Obviously, none of it is mine, except for the plot. And now Sheik is mine as well.

Author's Note: Well, I'm not sure yet whether anyone likes it. Perhaps it just hasn't found enough ears yet. Maybe I'll send an e-mail to some other Firebringer authors. Nonetheless, I can't just stop writing. I think this will be the only fanfiction I'll finish, ever.

squeal- Meep! My new favorite person is DT Maxwell, the first person EVER to review this story n.n I give to you free cookies. And for you I continue.

Chapter Two: Worries in the Past

Aiony awoke the following morn to discover her dam and sire were out; not a strange occurrence; often as not they both rose before dawn, if they were in this part of the Hills at all. She carefully stood, positioning her long legs carefully to rise without waking Dhattar or Lell beside her. She moved away from their sleeping forms, shaking the sleep from her two-toned form, yawning widely. She took the familiar path through the dense growth to the small stream, drinking deeply of the cool, sweet liquid. She suddenly became aware of a presence not far off to her left, and she lifted her head, water dripping from her chin.

"Jah-ama!" she exclaimed, taking the pans' nickname for the Red Mare. The goatling sisters leapt to her, seeming to appear out of nowhere from the thick early-morning mist. She nuzzled them both, before called to seriousness by her granddam's urgent tone.

"There is trouble, Aiony. Your sire and dam have left the valley." The younger mare frowned.

"They are always leaving, holding parley with the Plainsdwellers."

"Why would they depart on the very day the Gryphons are to come?" The soft tones almost seemed to hold a laughing note to them, as though she found something amusing. "Be careful, Aiony," Jah-lila warned, "There will be much dissent in the days to come. The Sight, I can already tell, is dimmed in you and Dhattar. Listen to council, and be well on your guard." With that, the red mare turned, disappearing into the fog, Sismoomnat and Pitipak hurrying to keep up with her as she made her way back to the Plain.

"Wait, I-" she began, but was too late. Worry creased her face as she turned to the sound of someone approaching. She grumbled a goodmorning to the exuberant Lell. Much of what Jah-lila had said was true. Later that morning, Tek and Jan were nowhere to be found. With none to rule, Dhattar was placed in charge.

The gryphons arrived later that afternoon; the great formels, and Illishar the only tercel among them, as ever, and the great Queen Malar at their head. It was Dagg who ascended to speak with them, Dhattar being unskilled yet in this, and he told in brief the nature of their position. The formel queen bade Illishar stay, to aid the party that was to be sent forth in searching for their lost leaders. The rest flew off to return to their Vale. Lell went to him almost immediately, Aiony saw, and she smiled. Dhattar was absent, and so the two-toned mare spent her afternoon and evening alone. The next morning Dhattar sent two search parties out.

And so it remained until the next Moonmeeting, until the end of spring. Her brother ruled fair, keeping the order well. Many of the males, she heard from snatches of conversation, saw him as a proud and strong ruler. The young mares wanted only to know who he would choose come their time to travel to the shores of the Summer Sea. Aiony snorted and moved away from them after hearing this. It was, after all, her brother they were talking of. Lell moped in the tercel's absence, her melancholy demeanor leaving only when he returned every so often to make the same report: no sign.

The Summer Sea trek was another issue the Council debated. Dhattar must take them to the Summer holiday, but there would be no King to watch the herd meanwhile. Finally they agreed to allow Aiony the place, though in all actuality the council made all decisions, using her only to execute their wishes, but she did not mind, only waited for her brother to return; she had not wanted to go yet anyway.

Finally the group returned, healthy and joyful, each young mare giddy and constantly nuzzling her new mate. She hoped she didn't act so foolish around this time next year. Her brother returned with a pretty little mare, small and fleet of foot with a coat the color of bright autumn leaves. Her name was Sheik. She was shy and quiet; Lell and Aiony took up residence in Ses's small area, as the mare had left to stay with Calydor a while. Aiony knew she had another sibling for Lell, though by now she did not know if the child was born or stillbirthed or had died in the winter. She had not Seen anything of her granddam since late autumn; now she could not See anything at all.

That was when Dhattar began to act strange. He was taken to spend much time in brooding silence, and tended to round on any who disturbed him, or have flares of anger and hatred that went as soon as they came. Winter came swiftly; the search parties returned with no luck. To Lell's delight the gryphon decided to stay until fairer weather came. She began to spend all of her days with Illishar, learning gryphonsong. Sheik sought Aiony out often, when her mate was in one of his moods; she did not enjoy the tawny mare's presence. She was nice, but was very bubbly and had a tendency to babble. She spent more and more of her time on her own. The next morning brought both the beginning and the end.

Dhattar had the herd roused early, to add another decree to the long list of others he'd added. She stood among the front of the crowd, and grumbled to herself. "There aren't supposed to be troubles like this in the Hallow Hills. It was supposed to be a safe haven, a happily ever after." Lell beside her nodded in agreement.

Her twin fell silent, the morning light playing across his stark, white hide as he looked down at her suddenly. It seemed the light striking his eyes made them glow in hatred and scorn, a glimpse she did not recognize as her brother. "You," he said coldly, his words soft. He gazed upward once more, addressing the entire gathering. "I take this as a personal insult. My own twin sister has been in league with our sworn enemies since we arrived here. She has been giving information to the Wyverns, and means to kill us all! Take her away. Aiony, daughter-of-Tek, you are banished from the Circle. I, Dhattar son-of-Tek, decree this, as I declare this a time of War, and so I am Battle-Prince!"

She could only stand there, stunned, gazing up at him and his position on the rise. Lell beside her gaped, as did most of those behind her. The Prince's own twin? Still they uncertainly cleared a path for her, as two of the stallions moved along either side of her. She was dimly aware that she was moving. The two brushed her shoulders they were so close. She craned her neck to look back and was aware of Dhattar's expression of triumph. She could see in his eyes the maniacal laughter, even if his face never moved from its stern glance. It washer brother, her twin, no longer.They left her without a word on the border of the Plain, though she knew they would watch and make sure she did not return.

It did not sink in until she turned to see their retreating forms. She took an agonized step forward, the anguish clear on her face as she made a small, fearful noise, as one a child would make when suddenly discovering it is lost. Tears clouded her vision, and she blinked them fiercely away, turning sharply, galloping away as fast as her limbs would carry her, and did not look back. The gryphon feather, green as new grass, flapped in the wind with her dark mane. She could have run forever for the pain in her breast, but weariness late that evening caused her to collapse as she mounted a rise. Her speed tossed her over the brink, and she tumbled to the bottom, where she lay unmoving. The world blurred, she was so tired, and saddened and afraid. She still didn't understand why. Slowly she cried herself to sleep, and knew nothing after the last golden rays descended, leaving only darkness.

She awoke the next morning to voices.