The path Vin followed was nothing more than a deer trail but his keen elven sight easily found it as the sun continued its downward journey. He entered a small meadow that he recognized from previous forays and knew he was over half way to the cave. The brittle yellow grass crunched beneath his boots as he angled across the widest portion of the clearing. The wind gusted and for a moment he was blinded by strands of hair that escaped from behind his ears. Vin paused to adjust his hood and jumped in surprise when he suddenly heard shouting.

"Yatin! Yatin!"

Spinning about, he spotted a figure running toward him from the left side of the field. Vin frowned in confusion at the strange words the man continued to yell while he ran and waved his arms.

"Yatin es amil, damick!"

Backing away warily, Vin spotted more movement from the direction he'd just come. Looking closer, he was shocked to see an enormous black boar approaching; its impossibly long tusks gleamed in the fading light as it paused and lifted its massive head. Steam from its nostrils filled the air as it scented the wind. Slowly its head lowered once more. Its tusks were aimed directly at Vin and a front hoof began pawing at the frozen ground. Suddenly, the stranger's words needed no translation.

"Yatin!"

Vin spun on his heels and sprinted for the forest edge, his pack of supplies and quiver of arrows thumping and banging against his back with every pounding step. Behind him he could hear the drumming beats of the boar's hooves as it drew closer and closer. There were still several yards to the nearest tree and no promise of a branch low enough for him to climb. Vin resisted the urge to look over his shoulder and concentrated on his running even though he knew with dreadful certainty that he was not going to make it.

"Nai!"

This time the stranger's cry came from right behind him, followed by a horrible, growling squeal and the sound of two bodies colliding. Vin tried to stop and wound up sliding on the dry grass. He came to rest on his belly facing back the way he'd just run and his eyes widened in shock. Picking themselves up from the ground were the boar and the stranger who had apparently tackled the beast, sending them both rolling across the ground.

Vin staggered to his feet and stood frozen with indecision. Should he run again? Should he try to help? Would his small arrows be any use against the enraged boar? He looked to his rescuer hoping for some clue as to what action he should take. In that brief moment of calm, Vin got a second shock as he noticed that the young man facing down the boar had pointed ears like an elf. But the long braid of hair that hung down his back was far too dark and coarse for that fair race.

A half-breed!

The half-elf was armed with a dagger and a thin sword; obviously designed for speed and agility. He kept his eyes on the boar as he backed slowly toward Vin.

"Cris da es lethen toh!?" Getting no immediate response, the swordsman glanced quickly in Vin's direction, his brow furrowed with concern.

Vin shook his head. "I don't understand."

At that moment the boar lunged toward the young man. The half-elf dodge nimbly out of the way but it was immediately obvious that the boar's attack had only been a feint. With a speed that belied its size, the beast swung its head about and charged at Vin.

"Nai!" The sword tip caught the beast across one cheek, just below a darkly gleaming eye. The boar jerked its body around and attacked the young man in earnest as Vin dodged back out of the way. Sharp tusks racked across the stranger's right calf but were deflected by his leather boots. Still, the force of the blow was enough to throw the swordsman off balance leaving him open for another strike.

Vin's heart pounded as he heard the cry of pain and saw the fresh blood on the half-elf's thigh. He knew he had to do something to help; he couldn't just run away. As if sensing his thoughts, the young man called out again, but this time in words that Vin could understand.

"What are you waiting for? Run for the trees! Yatin! Run!"

"But, you can't fight it alone!" Vin could see that the boar was getting ready to charge again. Frantically he dropped his pack and began stringing his bow.

"It's not me he's after! I can keep him distracted while you..."

Again the boar charged and once more the young man threw himself in its path. This time his sword sliced across its throat but not deep enough to kill. The boar twisted its body and slammed a heavy shoulder into the half-elf's legs, flinging him to the ground. Rather than follow up its attack, the enraged animal turned its attention back to its intended victim.

Vin had barely enough time to loose one arrow. His hasty shot struck one of the beast's tender ears. The boar squealed with rage and shook his head in an attempt to dislodge the wooden shaft. Vin used the time to take better aim and launched a second arrow that pierced the thick hide just below the animal's jowl. The red fletched arrows stood out starkly against the blackness of the beast's hide and appeared ridiculously small.

