-1Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, species, or countries created by Mercedes Lackey.

Of Hawks and Herbalists

"It's the Bardic Gift."

"And that is…?"

"The Gift of composing and performing music, but not in the way you're thinking of. Valdemar considers it a Gift as strong as the Mage-Gifts and Mind-Gifts. And remember the faces of your kin, Icefall. The girl's powerful abilities were proven by their reactions. She's not only an Empath, but a definite candidate for the position of Master Bard."

"Is this true, Darkwind?"

"Very much so. Watersong should come back to k'Valdemar with us. I dare say she'd fit in a great deal more amongst those who share her loves."

"But, she has never left k'Sheyna. How would she deal with the loss of the Vale?"

"I…have too traveled from k'Sheyna, Elder." They all spun to face me, and I looked up from someone's bed at them, the calm certainty in my eyes and voice answering the question. "Though you don't remember, my parents and I once traveled to k'Treva. Ah, but you didn't know me as 'Littleleaf', did you? It was there that I became 'Watersong', no thanks to a friend of yours, cousin." Darkwind's eyes widened, and he shook his head.

"It couldn't be…"

"It was."

"No, no, no, no…"

"Yes, Darkwind. Firesong gave me my name. At the time, I wasn't old enough to love him for his looks, but I did love him for his kindness. Being half-Tayledras has been hard for me, but he didn't give a damn. He encouraged me to sing, even when his peers scorned my breeding and believed me to be scum. It was fine for a Tayledras to take a Shin'a'in lover; quite something else for her to bear his child and marry him. He didn't see that, and I'll never forget the long afternoons we spent beside one of the watching pools, his magic making the air dance and my voice soaring alongside his Aya. So, I have traveled, and I've been to the Dhorisha Plains, so leaving won't be a problem." I pulled myself to my feet and addressed them standing my ground.

"I want to go with them. I heard you speak of a 'Bardic Gift', Elspeth, and I want to find out for sure if I have it." I motioned to Elspeth, and she chuckled.

"You do, and if I have to drag you out of this Vale to prove it, I will." Now, though, she leveled a glare at Icefall and Starblade, and her tone had changed from kindly to cold. "Why is she so persecuted in her own home? Aren't the Tayledras honor-bound to the Clans? All of the Clans?" Darkwind sighed, but I held up a hand to stay his answer.

"Elspeth, it's just the ancient enmity of our races. No matter the friendships, the Tayledras and the Shin'a'in can no longer be one people."

"But…"

"That's just how it is. Now, enough with the sorrowful thoughts. We've a great deal to prepare for, right cousins?" Wintermoon had joined us from my tiny kitchen, and I suddenly realized that we were indeed in my ekele, rather than Starblade's or Icefall's. I suspected Ametha. Both my cousins glanced at each other and grinned, and my uncle laid a hand on each of his sons' shoulders. When he did so, Wintermoon started, and I saw in his eyes the sudden joy of acceptance. Darkwind too was surprised, but he warmed quickly, clapping his father on the back. I smiled at the family finally pieced back together, with Kethra wrapping her arms around all of them in a hug, and felt that my face was merely a mask. My parents lay underneath the Peligar hills, and any ties I might have had to them were as scattered as the winds. I felt more alone then than I had in a decade.

But heartbreak aside, I ignored the embrace and began packing away what little I had into two separated packs, one to carry, and one to hoist on my back. Sleeping roll, my leathers, a sleeping robe, my quiver and bow, the daggers, my gauntlets and patterns, the beads and leather pieces. Food, a waterskin, and a package of jerky tucked into my belt and pockets. I dressed while they were busy planning, and cinched down the padded perch on my shoulder, then motioned silently for Ametha to take my glove. She did so, tucking a stray feather behind my ear with her gentleness. I was ready, and heading out of the ekele when everyone realized what I was doing, and barreled down after me, and then into me. I stumbled, my eyes wide as I took in the sight before me, for the most incredible person stood proudly at the end of my little path, his leather mask covering all but his smile and his eyes, and his firebird nestled against his shoulder, and glowing with mage-power.

"F-F-Firesong?"

"Miss me, bright-feather?" I ran to him, and he gathered me into a great big hug, his strong laugh filling the void I'd so felt just minutes before. I couldn't help it, my eyes were wet when I pulled back to look up at him, and his were too. He set his hands on my shoulders and leaned down, peering at my face and my figure, and he laughed at the look on my face.

