A/N- So I've now begun an online writing course (free). I will post the url in my profile. Registration for this session has ended, but I think the next one is in April. Hopefully we will see improvement in my fanfics as I work the course.

Kyrette- :Are you done? We need to get this done.: *Looks around for lawyer-like types* :Quick disclaimer-None of it is ours, all belongs to Lackey.:

Cat- Lawyers are making him nervous. *shrugs* Don't ask me, I'm the just the writer. So anyways, 'Flame has left Haven, her brother, Firesong has remained behind. And somehow, she's got to stop the mage responsible for her Changes. But what will happen when Starfall finds out what she's up to??

Chapter 21- A New Parent

"YOU LET HER DO WHAT??" Starfall yelled at his son. 'Flame had been gone almost two weeks now. Firesong and Silverfox had been handing Starfall excuses up until now. Today, however, they had decided to tell him the truth. It was not going well. "I cannot believe you allowed her to just run off like that! What were you thinking Firesong? She is not strong enough to deal with a rogue mage!"

Starfall stood and began pacing, venting his frustration. "I don't know who is worse: her for going or you for letting her go!" He whirled on his son. "Get ready for a long trip because we are going after her!"

He whirled to leave, but was stopped by Firesong clearing his throat. Starfall looked at his son, his features showing his true distress. He only raised his eyebrow, when he saw the smile quirking Firesong's lips. "Father, for a man who couldn't have cared less about her when you arrived, you're acting remarkably like an outraged parent now." Firesong commented dryly.

That brought Starfall up short for a moment. He was indeed acting like the girl's father. 'Its time someone did,' Starfall thought to himself. He had wronged her horribly as a child. Now was the time to rectify that mistake. "That may be, but it's time someone did." He turned again to leave, but this time it was Silverfox who stopped him.

"Starfall, as much as all of us would like to help her, the best thing to do is to wait." The mage stopped and stared at the kestra'chern, like he'd lost his mind. "'Flame has something to prove, to herself and to everyone else. If we interfere, we could destroy the fragile self-worth that she has found." Silverfox stared at Starfall sternly. "Are you truly willing to do that?"

Starfall slumped defeated. He couldn't do that to her. It wouldn't be fair. After all he'd done to her, all his guilt, he could not do anything to undermine what she was doing.

The argument that had worked with the son, had now worked with the father. Silverfox could see it in the defeated slump of his shoulders. It pained him to see both father and son so ready to help yet unable to do so. It would probably take all his skill to keep the two of them here and sane until 'Flame returned. And she would return. She had to. All of his faith was in her returning. She had to do it….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What the hells had she gotten herself into? 'Flame asked herself that question for the umpteenth time, as she led the bodyguard and the mage down the road and toward the Pelagiris Forest. Whoever had given this mage his information, they had known what they were talking about.

The mage had a rough map that he was going by, hoping to come across one of the Vales. 'Flame just hoped she ran across one of the scouts before they saw them. If she did, she'd be able to get a warning to the closest vale, and all the scouts.

If not, well, then she'd have to do this her way. Whatever that was. She rode Darkfire with ease, and Ayren flew well ahead, out of sight of the mage and the bodyguard.

She had not been told either's name and simply stuck with "sir". Adjusting to her new name "Smoke", had not been quite so easy. Darkfire had had to "nudge" her several times when they had spoken to her and she had not responded. Her persona, though, that was simple. Her hatred for them, she simply allowed it to shine through. It chilled both of them; she could see that. Every once in a while she could feel the mage's worried eyes on her.

It actually warmed her to have the mage worried about her, instead of the other way around. :Be careful with those thoughts bond-mate,: Darkfire warned her grimly, time and time again. :It is thoughts like those that could turn you into them.: It was little fonts of wisdom like that, that made her regret ever putting him near the Groveborns back at Haven. Unfortunately, he often caught that stray thought as well. :And whose idea was it to put me in there? I was perfectly happy to stay in the stables. But noooooo! You had to raise a royal fuss about it. So off I went into Companion's Field.: 'Flame usually just gritted her teeth and ignored him. The smugness that colored his words, however, was a bit harder.

'Flame rode a bit ahead of the two men, to scout out that night's camping area. They'd fallen into a routine of sorts, during their time on the road. She caught all the food, found all the campsites and traded in every town for all their needs. Whereas, they, meaning the bodyguard, set up camp and cooked the food. About the only thing the mage did was set up small magical traps and warning bells, around the camp every night so that no one had to stand watch. Unfortunately, it also meant that 'Flame could not sneak out at night.