"Damick! Run!" The young half-elf had regained his footing and instead of waiting for the boar to attack, he lunged at the animal, sinking his dagger deep into its side. Amazingly, rather than pulling away from the blow, the creature leaned into the strike, snapping the blade off at the hilt. The youth was unprepared for the maneuver and was once more thrown to the ground, suffering a deep, ragged cut across his right hip.

Vin's third arrow imbedded itself in the animal's neck but he had no time for a fourth shot. With a horrible, ringing cry the boar charged the boy and this time there was no one to stand in its way. The older half-elf cried out in despair as he watched Vin's body fly through the air. The boar's tusks had taken him right across the stomach, lifting him up and flinging him back over its broad shoulders.

"Nai!" The half-elf gritted his teeth against the pain in his legs and hip as he pushed himself up from the ground.

Ignoring the swordsman, the boar walked stiffly over to its fallen prey. The animal lowered its head and sniffed at the boy's pale face.

"Nai! Trey rawin ist!" Gripping his sword tightly in a hand that shook with both pain and fatigue, the young man staggered forward. To his utter shock, the boar backed away from the child and began trotting off across the meadow, leaving his victim in a lifeless sprawl among the dry, winter grass.

"Nai." Dropping his sword, Danil fell to his knees beside the crumpled body that lay half covered by a dark cloak. "Oh leshil, nai." Pushing aside the thick cloak with trembling hands, the youth expected to find a gaping wound, flesh torn asunder by cruel, ripping tusks. Instead, his searching, tear-blurred gaze found a thick leather vest laced tightly about the slender waist. Deep gouges showed where the tusks had dug in but there was no trace of blood. Danil's feeling of relief was short-lived however as he realized that despite the lack of an open wound, the child was not breathing.

There was a time, Danil remembered, when he had fallen from a high branch in a tree. On his downward journey he had landed across another limb and the air had been driven from his lungs. When he'd finally come to rest on the ground he'd found it almost impossible to draw a breath. Perhaps the blow from the boar's tusks was having the same effect on this boy?

Not daring to actually move the lad for fear of hurting him further, the young half-elf gently patted the cold, pale cheeks and called out encouragingly; first in elven and then in human.

"Camin geh ramil. Wake up friend. No time to sleep. Wake up."

The blue tinged lips twitched and a soft cough broke the silence. The small chest heaved once followed by a louder, choking gasp and Danil suddenly found himself looking into a pair of sky-blue, panic filled eyes.

"Haei. Haei. Easy. You can do it. Just breathe."

"Who…wha…?"

"I am Danil Menderson." The older half-elf smiled reassuringly as he kept a comforting hand on the child's shoulder. "I think you just had the air knocked from your lungs but you should lie still until we know for sure."

Vin nodded his head as he continued to suck down large gulps of air. His stomach and head hurt but not unbearably so. He carefully began moving his arms and legs checking for additional aches and pains but all his limbs appeared to be intact.

"I'm…Vin. Tannerae. Thank you."

Danil waved away the thanks with a slight blush to his cheeks. "I am sorry I could not do better. My father says that what I lack in skill I make up for with luck. This time I think my luck ran a little slim. Do you think you can rise?"

With Danil's support Vin did manage to sit up but not without a stifled cry of pain.

"Your stomach? Do you need to lie down again?" Danil began to fear the possibility of an injury beneath the skin. His mother was something of a healer and he could recall her mentioning wounds that bled only on the inside.

"No." Vin moaned past gritted teeth. "My back."

"Ah, when you landed…"

But Vin shook his head. "No, not from this fall. It happened…months ago. The brace helps."

"I see. Still, if you need to rest…"

"What happened to that…that thing? Was it really a boar?"

Danil straightened up and looked around the meadow. The light was almost completely gone but he could make out enough to know that they were alone in the clearing. "I think it left after it checked to see if you were dead. And while it may have resembled something like a boar, it certainly did not act like one." Danil peered closely into Vin's eyes. "So tell me, what have you done to rile a sorcerer?"

"A sorcerer? The only one I know uses crystals. I don't think he could control an animal. And he wouldn't try to hurt me." Of that he had no doubt.

"Then perhaps it was a mistake? Or mischance that put you in its path? Either way, I think we should find shelter for the night, preferably someplace that is proof against animals, magical or otherwise." Danil glanced around once more. "You live near here, with your family? We are close to Four Corners, yes? You could lead the way back?"

