A/N… Kyrette-:I know all of you have missed me and I have had several requests for a new chapter from me. Well here ya go! I'm glad to finally get it finished after having been blocked for so long.

Now for the disclaimer: Cat owns nothing save her original characters. Everything else is owned by that wonderful lady Mercedes Lackey. Cat?:

Cat- Geez Kyrette a little windy weren't ya? So now that he's done… I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 15- The Past Comes Back

The next morning, 'Flame was tired from her exertion the night before but felt better that she wasn't waking up in Healers. She always hated to wake up there. Next to her on the bed, Firesong was still sleeping. She didn't know what had happened to Silverfox. She stretched a little, noting that she was slightly stiff. Firesong was still asleep and 'Flame couldn't resist a bit of mischief. She ran a feather across his lips. He twitched a bit but didn't wake. She smiled wickedly and did it again. He twitched again but didn't wake up. She started moving the blankets a little. When she had enough gathered, she dumped her brother out of bed for the second time.

He sat up with an indignant yelp. "You little brat!" He said leaping to his feet and coming at her.

That got 'Flame moving as nothing else could. She leapt from the bed and ran for the door. She yanked the door open; thankful she hadn't stripped for bed the night before. She ran for the outside door with a laugh. She had just made it out when he grabbed her from behind. She shrieked and laughed at the same time.

Darian and Keisha looked up from their conversation and breakfast with Starfall and Silverfox at the commotion. Silverfox just grinned while Starfall and the young couple watched in rapt attention. Firesong swung his sister over his shoulder, despite her protests.

"You like dumping people?" He asked wickedly. 'Flame looked around and saw he was carrying her toward the bathing pools. Her shrieks became higher and were interspersed with curses in several different languages. Firesong just winked at the others who were watching.

"Silverfox are you going to let him dump me in there?!" She screamed indignantly.

Silverfox just smiled slightly. "Didn't you dump him out of bed last night? It's fair."

'Flame just screamed wordlessly and began pounding on Firesong's back. It was all in vain however. With her weakened a bit and his better fitness, he dumped her into the middle pool with a large splash. He turned on his heel but didn't count on 'Flame's friends. Ayren dove at him, pulling up at the last instant, causing Firesong to step back toward the pool. 'Flame reached up and snagged the end of his robe that he'd slept in, dragging him backwards into the pool. He yelped and went under. 'Flame laughed and jumped out of the pool. She slopped water everywhere and grinned like a loon as her poor bedraggled brother pulled himself from the pool. "Truce?" She asked, slightly breathless. She held out her hand.

Firesong looked at her, his once flamboyant mask now ragged and running slightly. He nodded and held out his hand as well. "Truce," He said solemnly. Then he yanked her and pushed her back into the pool and sprinted for the ekele, his robes clinging wetly to him.

'Flame came up sputtering and just looked at the four still sitting quietly eating their breakfast. Silverfox was the first to lose his composure. His laugh just started and the other three lost it as well. 'Flame just smiled sweetly and pulled herself out of the pool. Without a hint of what she was going to do she removed her clingy wet over shirt. She smiled sweetly as Silverfox wiped the mirth from his eyes. She squeezed out the water from her shirt over his head and ran for it.

He sat there laughing long after she was gone even though he was soaking wet. Soon all of them heard the siblings bickering in the ekele.

"That's not the same woman we met when we arrived," Darian remarked. He looked back at the ekele where the siblings' voices could still be heard. "That's what I always expected Firesong's sib to be like."

Starfall just looked at the ekele and held his silence as Silverfox gained control enough to answer Darian. "I don't know what happened to make her so serious but I remember meeting her when she was younger. She was always doing things like that. More than once I heard of pranks she had pulled. None were ever mean spirited." He looked toward the ekele and smiled. "Yet she never accepted a flower from anyone." He said it pensively but, everyone heard him. Starfall just looked at him oddly and didn't say a word.