As they got closer and closer to the Pelagirs, she worried that she would be unable to stop the mage from whatever his plan might be. She had no actual plans as to what to do. Not yet, anyways. She knew though, that at all costs, he must not capture another Tayledras. That would have to be prevented, no matter what the cost to herself.

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The Pelagirs loomed over them, covered in lush dense forest, rife with treacheries of both Mage Storms. The mage looked at his map again in the weak firelight. He nodded to himself and smiled in satisfaction. Soon, with everything going according to plan, he would have his "Hawkbrother" and, hopefully, a node under his control. He watched his scout patrol around the campsite. The closer they had gotten to the mountains and to the forest, she had gotten more and more tense.

He wondered what bothered her so. It couldn't be her work. She had not even bargained about her fee. That had surprised him, but he was not one to quibble. He watched her take one more circuit and then sit with her back to a tree and pull out her sword and whetstone.

The mage then dismissed the female from his mind. He studied his rough map of the Vales. He smiled, thinking of how he had been smart enough to defy everyone and get this map.

Only one man had had this map. Even he had admitted it was probably not accurate. Still the mage had bided his time waiting. A lot of people had thought he was insane, speaking of a people so few even knew existed.

But he had known. He had known. Now he was being vindicated for all his waiting, and all the ridicule he had taken over the years. He kept his glee locked inside, deep down where he kept his anger locked away.

He looked over again, at where his scout sat studying her blade. If she came through for him, she would make a worthy mistress with which to begin building his empire. Yes, she would do nicely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure the spell worked?" Starfall asked, again. Firesong heaved another sigh of frustration, and ignored his father. He concentrated on tapping into the powerful Heartstone beneath the Palace.

Before 'Flame had left, Firesong had cast only one spell on her. A spell so subtle, so gentle, that only one completely familiar with Firesong's style could find it. He tapped the power resting so calmly, waiting for a direction from him.

Firesong still felt slightly proprietary about the Palace Heartstone, had since the Mage Storms. Personally, he felt it was simply a resonant feeling from his time with Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron. He shook the thoughts away. He didn't have time for it.

The power answered readily to his call. It seeped down the ley-lines that fed the Heartstone. Several of the Companions looked up from where they grazed and glanced in the direction of the ekele but went back to their grazing when no threat was detected.

Firesong concentrated harder, sweat now forming beneath his mask and running down his scarred visage. It was getting more and more difficult to control the power he had tapped. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered him, but the amount of power available and the power he was letting seep through were so drastically different he was having problems.

He Felt his father link with him. Starfall's presence was now a stalwart feeling at his side. Starfall studied what his son was doing and then started filtering the excess power through himself, easing the pressure on Firesong. His son sighed a bit in relief and continued following the small tendril of energy he was allowing to feed down the ley-line.

"There!" He said aloud. Firesong drew his father into what he was Seeing. They both studied the young woman, staring into her sword.

~~~~~~

'Flame looked into her sword again, sure it had been a trick of the light. She looked into the sword again after closing her eyes and praying she was wrong.

Instead as she looked into her sword, her brother's face was joined by Starfall's visage. :I see two dead men looking at me from my sword.: She could see the thought reach both of them. A glance over at the mage told her he had no idea what was going on. :I'm gonna grate both of you into little pieces when I return. Get out of my blade!:

Firesong only smiled smugly and looked back at her. :Did you honestly think I would allow you to do anything without some way to watch you?: 'Flame just gritted her teeth unable to do much with the mage so close. :I will remain unobtrusive, don't you fear. Be careful, sister dear.: With that his face disappeared from her blade. She sheathed it with a snap, her temper sparked. She looked at neither man as she walked one final circuit of the camp, rechecking the horses. Her temper mellowed as she did the routine chores, easing down to cold calculation.

When she returned to Haven, she was going to do more than just dump her immaculately dressed brother into a pool. Oh yes, revenge would be sweet when she returned.

Then she thought some more. Why had Starfall's face been there? He had looked odd. She couldn't put a name to the emotion she had seen on his face. :It was concern, love.: Darkfire said, enjoying her extra attention.

'Flame dismissed it as impossible. Starfall would not be concerned for her. Not, really anyways.

:We shall see won't we? We shall see.: Darkfire's mirth colored mind voice reached her, making her wonder some more.

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A/N-Hmmmmm… Starfall beginning to care for 'Flame? As a surrogate father perhaps? I do so love playing with the emotions of my characters!!! *evil grin*

Kyrette- *swatting his writer with a well-placed paw* :Be nice to the readers, Cat.:

Cat- I am nice aren't I?? R&R please!!!

~!*Cat*!~