Vin shifted, testing the pull of muscles in his back and stomach while he debated on the best way to answer. Finally he decided on telling a partial the truth. "Town's about two marks away but there's a woodcutter's shack just through those trees over there. I think that's about as far as I can travel tonight."

An awkward moment of silence followed his words. Finally Danil gave a small sigh and nodded his head in agreement. "A wise choice. Do you think you might be able to stand on your own?"

It hurt but Vin did manage to climb to his feet. He stood hunched over with his arms wrapped around his aching stomach and waited for Danil to join him. But the older half-elf remained seated on the cold ground.

"I…ah…may need your help."

Vin stared at the young man and the way he was leaning on his left hip with his right leg stretched out beside him. Suddenly he remembered the details of the battle. "The boar hurt you too!"

"Heh. Nothing more than a nasty scratch." Danil gasped as he shifted his leg preparing to stand. "Perhaps… a little deeper than a scratch but nothing to panic over."

It took a few moments of clumsy pulling and shifting with shared moans and groans but finally they were both standing, leaning into each other for mutual support.

"Yes, I think spending the night at the nearby shack is a very good idea."

Danil pulled the last of his supplies from his leather pack and set the bag aside. Looking at the selection arrayed before the fire, he had to smile ruefully. His mother's hand was very apparent in the rolls of bandages, tin of salve, sachet of medicinal herbs and bottle of tonic water. Oh, how well Lauren knew her only son.

"The water is hot. What can I do to help?" Vin placed the steaming pan on the floor within easy reach of the older boy.

"I should remove my pants first. It will make cleaning the cuts easier and I have another pair that I can change into. For the place on my thigh, I can wrap a bandage but for my hip I will simply make a pad and let my trousers hold it in place."

The wounds were ugly, rough gashes in the pale flesh. Though neither one was terribly deep, they both bled freely as Danil washed them clean. He was finally forced to lean back and allow Vin to apply the thick salve because his own hands had begun to shake from reaction to the pain as well as the earlier exertions. He clinched his jaw to hold back his cries but he couldn't stop a few tears that ran down his cheeks.

"Some…brave…rescuer…I turned out…to be."

"Chris says that tears are not a sign of weakness; that even the most courageous fighter might cry from nothing more than a splinter. Depending on where it sticks." Vin finished applying the ointment to the deepest gouge and quickly pressed a bandage over it. "I think you're very brave. If not for you, I think…I think that boar would have…killed me."

"Ah well, you showed no lack of courage yourself." Once more Danil blushingly tried to shrug off his act of heroism. "At least I had a sword when I tackled that beast. Skilled archer though you are, those small arrows are best suited for rabbits and quail. You should have run when I told you to."

Vin wiped his fingers clean on a scrap of bandage and frowned in concentration. "Those words you yelled, yatin and damick? Yatin means run, yes? What does damick mean?"

Danil's cheeks became a darker shade of red and he avoided meeting Vin's eyes as he stammered out a reply while pulling on his spare pair of breeches. "Well, you were just standing there and…and the boar was getting ready to charge…and…well…I called you…" his voice faded to a whisper as he finished, "a dumb ass."

For a long moment the only sound in the cozy, wooden shack was the hiss and pop of the fire burning brightly in the grate. The tense silence was suddenly broken by a small chuckle. Danil looked up and was surprised to see a wide grin on his young companion's face.

"Really? That's what it means?"

"Ah, yes?"

The chuckle turned into an outright laugh of delight. "Can you teach me more words like that?"

Danil finally caught on and started to laugh as well. "I suppose I might have a few more that I could share; provided you don't tell your parents where you learned them."

Vin's mood sobered quickly. He looked into Danil's gray eyes and felt an overwhelming urge to tell him everything. Long years of secrecy, confusion and doubt were catching up to him and the evening's dangerous encounter had left him emotionally vulnerable. It might have been he saw something in Danil's eyes that gave him hope, the possibility of at last having found a kindred spirit; or maybe it was just the need to talk to someone that did not know him and so may not be quick to judge.

"My mother was human. She died a few years ago. I've never met my father. I don't know anything about elves."

Danil blinked and then slowly nodded his head. "You live with your mother's people? In the town of Four Corners?"

"No. My aunt died soon after my mother. I live with my younger cousin Jaydee and two rangers, Chris and Buck. They took us in after…a battle."

Another moment of silence passed and again Danil questioned, "Your cousin, he is half, like yourself?"

