Twang! A hundred yards away, an arrow sunk neatly into the exact center of a target and Faolan set the tip of her bow on the ground with a satisfied smile. Her hair was long now, and she had it tied back into a ponytail with a leather thong. The past six years had changed her, and she was over five feet tall with a skinny, lanky sort of look.

It was summer, but it didn't feel like it. The village had shrunk some- no werewolves were returning now; Karse was feeling the toll of the war and demanding that more and more of the werewolves step forward. There were other villages, this was not the only one, scattered throughout the mountainous border, and from what Skylar said in his monthly reports, things were much the same.

The war had become one of attrition- if it hadn't been one before. After in the initial burst in strength on Valdemar's part once the werewolves had been revealed and Faolan settled in as a spy, the border had settled into a new spot, one that gave Valdemar more land than before the war, and Karse a little less. But in those mountains, with the werewolves that snuck across lines and attacked at night, the war was difficult. Little ground was gained, and Faolan felt sometimes that it wouldn't end until every last soldier from each other country and been thrown onto the front, and then every man, until there was no one left to fight. And then the war would end, with no winner and no loser.

The six years slipped by quicker than they would have for a normal fourteen year old, because Faolan remembered living far longer than fourteen years, and she remembered most of those fourteen years a lot better than she would have otherwise. Sometimes she despaired at how little she had learned, and sometimes she rejoiced at how much she had. Sometimes she despaired of ever seeing Rathmir again, or ever riding Raul freely, guiding Valdemar in peace, and sometimes she rejoiced in knowing that she was helping Valdemar in a way only she could, and when she forgot about the war she rejoiced in the friends she had made among the werewolves- friends that she betrayed with every breath she took in the new village.

Raleigh had not woken up either. Nor had he permanently left for the Havens. Faolan was never sure whether or not to be happy or sad about this, but she did enjoy the nights when he appeared in her dreams. He seemed to be getting more tired though, and more confused. Fao had the feeling that time passed differently for him- sometimes after a month without seeing him he'd appear and continue a conversation as if there hadn't been a large gap of time in between the last sentences exchanged.

In the times when she did get to see Raul, the Companion had given her Gift lessons, and by now Faolan could fairly accurately read and manipulate the emotions of those around her- though not to any powerful extent. She could, if careful, funnel anger away from someone, or cheer them up when depressed, but nothing more than that. She could read someone's surface thoughts, but not dig into their memories. But Faolan did not want powerful Gifts- she had those already, in the form of her past lives, and in being a werewolf.

Faolan had gotten to know all those living in the village, and considered more than Taryn a close friend- though none could ever truly be close. Roscoe and Sigourney, now eighteen and seventeen, respectively, often joined Faolan in free time. Though the elder was no longer quite as bouncy, he still had a sort of wild energy about him that Fao admired. Sigourney, Fao could never quite tell- he was quiet, and just followed Roscoe around, rarely voicing his opinion in the conversations.

"Good job, Faolan," a hoarse, gruff voice said. Fao looked up to see Esben standing there, his hands thrust into the pockets of his pants. His brownish hair cascaded down his back, only held by a leather thong, like Fao's. Esben did the training of the older werewolves in training, while Skylar stuck to the kids, and focused on gaining control of the werewolf form. Everyone Fao trained with now was nearing enough skill to go to the front, definitely in case of being a werewolf, and only somewhat when it came to weapons. Donar had left two years ago, and everyone agreed he could have left even earlier. It had been around then that Faolan had finally learned what determined who stayed and who went. It was Esben who had done the explaining.

"How long will he be gone?" Faolan had asked Taryn as they watched Donar, in wolf form, as was tradition, bound off through the woods towards the front.

"We won't know until he returns," Esben had answered for Taryn, stepping forward, "It is different with every person. Skylar, for example, was only on the front for three years. He returned because he is not a warrior- he is a teacher, and a leader. I am here too, to teach, because although I can fight, I can also show others how to fight like I do, and not all warriors have that gift. Torvald, Donar's father, he is also not a warrior, though I think he wishes he was. Does that answer your question, Faolan?"

Faolan nodded, and her memories drifted back to Ghost, who had, in a moment of brilliant clarity of thought, realized, upon seeing Raul, that Faolan was a Herald, and decided to sacrifice himself to save her. He had told her, before that day, that the reason he didn't fight was because he couldn't, either. It made sense, and as Donar was gone by now, she nodded to Taryn and the two peeled off from the group.

"Thank you," Faolan said to Esben, lowering her bow and looked at the row of other young werewolves shooting at targets hung on the trees. It was morning, and around noon they were going to set off to go on a hunt, but this would be no ordinary hunt, for all would stay in human form, and the bow would be their instruments of death.

"Won't be long now for you, Fao," he said with a grin, "You're practically a master of both sword and bow and Skylar tells me you were ready for true control at least three years ago."

Faolan shrugged- she couldn't tell if Esben was just complimenting her or asking for an explanation. The old werewolf always sounded gruff, no matter what his words were.

"What about me, Esben?" Roscoe's voice rang through the woods from about ten feet away, where he had paused to listen to the conversation, "I get to go before Faolan, right?"

"We'll see," Esben growled at the boy and so Ros only sighed, and resumed shooting. Faolan copied him and a while later Esben shouted, "Lower your bows and collect your arrows!"

A few nights later Faolan sat beneath a tree, a mile or so from the new village, and talked to Raul in her mind. They never saw each other physically anymore- the risk was just too great, but they enjoyed a long mental meeting at least once a month- and they conversed lightly much more often. This night, Raul sounded worried.

:Faolan…,: she finally said, :Aram has related to me some… news.:

:Aram?: Faolan echoed, shifting her position under the tree and enjoying the warm summer evening. The winters had been far too cold in the past few years, and Faolan cherished her memories of long ago inside the warm Heraldic Collegium.

:The Queen's Companion,: Raul said, and her voice sounded edgy.

:What is it, Raul?: the girl asked her Companion, :Did something change?:

:No… well. It's just that the Queen feels we need someone on the front, what with the way the war has been going. For the past year they've been considering it…:

:Considering what?: Faolan demanded.

:You. On the front. Well, maybe not in battle, but around those who are. They want you to get to know the command, start getting troop movement plans, tactical plans, that sort of thing. You've done so much just here in the village but…:

:It's not enough,: Faolan finished, :And I'm the only one who can be a spy in this war. I get it… But Raul, I can't go to the front until Skylar gives me the okay.:

:I've told them this. They want you to nudge him,: Raul informed Fao, :Use your Gifts.:

:I'm not sure…: Fao answered, picking up a stick and fiddling with it, :Never mind. I can do it.:

:All right Faolan. Just… be careful,: Raul said, and Fao heard the sadness in the Companion mare's voice. It was, after all, her job to protect Fao, but for the last seven odd years, Fao had been in a place no Companion, indeed no horse, ever really went.

:I miss you too,: Faolan said, and gave the Companion a mental hug before coming full back to her body and standing up with a stretch.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short, and about the long update time. I have been exceedingly busy, and will try and update more often, as always... Actually, I tried to put this up a week ago but wouldn't let me upload for some reason and now is my next chance to get on the comp... Reviews are greatly appreciated and are proven to increase updating! Thank you for reading!!