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'Flame recovered very quickly, once she was up and moving around. It was still more than a week before she felt well enough to go back to a council meeting. She was amazed at all that had been accomplished while she had been gone. In fact they were almost to the point that Firesong and the others could return to k'Valdemar vale.

That saddened 'Flame. She felt like she'd just gotten her brother back and soon he might be leaving. He picked up on her mood when they played hinds and hounds that night.

"What's wrong, ke'chara?" He asked moving one of his pieces. She had been awfully quiet tonight and had barely said a word since dinner.

"Nothing." She said moving one of her pieces in an odd move he didn't understand. He just looked at her until she sighed and sat back. "Well, all the work that brought you here is almost finished and soon you'll be leaving." She sighed again realizing that she sounded like a pouty child. "I was just hoping to see more of you."

Firesong smiled. He and Silverfox had been talking about the same thing recently. There was no reason why either of them couldn't stay for an extended period just now. They had decided to at least stay a month after the others left. More than that would have to be decided later. "You could come with us." Firesong said softly. He made another move and studied the board some more.

'Flame smiled and made another move. "I don't think that would be a good idea, sib." She looked over to where Starfall sat reading a book. "Starfall and I have ended our animosity but I will not push so fragile an alliance by staying so close to him."

Firesong nodded and made another move and then swore. 'Flame had neatly maneuvered him into a corner in two moves and the game would be hers. There was nothing he could do about it either. She just smiled and made her move. In the end his guess had been right. Two moves and she had won the game.

She sat back with a smirk as he tried to figure out how she had done that. 'Flame just smiled and let him stew before offering another game. He quickly declined not at all sure how she had beaten him. She just smiled and wouldn't say a word.

'Flame let him study the board and try to reconstruct her moves. She sent a stray thought to Ayren who was out hunting over the twilit country side. She looked through his eyes for a moment and sighed at his freedom. It had been a long time since they had gone traveling together and now she honestly missed it. She was no longer afraid of what might happen to her. According to Starfall he'd never asked the vales be closed to her so she had them if necessary. But she still hadn't heard from Darkwind and wanted to wait until then before she decided anything more.

:You think too hard, bond-mate,: Ayren said as he flew over a farmer's field. :Relax and enjoy sib. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Today food is needed.: His thoughts were covered with amusement as he looked for his dinner.

Something he saw on the road caught her eye. :Ayren, go look at that again for me.: She could tell he didn't like the idea but he did as she asked. He banked to come around again, and showed her the two men riding toward the city of Haven. 'Flame sucked in a breath as she recognized them.

It wasn't possible. She hadn't seen them but for only a moment before she had been taken away but they were still alive. She hadn't thought that anyone had survived beyond her. Yet here they were. She pulled back to herself with a shudder. It wasn't possible yet she could not be wrong. It was them.

One of the guards and the older mage from her capture and they were heading here. How had they survived? She vaguely remembered the older one not being part of the group to try to create the node but beyond that she wasn't sure what had happened to them. But how had they survived? How had they avoided the backlash which had also Changed much of the surrounding countryside? The Storm had come and had exacerbated the problem. Where had they possibly hidden to have been safe and why hadn't the scouts from k'Vala found them?

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A/N So… how did he survive? Any guesses? No? OK well ya'll know the drill R&R and promote your own fics to me I'll gladly R&R for you as well……

Kyrette- :Pardon me but I have something to say before we go. I have done the next chapter or so and just need to do some editing before I post them but Jelana has need of Cat before that gets done since I can't use the computer. Hopefully soon I will have it ready for posting. Enjoy this though and let me know what you think…. I'm being neglected again since the kids are now back in school.:

Cat- Kyrette they've been gone a few hours! Geez! You had them for two weeks during which I might add you didn't work! So hush!

Kyrette- :Yes but you never give me an attention so I must ask the readers!: Walks off in a huff.

Cat- Anyone want fricasseed kyree for dinner?

~!*Cat*!~