"No. He is all human." Vin ducked his head to hide his expression but he could do nothing to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

"Ah. They do not treat you…as equal, these humans?"

"Everything was fine, until now."

Danil frowned in confusion. "Something has happened?"

"It's time for the mid-winter festival." And suddenly it all came pouring out like a flooded river braking through an overstressed dam. The words tumbled forth in a torrent that surged and ebbed with emotions ranging from sorrow and despair to anger and fear. Danil sat quietly throughout the telling; his open arms a safe harbor to which Vin eventually found himself drawn as his story finally reached its bitter conclusion. "And… and so I packed some food and…and I left."

Danil held the younger boy, silently offering what comfort he could with the warmth of his embrace.

"I was going to go back…after it was over…but now…now they may not… want me…and that means I don't…don't have anyone…"

"Shhh now. We both know that isn't true. While I may not speak for those I have not met, I am very certain of my own feelings and here you have found a friend, should you care to accept."

"But you…don't know me."

"I know enough. I know that you are brave. I know that you are kind and have a noble heart. I know that you have suffered and endured much in your life, more than any person should. And while I do not know the hearts of these men that have given you shelter, I do know that of my father and should we but ask, he would gladly welcome you into our home as kin."

Vin pulled back and stared at his new 'friend'. "Really? He would do that for you?"

"Not for me; he would welcome you for the joy that it would bring to our family." Danil tugged the cuff of one sleeve over his hand and used it wipe the tears from Vin's face. "Now, you might be wondering just what kind of parents send off their only son to fight be-spelled boars in the middle of the winter. And since you have shared something of your life with me, it is only fitting that I return the favor. But perhaps my story could wait until after we have had some dinner? Ambyr? Agreed?"

Sitting back on his heels, Vin tucked his hair behind his ears, grinning as he nodded his head and tried out the new word. "Ambyr. And will you teach me more words in elvish?"

"Las brin. Of course."

The food was simple but good. From Vin's supplies they had cheese and bread. Danil's contribution was the well-cooked remains of a rabbit that he'd caught for lunch. The town woodcutter kept his shack in good repair and the ample supply of firewood allowed them to have a large fire, which kept the small building nicely warm. Reclined on their pallets in front of the hearth, Vin and Danil ate their dinner in a companionable silence, each one lost in memories of home and family.

As he finished the last bite of his meal, Vin's wandering gaze fell on the scarred vest lying beside his blanket. An uncontrollable shudder coursed through his body and the muscles in his stomach and back drew up painfully tight. He gritted his teeth as the sudden discomfort forced him to shift position, drawing the attention of his new friend.

"Ah, my mother is correct; I have the wits of a sparkfly. Fill your cup with some hot water and I will make for you a drink that should ease your aches. Sorry to say I have no honey to sweeten it but the relief is worth the taste."

"Is this something your mother makes? Is she an herbalist or a healer?" Vin handed over his steaming mug and watched as Danil sprinkled in a pinch of fine powder then stirred the mixture with a broken twig.

"Yes to both. She has the elven Gift of healing, which is different from that of humans. She helps people to use their own energy for healing. Sometimes it is necessary to administer pain–ease or drinks of wakefulness to allow the healing to take place. However, unlike the human healers who can only tend to injuries of flesh and bone, she can also encourage the body to throw off sicknesses that infect the blood."

Vin couldn't help the pang of jealousy as he listened to Danil talk of his mother; his voice filled with love and respect. Vin sipped at his drink hoping to hide the unhappy frown behind his cup but observant, gray eyes had already taken note of his expression.

"I have upset you. I am sorry. Perhaps it would be best if I did not speak of my family."

"No. I want to hear." Vin scowled into his mug. "I just can't help wishing…" His words trailed off and Danil finished his sentence.

"That your mother still lived?" A silent nod was his only answer. "It is not fair."

Vin jerked his head up in surprise at hearing his silent thought spoken allowed. "That's … that's right. It's not fair. Why did my mother have to die? Why didn't someone help her? Where was… why didn't my father come? If he loved her, why did he leave? Was it… because of me?"

There, it was asked; the question that had haunted him since his mother's death. Was it his birth that had driven his elven father from her side? Was it his presence that had turned the town against her, leaving her alone and helpless? Was he to blame? Was it all his fault?

