Hey! Me again! I didn't get very many reviews last chapter, so, if you're reading this, then PLEASE REVIEW! AND SPREAD THE WORD OF THIS STORY, PLEASE! Anyway, I'd like to thank the few people that actually DID review...

To Glumbiemon24: I also fell in love with Miri's story! I've read PA at least three or four times! I was actually aiming for making this story in the same aspect and style of the book, so, I'm glad that I was able to reach the intended goal. Thank you so much for the praise! It really means a lot to me that someone thinks so highly of my first PA story, and would tell me that I've achieved the goal that I was hoping to reach. I don't intend on changing the way that Miri and Peder's relationship is going, though, since I don't understand what you mean by the relationship going too fast.

To DancingQueen117117: As said in the reply, thank you SO much for the compliment, and, as for MORE PA stories, weeeelllll...we'll see what the future holds...

Disclaimer: Nope... Still not mine...

The next few days were awfully quiet for Miri. She had grown so used to Britta's conversation while at the academy, and, with Peder being so... EVASIVE lately, the only one there was to talk with was Marda.

"I just don't understand why he's avoiding me."

"Miri, don't think like that! He hinted that it's a surprise for you, right?"

"Well... yes."

"For all we know, he's simply planning something special for you. Don't worry."

Miri smiled at this. Marda always knew just how to make her feel better when it came to this sort of thing."Maybe. I just hope that he hasn't changed his mind about me so quickly"

Marda jokingly made a fist, as she replied, "If he does, I'll pound him harder than the mallets on the linder."

Miri again smiled at her sister's words.

After two more days of Peder's unusual avoidance, Miri couldn't take it anymore. She marched right up to his house, and knocked on the door. She was going to find out why Peder was avoiding her, after showing her that he actually liked her the way that she liked him. It was Esa that answered.

"Hello, Esa!" Miri smiled at her friend

Esa smiled back. "Hello Miri! I'm glad that you're here. Peder wants you to meet him down by the stream. He has a surprise for you." Esa gave a wink as she explained this to Miri.

Miri blinked a few times. She couldn't believe her stroke of luck, what with how easy that was. After thanking Esa, and asking her to say hello to her mother, Doter, Miri headed down towards the stream like Esa said.

"Peder! PEDER! Peder, where are-"

She stopped abruptly, staring in awe at the scene before her.

There was Peder, standing shyly by the stream-side picnic that he had set up. It was wonderful. There was bread, goat cheese, a bucket of clean drinking water (ladel right beside it to drink out of), and a bowl of, what Miri assumed was, home-made rabbit stew, courtesy of Peder and Esa's Ma, Doter, all laid out on a blanket for two.

"Peder..." Miri was smiling, small tears forming in her eyes.

Peder continued to look shy. "I was hoping that you'd like it..." He blushed. "I...felt like doing something special."

"But... why?" Miri's confusion showed in her sky-blue eyes.

Peder's blush deepened. "You'll find out... Come on, let's eat!"

It was one of the best meals Miri had eaten in a long time. Not to mention, her first dinner ALONE with Peder.

"So, Peder, " Miri began, "What's this surprise you keep telling me about?"

Peder shied away slightly. "Well... I..." He sighed, and said, "I wanted to give you something." He fished around in his pocket.

"Give me what?" Miri asked quizzically.

Peder seemed to have found it."This..." He pulled out a necklace, hand-woven, with a small charm on it. A small linder hawk.

Miri gave a small gasp of surprise. "Peder..."

He smiled. "Well, you asked me if I could make another one for you, remember? But, this one's even better than the first one. It's a necklace now, so that you may have it with you at all times. It's also more clean-cut, and, I was able to find a small peice of that old blue-veined linder, and, I used that because it reminded me of you, and your blue eyes..." Peder's own eyes were shining.

Miri had tears in her eyes, and she threw her arms around Peder in a hug. "This is why you've been so secretive lately, isn't it? Peder Doterson, you're as sneaky as a fox."

As she pulled away, Miri could see a sly smile on Peder's face. "I thought you might say that." He pulled another linder-charm necklace from his pocket, this one with a charm that looked like a fox.

Miri laughed a bit, and asked, "But, why make them into necklaces?

Peder gulped and said, "It's so that you never lose it. So that NEITHER of us will. And, i made the fox for myself, so that, if you ever need to," he blushes, "or WANT to, we could communicate to each other through quarry speech."

Miri was absolutely touched. It was the absolute sweetest thing that ANYBODY had ever done for her, and, that's what she told him. With that, and, a few more hours of talking and laughing, Peder brought Miri home, where Marda and her Pa were waiting for her, wondering themselves what the surprise had been...

Me: Hey! Another chapter DONE! So, what did you guys think?

Miri: I thought it was MORE than sweet! *hugging Peder*

Peder: *blushes*

Rai: Huh. Different.

Me: RAIMUNDO! What the HADES are YOU doing here?

Rai: *shrugs* I felt like bugging you.

Me: *gets a tic-mark* Don't make me get your girlfriend!

Rai: *rolls his eyes* Oh, please, I-

Me: Oh, Kimiko!

Kim: RAI! What did you do NOW?

Rai: Eep! *runs in terror from his girlfriend*

Me: ANYWAY... I'm really proud of how this chapter turned out. Let's hear YOUR opinions, readers. PLEASE? Reviews are your friends! And, if you review, I'll give you a cyber cookie! R&R! No flames! And, if you HAPPEN to be a fan of Xiaolin Showdown, check out my other stories! Bye!