"Ah, little sib, you've grown so much that I had a hard time recognizing you! I needed dear Ametha here to guide me to your home!" I glanced up at the preening cooperihawk, and her gaping griff-grin, taken from Treyvan, made me want to give her a shake.

:You planned this, didn't you, feather-head:

:Yes! Me tell Vree you sad, Vree tell Darkwind, Darkwind tell Firesong. Firesong Gate here for you. Be nice! You were sad, sadder than you tell.: Her grin faded and she flapped down, clucking and chirping kindly. She was so right, and I pulled her close, thanking her under my breath and in her mind, for bringing me what I needed. I chuckled and met Firesong's worried eyes, then pulled him into another hug after I set my bond-bird back on her branch.

"I'm fine now, big sib. Thank you for coming, and for…well…"

"Don't worry about it, Watersong. Now, Elspeth, what's this I hear about this youngster heading off to k'Valdemar?" She smiled and came to us, followed closely by a grinning Darkwind. I glanced back, but my uncle, Kethra, Icefall and Wintermoon were discussing something. I caught my cousin's eye, and he smiled for the first time in ages, a real smile, not just the fake pleasantry he has to show every night. I turned back just in time for Elspeth to finish filling in Firesong. Now my favorite Hawkbrother seemed to survey me, his eyes asking questions of me that I had no idea how to answer.

"Watersong, Darkwind and Elspeth have told you about what happened to me in the ruins of Urtho's tower, have they not?"

"…Yes, but only that you felt the need to mask yourself for other's sakes. I truly don't know the extant of your injuries, but one doesn't need more than a few details for the overactive imagination to take over. I'd like to see how close I am." He smiled gently, but answered me with all seriousness.

"Watersong, it might be better for both of us if there's a quiet bower or cove that no one's using." I nodded slightly, then grabbed his long-fingered hand and led him away, sending out a summons for Ametha as I did so. She and Aya flew above us, dancing through the Vale barrier as we slipped in. I led Firesong through the maze of shrubbery around the Heartstone until we came across a small pond, big enough for the fish, but not much else. It was ringed, ironically enough, with the very flowers that had give us our names. Firesong flowers were like great flaming trumpets, as large my hand. Watersongs were tiny as could be, and dotted the ground below their bigger cousins. Firesong stopped dead, and I turned to face him, knowing why.

"Familiar, isn't it?"

"Almost too much…kechara, what…how?"

"Starblade and Kethra made it for my scout promotion. Kethra had noticed the preoccupation I had with such pools, and plants, and they put it together for me. It's the only material present I remember receiving." He sighed, and looked at me through mournful eyes.

"You suffer so at the hands of our people…how do you put up with it?"

"I simply try to care about them. Sometimes it's hard, but others it isn't so bad. Besides," now I took his hands in mine and smiled, "I have a family with the bond-birds, and a brother in you, and my cousins. I need nothing more." He ducked his head, and withdrawing a hand from my grasp, he reached up and slid the mask away, and for the first time since the incident, I saw Firesong's face. The raw look of fresh scar tissue had faded, leaving the ripples and whitening inherent in healing. The scars circled his eyes, stretching down around his nose and cheeks. I took it all in, and reached up to finger the rough furrows. "So, this is why…"

"I did not wish to frighten our people. They see an ugliness, while I have come to see it as a strength. Certainly, my friends care not about it, and my many pupils are wiser than to tease me." He was rather stern, his eyes admonishing any attempts he assumed I might make at pitying him. He was shocked by the tears that welled in my eyes. "Kechara…"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Firesong?" A single droplet slid down my cheek. "Was it because of my youth? Was it something else? Why didn't you tell me?"

"He was afraid to tell anyone." Both our heads snapped up at that smooth, gentle voice, but Firesong was far less agitated than I. He smiled at the handsome man at the entrance to my little grove and beckoned him to come and take a seat. As he did so, I felt a sudden shiver, and realized, as Firesong and the curious stranger caught each other's hands, that this was the lover he had reputably taken up with. The man's silver eyes flashed over to where I was sitting in shock, and he smiled, then introduced himself.