"Ah, kerish beyen. I have no answers for these questions. I can only speak of the present and what I may dream of the future. I have already spoken once of what I know of you but perhaps you did not truly believe or understand." Danil pushed himself upright until his back was resting against the wall opposite Vin's pallet. Taking a moment to brush a straggling lock of dark hair from his eyes, he chose his words carefully and kept his gaze locked on the younger half-elf.

"I See before me a child that strives to do and say what is right and good. To please those he cares for and to be, in all ways an honor to his mother's spirit. I See a heart burdened with doubt and worry but not weighed down so low that all hope is lost. There is much love and honor. Respect for those deserving of it and the strength to defend those you hold most dear. Honest, yes. And bold. Clever. Perhaps something of a dreamer but…"

"Wait! You don't know me! We just met! How can you…?"

Danil held up a calming hand to still the outburst of denial. "Please, kerish beyen, let me explain. Healing is not the only Gift claimed by the elves. The ability to truly See a person is perhaps not as strong in myself as it would be in a full blood but I do not speak lies. Trust me, I can See you."

Vin stared at his friend in shock. The tense silence stretched for a long moment until Danil finally grinned and gave a small laugh.

"Oh, if only my sisters would hold me in such awe. Perhaps then I could get a word or two in before being falsely accused of misdeeds."

His cheer was contagious and Vin smiled as he finally accepted Danil's words and felt his dark mood lighten. "Falsely accused?

"Mostly. Sometimes." Danil wavered and finally shrugged his shoulders and sheepishly admitted. "Once. It was my laes beyen that placed the toad in Margrey's sewing basket, not I. Understand please, Margrey is no faint spirit to cry over the presence of a mere frog, no matter how large and lumpy. It was the unexpected amount of…ah…moisture which stained the material that drew her wrath."

"Your 'beyen'?"

"My laes beyen. My heart brother. Cais and I were not born to the same parents but we grew up as close as true brothers." Danil's grey eyes darkened and he blinked as if caught off guard by an unpleasant thought or memory. Vin did not notice the slight change in his expression and asked another question.

"But you called me, uhm…"

"Kerish beyen. Little brother. And so you could be, if you liked."

A brother. Sisters. Mother. Father. A real family.

Chris. Jaydee. Buck. Ezra. Josiah. Nathan. Nettie.

"I…. thank you but… I need to think…"

"Of course. We are in no great hurry. Tomorrow we will make our way to Four Corners where my aunt will make us welcome. We can stay just long enough for me to see a healer and then leave again if you wish. I had thought to experience the mid-winter festival for myself but from what you have said, perhaps it would not be such a great thing."

"You have an aunt that lives in town? Elf or human?"

"Human, or so my father tells me. I am not exactly clear on who partnered with which family member but I have been assured that she is a lady of some wealth and will welcome a visit from kin."

'A lady of some wealth?' Could it be? "Did your father tell you her name?"

"Well, he gave me her family name as he recalled it from her relation who joined his family. Her first name is Maude and her estate is that of Standish."

Vin's eyes grew large as he stared at Danil and tried to imagine Maude Standish welcoming her half-elven nephew with joy and open arms. No. He just couldn't picture it. And then he thought of Ezra's expression when he learned that he too had a cousin that was a half-breed. This time he had a clear image and he grinned.

"Ah, I have said something that you find amusing. You will perhaps share this thought so that I may enjoy it as well?"

"I know your aunt and her son, Ezra. He's a friend of mine. He's learning to be a sorcerer."

"Truly? Then twice well met. You already know some of my family."

"Tell me more, please. And you still owe me the story of how you came to be in that meadow at just the right time."

"So I do and so I shall." Danil slowly eased himself back down to his blanket, careful to avoid jarring his injured leg. Once settled, he rested his head on his folded arms and began his tale. He kept his words simple and the descriptions brief but Vin had no trouble picturing his family and their home. The vision filled Vin's heart with a longing that brought him almost to the point of tears. But every time he felt the ache grow too strong, Danil would suddenly relate some escapade or foolishness that would have him laughing out loud.

"And I'm not sure who was more surprised, my father, the bear or the skunk. But I can tell you who left the field victorious."

Vin wiped the tears of laughter from his cheeks with one hand while cradling his aching stomach with his other. "That… gasp… really happened?"

"I swear on my Gift, it happened just as I said."

"Did you and Cais get away with the honey?"

