A mage-scout would help them greatly.

The jobs she had accepted, but the feathers she refused. She didn't plan to stay in K'Vala for long, and she didn't want any of these men falling for her the way Stonefall had. That still hurt, that she'd had to leave him like that.

But she knew, now, that she would never go back to K'Drena. The thought should have filled her with elation, but she felt lost. If K'Drena wasn't were she belonged, where did she? Not here, for certain. She already felt uncomfortable here; within a few months, she would have left this place, to roam the world until her wanderlust died.

*

Icefire spun the feather between her fingers, lost in thought. She was useful here. She was wanted, valued by the people of K'Vala. She spent her days working as a mage or scout, pleased by the compliments she received.

Her skill at magery had improved. She had learned many new techniques, and her already large power had been strengthened and consolidated with constant practice.

She had gained everything she had sought when she ran from her clan; appreciation and acclaim. She should be happy. But she wasn't. I seemed childish to admit it, but Icefire was tired of not quite fitting in. She was bored.

What had brought her to this conclusion? When had she started to feel restless? When had she known she had to leave.

She stroked the feather. It was beautiful, a soft, velvet brown that was streaked with darkness. It was plain, and unadorned.

And it snapped in two as her fist clenched.

She knew the answers to her questions, now. She had begun to feel restless two weeks ago - an unconscious nagging wish for a change. That was why she had accepted Sunsong's feather.

Thus far, all her feathers had come from scouts, who she could talk to about her work in K'Drena, as well as K'Vala. But, with her longing for a change, she had accepted Sunsong, a mage. And he had given her that feather.

The plain, unadorned feather.

K'Drena never decorated the feathers they offered. Only since coming here had she received feathers decorated with gilt or jewels. Yet the feather she had been given had not been decorated to impress, as was the custom, or to encourage prospective partners to accept.

It had been alien.

An alien feather for an alien person, Sunsong? She thought bitterly. I didn't think you capable of that.

She didn't fit in. She never would. The feather had been proof of that. No K'Vala girl would have accepted such a dowdy gift. She didn't want to stay here - not any more.

*

The council had been understanding, and generous. But their kindness had struck a bitter note.

"You're still our guest - you don't have to leave yet . . ." Guest. She winced at the unconscious phrasing.

"Soll," she asked the hertasi who hovered nearby. "Can I have my packs back, please?" She still remembered the day she had awoken to find her belongings missing.

The hertasi immediately left, returning with two ornate packs, made of pale brown leather, decorated with patterns of beads and embroidery.

"These aren't my packs!" protested Icefire weakly, knowing that any argument would be lost from the start. Probably these packs were "more beautiful, more suitable" than her previous set of old, worn leather.

The hertasi resisted any notion that she should return the beautiful clothing they had made her, as well. In any case, Icefire did not argue this point too hard.

She packed again, surprised at how many possessions she had gained. Luckily, most were small. She had no wish to leave any behind. The packs became filled with all her possessions, and each extra thing she added reminded her of how much she owed this clan, who had helped her with so much.

:Where are we going?: asked Dellan, alighting on his perch.

"K'Valdemar." Icefire replied as she fastened the pack closed. "Maybe we'll stay there." She whispered, hoping for a place were she could stay.

With a start, she remembered the last time she had packed her bags to leave a Vale. She had been giddy with joy, then. But now I only feel guilty. She thought. I feel ungrateful, as though I should belong, but I just can't!

With a sigh she lifted her packs and left the ekele.

*

Watersong had decided that as a farewell gift to her, he would build a Gate to K'Valdemar for her. She smiled wistfully as she bid him good bye. He had been a great friend to her, and she thought that, someday, she would return and see him again.

"I sent K'Valdemar a message." The old man told her. "They know you are coming. The Gate will put you right into there Vale."

She smiled her gratitude at his forethought as she stepped through the Gate, and into the Outlands she longed to explore.

*

Icefire looked about in wonder. There could be no greater opposite to K'Drena than this! Ekele with ramps for kyree, accommodation for dyheli, and even -

:Gryphons!: came Dellan's gleeful shout, and he promptly went into a dive at Kelven's crest.

:Dellan!: Icefire scolded, shocked at the eagle's impolite action, even as the bronze colored gryphon flattened his crest and moved away. :Come here right now!:

With a resentful mental rumble, Dellan alighted on her shoulder.

"Thossse birdsss," said Kelvren "Arrre too imperrrtinent forrr theirrr own good."

He presented Dellan with a baleful glare, to which the ice eagle responded with a preparation for a pounce. Icefire grabbed his taloned feet, and reinforced her mental order. Darian and Keisha Firkin laughed at the antagonistic looks the two were exchanging, and Icefire felt her heart lifting.

When kyree, dyheli were accepted into a Clan, surely one out of place magescout could be, to.

Icefire smiled as she followed the trio into what could be a new home.