"My name is Silverfox, dear lady, and I apologize for upsetting your conversation with my ashke. As I said before, he was fearful of hurting you. I suggested that only the ones who experienced the occurrence with him be his confidents, but I see that I was wrong. Please, forgive this foolish kestra'chern." I met his eyes, strange as they were, and felt that he was telling the truth. I nodded and smiled, but inside I was cold. I knew of Firesong's tendencies, always had. Unlike many a foolish girl, I didn't get offended because Firesong was shay'a'chern. But it hurt to see someone I loved so much loving another, and I once more became the shadow. I left them alone, and slipped away, coming around to an outcropping over the smallish lake that the new Vale possessed.

Settling myself on the smooth limestone, I pondered the waves below with little interest. I was intrigued by the thought of being a 'Bard', and began humming a few bars of a half-thought tune, twisting and turning the notes into longer and longer sections, slowly edging close to the end of a complete melody. The small drum at my hip reappeared in my hands and the song became a croon to the steady beats, forming out of nothing more than smoke and thought. But then the drum was set aside and the flute took its place, swirling the notes all about in a stream of whistling air, low to high, high to trembling, trembling to sharp and sweet.

I felt, rather than saw the creatures gathering around me, the silent wing beats as bond birds landed, the soft hiss of hertasi tales over stone as our servants climbed up to surround me. The near-silent rubbing of leather upon the ground alerted me to my own people's advance, the mages' silken robes filling the Vale's breeze with a shimmering sound, the scouts' worn leathers still. I played for them, and for the very Heartstone, feeling a connection to it that I ordinarily wouldn't dare to test. I wasn't even a Journeyman, and to touch the node would be inviting my own death. But this link was far different, for it seemed to be on another plane, transcending mere magic to embrace music instead.

Cracking open an eye, I surveyed the faces around me, and was unsurprised by the serenity. The song had taken wing as nature's tune, describing every aspect of our lives in notes. The twisted, magic-poisoned lands we healed and guarded, every tree, every stream, every lost leyline. The very winds on which our beloved bond birds flew, that blew and sighed and danced across the earth in such mesmerizing ways. And the magic, the nodes, the Heartstones, our intimate lives playing out over millennia underneath the Goddess's calm gaze. Our souls seemed to live in those lines, those chords and codas and scales all what we are. I ended it on a raw, hopeful note, echoing the final cry of a bond bird at sunset.

I slowly set my flute down, and opening my eyes, I saw that Elspeth and Darkwind were forefront in the crowd. On Darkwind's face was a look of total disbelief, but Elspeth's eyes shone with delight. She came forward and kneeled down in front of me, and for a moment, her graying eyes and my own clear blue met in complete agreement.

:Watersong:

:Yes:

:What do you say we go ahead and leave for Valdemar tonight:

:The sooner, the better, cousin.:

:Then Darkwind and I'll set up the Gate…:

:Watersong:

:Firesong? What's wrong:

:May we come with you: His begging voice called out from far behind the crowd, but I could see him waving from below my perch. For the first time in my life, I saw the loneliness he felt still, even with Silverfox's steadfast support and love. He was growing older, I saw, and he didn't want to end up alone in his ekele with no one other than Aya. I smiled.

"Firesong k'Treva!" I called out daringly, getting to my feet. "If you want to come, then get your bum up here!" He grinned beneath his mask and nimble as a deer, he and Silverfox flung themselves through the crowd. I turned to Darkwind, whose face finally resuming a somewhat intelligent expression. "Darkwind, I'd say it's time to go home…don't you?" He processed that, and chuckled.

I won't repeat the Glossary here, just update it.

Dhorisha Plains- These are the great lands of the Shin'a'in. If you want the story, read through the Oathbound Series.

Kechara­- Shin'a'in affectionate term.

Ashke- Tayledras affectionate term.

Hopefully I've made things a tad clearer. Of course, if you're a die-hard fan, I'm just repeating everything you know. I've had the OC bouncing around my little brain for quite a while now, and figured that a fanfic was in store. Watersong was at first a failed Herald, then a failed Healer, then I decided that the Tayledras were a better pick for her people. And making her a Shin'a'in/Tayledras mix rather intrigued me. I wanted to really dig into what a young half-breed would be forced to deal with in her Clan, especially when most of the Clan considered her to be a degenerate. I'd be the first one to tell you that the Tayledras and Shin'a'in work together splendidly, but they can rarely coexist. At least not in great numbers.

Anywho, that's the facts, and if you're feeling perplexed, e-mail me and I'll try to make things clearer.

Laters!

KD