"Not as cleanly as we would have liked. After all that work, it was Cais' younger brother that stumbled across us with the remains of the comb and ran to his mother with the story. Between his parents and mine, I thought we'd spend the rest of our youth as indentured servants."

"I wish I could meet Cais. Why didn't he come with you to the festival?"

"Ah, well…that is… another story." Danil's glibness seemed to desert him between one breath and the next. He turned his attention to the fire and stared at it for a long moment before speaking again. "And since it is the story of why I am here, I suppose now is the time for it."

Sensing that it was not a happy tale, Vin offered to let the request go. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to. It's not really important."

Danil sighed and closed his eyes. "The telling is not the problem. I am afraid it is the ending that is still in question. You see, this summer Cais met Annelle; who is, by all outward appearances a very nice, full-blooded elven girl. They became very close very quickly. And I…" Danil sighed again, "And I became very jealous. Suddenly my brother had no time for games of adventure and idle pleasantries. Everything was Annelle this and Annelle that. And she had friends of her own that were… not so welcoming of half-breeds and did not think it proper for her chosen to consort with the like. On more than one occasion I had rough encounters with them when Cais was not present."

"Did you talk to him? Tell him what was happening? How you felt?"

"Oh, I talked to him alright but not about the fights or how I felt." Danil turned his head so that he could meet Vin's concerned gaze. "I spied on them, Cais and Annelle, when they thought themselves alone and I used my Gift. Or I suppose I should be honest and say I misused my Gift. Cais was just as I had always known him but Annelle…was not as lovely on the inside as she was on the outside."

"And you told Cais what you Saw?"

"Oh yes, in great and exacting detail using words that were probably… most certainly, far more cruel than necessary. Cais was… upset. Understandably so. But I was too caught up in my righteous cause to notice that his anger was at me and not at the girl that falsely claimed to love him."

"What happened? Did he hit you?"

"Ah, if only he had. No, I was the one that changed the attack from words to fists. After I had finished describing all of Annelle's faults and failings, Cais rightfully accused me of being jealous and behaving in a childish manner. He demanded that I tell her what I had done and apologize for my ill behavior. I called him a love struck fool with the brains of a sparkfly and he responded by pointing out my half-breed origins. It was then that I struck him down. I don't know what hurt more at that moment, my fist or my heart. He simply sat there on the ground, looking up at me; his eyes filled with surprise and disappointment."

Danil swallowed and looked back to the fire. "All the anger and jealousy left me in that moment and I reached out my hand to help him up while at the same time stammering out my apologies. He simply stared at me and when I stopped talking he said… he said that on the Night of Remembering he and Annelle were going to exchange promises and that I would not be welcome at the ceremony."

"And that's when you left to come here?"

"The very next morning. I confessed everything to my parents and they both agreed that a short journey would do me good. Alone I would have time to reflect on my mistakes and consider how I might have handled things differently."

"And have you?"

Danil gave a small laugh that held very little mirth. "Oh yes. Three days of walking alone in the cold is very good for thinking. The first day I spent justifying all of my actions and laying all the blame at the feet of Annelle and Cais. At the end of the second day I finally realized that I was not the victim and that I had let jealousy get the best of me. I spent today planning what I would say to both Cais and Annelle in way of apology when I return." Danil paused and glanced over at Vin, the beginnings of a smile on his lips. "I just about had my speech all worked out when I spotted you being stalked by that demon boar. Now I shall have to start all over again."

Vin felt sorry for his new friend but he also felt it necessary to mention a key point. "Well, I'm glad you are here, no matter what the cause behind it because without you, I think that boar would have killed me. And I'm sure things will work out for you and Cais; though I don't think you should have to apologize to Annelle. Not if she and her friends are as bad as you say. That just doesn't seem fair."

Danil lifted a hand and then let it drop limply to his chest. "I mostly agree with you but Cais is more important than my hurt feelings. If being with this girl makes him happy than who am I to stand in his way? And perhaps I did not See as clearly as I should have. Maybe I Saw only what I wanted to?"

To that question Vin had no answer and decided that it was time to change the subject. "What is the Night of Remembering?"

"It is just that, a night elves devote to remembering all those that have taken their Final Journey and the One Great Journey that brought our ancestors here to the land of humans. Ah, but I see from your look of confusion that more details are wanting."

Danil pushed himself erect once more and when Vin began to protest the need he shook his head. "Some stories must be told with a certain amount of respect and my meager skills need all the help they can get."

"I think you're a great story teller."

Tipping his head, Danil grinned impishly. "My mother would agree with you but not in so positive a manner." Once he was settled Danil took a sip of the medicinal water from his cup, grimacing at the bitter taste. "And now I will give you the short version since we do need to sleep at some point tonight."

Many generations ago the elves lived in a country that was always warm and always green. To find the smallest bit of snow one would have to travel to the highest mountain peaks. The valleys and forest were filled with life and the ocean was clear and calm. The elves traveled freely across the land with no walls or borders to dived one tribe from another.

One bright and glorious day, a great thunderstorm arose without warning. Clouds black as night boiled up from the horizon and huge bolts of lightening arced across the sky. The wind howled, tearing limbs from the mightiest trees and ripped entire saplings from the ground. The waves of the ocean rose to heights unheard of and crashed against the shore with a roar that rivaled the thunder from the sky. The sun was swallowed by darkness and many thought the end of the world was upon them as the wind tore relentlessly across the land.

Many elves took shelter in caves and the deepest valleys, holding unto loved ones and praying to the blessed Tahlla for deliverance. A few braver souls clung to rocks along the shore to stare into the heart of the storm, searching for answers and hope. Krelen D'Sere was the first to spot the bone-white sails of the great ships that emerged from the darkness. The vessels glowed with an unnatural light and the ocean boiled in the wake of their passing.

Krelen's sire knew trouble when he saw it and sent his only son to gather those he could find and flee inland, away from the approaching ships and whatever evil they carried. So it was that Krelen did not see the death of his father and those that stood with him to face the invading force from across the sea.

Krelen led as many as he could high into the mountains where they found shelter but little in the way of food. The storm clouds left within a day but their darkness was replaced by great billows of grey smoke from the fires that razed the land. Krelen's people watched the land blacken and grieved for their lost friends and kin. They were without hope and many sickened with despair.

In the days that followed, survivors of the invasion found their way into the mountains and the stories they brought caused many to faint with horror. The crews of the ships called themselves the Rasgenfel and they came from a country where all was ice and barren waste. Their skin was so white that at times it looked blue and their hair was the palest of blond. But the worst, the worst of all were the solid black eyes that reflected no light and held no mercy.

Five ships filled with Rasgenfel lay anchored off shore with no intention of sailing again until every elf was either slain or taken prisoner. Those slain were first tortured and raped; age and sex making no difference to the blood-lust of the Rasgenfel. Those taken prisoner were forced to serve their captors in ways that caused many to seek death at their own hands rather than remain captive.

One night Krelen went apart from his people to pray to Tahlla for guidance. As he knelt in prayer, three Rasgenfel suddenly appeared in front of him. Two held long, wicked daggers while the third carried a length of stout rope. They grinned and laughed as they circled Krelen and it was obvious they intended to capture him alive. Defenseless and alone, in desperation Krelen called upon his only defense.

Ever since he had been a babe upon his father's knee, Krelen could call animals to his side and tame them with just a glance. As he'd grown older, his Gift had grown stronger though he'd never had much call to use it, other than to calm an angry bear or coax a timid rabbit out for a moment of petting. He'd never thought to use it on a man; in fact he didn't even know that such a thing was possible but instinct drove him to fight using whatever means available.

When Krelen returned to his tribe late the next day, he was accompanied by the three Rasgenfel whose minds had been wiped clean of all self-thought and awareness. They did not move or speak unless commanded by Krelen. Nor did they eat or care for themselves in anyway that required actual thought. Their spirits were gone, burned from their hearts by the power of Krelen's Gift. Hope returned to the tribe of survivors and in the days that followed, plans were carefully laid.

The elves knew that they could not drive the Rasgenfel from their land; they were not trained warriors and they lacked proper weapons. As much as it grieved them, they knew that their only choice was to abandon the country of their birth and with the mountains behind them; their only path lay through the enemy and across the very oceans that had delivered the evil to their shores.

Krelen developed his Gift and used it to not only control the minds of the Rasgenfel but to also learn their language and knowledge of sailing. He also discovered their use of dark magic to control the winds that filled the sails of their massive raiding ships.

Danil stopped talking long enough to take another drink and shift his position. "There are many stories of the events that unfolded during the preparations for the Great Journey. Raids. Small skirmishes. Setbacks and the like. But as I said before, we need our sleep so I will leave those for another day. Krelen was a natural leader and devoted to saving his people. He drove himself and his followers unmercifully because he knew that time was against them. More and more of the Rasgenfel were venturing into the mountains and soon those left at the camps would begin to notice the missing warriors.

Finally the night came when they could do no more; it was time to leave their home. Using stealth and trickery they passed through and around the enemy camps making as straight a path as possible for the shore. They freed as many prisoners as they dared but had to leave most of their people behind. Krelen and a handful of his bravest men made one necessary detour to remove the threat of the Rasgenfel wizard. That mission turned out to be the easiest of them all. They caught the foul beast with his robes hiked up around his hips, raping a poor girl that had recently been captured.

His death came far too swiftly but there was no time for revenge. Taking the girl, whose name was Cenary, the party made haste to rejoin the rest of their people waiting along the shore.

Thanks to the overconfidence and laziness of the Rasgenfel, Krelen was able to safely remove the scant crews of two of the ships and fill them with his own people. The steering controls of the other three vessels were sabotaged to delay pursuit and Krelen's people lifted anchor just as the first light of a new day broke over the horizon.

As they watched the land of their birth dwindle and finally disappear, tears of grief flowed across the deck of the ship. They knew the horrors they had left their family and friends to endure. The Rasgenfel were sure to be enraged and would take their anger out on their prisoners. Krelen and his followers prayed that Tahlla would make their suffering as brief as possible.

That first day aboard the ships, little thought was given to where the wind was taking them. Sailing was a new experience for the elves and one that required a great deal of effort. Many discovered that the rocking motion of the vessel made them sick and were unable to do more than lie about with their heads near buckets or the edge of the deck. When night fell at last and the sails were reefed, all but Krelen dropped into an exhausted slumber.

Krelen knew that their food and water was limited and that there were dangers yet to be faced upon the open sea. They needed a direction, a set course on which to sail. Sitting in the prow of the ship, he prayed to Tahlla once more for guidance. Looking to the star filled sky, he suddenly spotted a light moving against the darkness. It was an amazing sight and Krelen knew it for his answer. He roused others to witness the miracle while marking its course carefully to the other stars around it. Using lanterns they sailed at night, following the path set for them by the lights above.

It was a journey of many days and nights and not all survived. Some sickened and died while others found the guilt of escaping too heavy to bear and gave themselves to the sea. And as the supply of water dwindled with still no land in sight, some of the older elves sacrificed themselves as well so that the younger might have a better chance of survival.

When at last the ships came to this country, the remaining elves were too weary and heart sick to celebrate. Not knowing what new evils might await them and past the point of caring, they beached the ships and left them behind without a backwards glance.

"Of course the survivors eventually encountered humans who took word to their king who was luckily a kind and generous man. He granted the elves land to call their own and commanded his people to allow them to live in peace."

Vin blinked in surprise at the abrupt ending to the story. "But… what happened to Krelen? And the Rasgenfel? And… and what has this got to do with the Night of Remembering?"

Danil smiled as he settled back down on his pallet. "The Rasgenfel no doubt eventually returned to their own country where hopefully they remain to this day. Krelen and Cenary exchanged promises here in the new land and had many, many children."

"As for the Night of Remembering, that is the night that we set aside to honor the stars that guided the ships, to remember those that lost their lives in that darkest time and to pray for those that might still live in a distant land. We hang hundreds of candles in the leafless winter trees and line the forest paths with lights. If you string a hammock from the highest limbs you can imagine that you are actually sailing in a boat among the stars. And if you look out to the lake you can see candles set adrift upon the waters, one for every loved one that has taken the final journey." Danil sighed heavily. "Many, many candles drift upon the waters and each one carries a name."

Danil closed his eyes as he spoke but still a single tear slid down his cheek. "This… this will be the first time since Cais and I became brothers that we do not spend the Night together.

Vin felt his own eyes fill with tears as he stretched out on his blanket. "Danil… thank you for telling me about your people. And… I'm sorry about you and Cais but I'm really glad you're here with me tonight."

Danil smiled. "And at this moment I could wish to be nowhere else. Now, to sleep. The morning will be here before we like and unless I am mistaken, our walk will be made doubly fun by the addition of snow."

Vin obediently closed his eyes but he had one last question to ask. "What is the word for 'big'?"

"Tast."

"Sleep well, tast beyen."

"Ah, sleep well little brother."