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I posted this chapter (and it’s my longest yet, I think!) for me, since no one, but one nice person, reviewed or even let me know someone was even reading this. *sniff, sniff* Okay, so I’m not that pathetic.  But please R/R?

 

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Treesong arrived back at her v’raka’kele in somewhat less then enthusiastic spirits.  She dreaded telling the Eldest of her failure, of her being spotted.

“Don’t worry, alsh’sh’aen. It probably wasn’t your fault.  You haven’t been there for a while right? So it was probably the last people who did that area’s fault, and the Tayledras were waiting for you.”  Shirl told her.  He had gotten Kyth’s message, but had been unable to do anything as she had arrived not long after the kestral had winged back.

Treesong shook her head.  She knew that it was her fault.  That scout couldn’t have know I was there, there was nothing planned about our meeting.  He was simply in the right place at the right time, and I got caught.  By now he’s probably told whoever rules the Vales, and now they will be looking for us.  “It’s all my fault.” She said.  “I know it is.”  Her clan was secretive, with good reason.  They knew that they were almost like the Tayledras, but also knew that they most defiantly were not.  Their Eldest would have told them if they were, so they lived in isolation, guarding their very existence from outsiders.  Any who ran away or were Chosen by a Companions were outcaste, and the clan acted as if the person had never existed.  That, Treesong believed, was the reason her clan was still hiding from all other people.  The last person to leave had been her twin, who had been Chosen months past, and had never returned, much to her dismay.  They had even identical in every way, right down to matching abilities at the Mind-Gifts.  However, Treesong’s ability with the true Mage-Gift hadn’t surfaced until after her sister had been Chosen.  She often regretted not remaining in contact with her twin, but there was nothing she could do.

Shirl sighed.  He wrapped his arms around her gently, again reassuring her.  “It’s no more your fault then anyone else’s.  We all know that you’re the best scout and hunter the clan has right now.  There’s no way the Eldest will get mad at you.  Or, if he is angry, he won’t do anything drastic.  Believe me, Treesong, alsh’sh’aen.  It will be fine.  Just keep doing your duty, and if any other Tayledras discover you, well, you won’t let that happen, now that you know that they know we are watching them.”  His embrace was comforting.  He and Treesong were close, closer then most of the clan.  They had known each other for as long as they could remember, and were the best of friends.

“I suppose you’re right, alsh’sh’el.  But if he asks, I will have to tell him the truth.” She sighed again.

“But he most likely won’t.  Treesong, it will be alright.”  He kept up his reassurances, knowing that if he repeated it enough Treesong would eventually agree.

She didn’t, for once, agree with him.  Her encounter with the Tayledras, whom she did hear his final words, Firestar, had left her as unsettled as him, although neither knew that.

 

“That’s all, Elder.  I noticed the lone bond-bird, and followed her to that tree.  The stranger was not very friendly at all.”  Firestar stood before the council of Elders.  It was two days after his encounter with the woman, but he didn’t think it was urgent enough to bother the Elders unnecessarily by calling a council for that.

Dar’ian looked at him.  “You are sure she is not part of the Vale, or the village?”  The Elder’s gaze was intense, focusing entirely on the poor mage-scout.  Firestar was only just beginning to be taught his mage powers, so he could doubly admire his Elder’s power.

Right then Dar’ian looked thoughtful, before coming out of his trance and dismissed Firestar.  Relieved, the scout escaped the intense gazes of the Elders.

When he had left, Dar’ian asked out loud, to no one exactly, “So, what do we do about an unknown voorthaysehn?

 

This time, Treesong kept a close watch on the Tayledras, unconsciously watching for Firestar.  It was four days after their encounter, and none of the other watchers had encountered anyone.  Still, she kept Kyth with her, hoping the kestral would warn her if anyone approached.  She had her bow and arrows easily assessable, where she could use them at a moments notice.  She also kept her budding mage-Senses alert, for anyone using magic near her.  After her previous scare, she was not risking anything. 

:Scout visit us again?: Kyth asked her hopefully.

Oh great, Treesong thought, now my bond-bird has to take a liking to the Tayledras fool who nearly scared the wits out of me!  :No, Kyth.  Hopefully not.: Treesong replied.

:Why?: the bird asked puzzled.  :Scout is good.:

:Not good for k’Ren’fa,: Treesong told her.  :He may find the clan.: Treesong stopped, feeling a large group of powerful mages approach the newly-raised Veil that shielded the Vale of k’Valdemar.  The only reason Treesong even felt something was because the group was so powerful.  She almost staggered when she tried to assess their strength.  Star Eyed, those must be Masters, probably even Adepts!  She started to panic, but drew on her meditation lessons to calm down.  She knew the legends about the Tayledras Adepts who could sense people with their minds, and if she was discovered by a powerful mage, she didn’t know what she would do.  :Come, Kyth.  We have to go!: she sent urgently to the bond-bird.

:But good scout comes,: the kestral told her.  :Why go?  Don’t want to go.:

:Kyth, : she said, :this is not the time to get stubborn!  Come on!  Follow me back to the clan.:  Treesong sent the protesting kestral into the air, just at the moment the group of mages exited through the Veil.  She counted four mages, she guessed at high level Masters, and at least one Adept, as well as one fairly un-trained, whom she recognized as Firestar.  She didn’t stay any longer, as soon as she got the numbers she jumped to the next tree almost completely silent, confident in her ability as best scout of k’Ren’fa to move fast enough away from the dangerous group.

:Halt, trespasser.: An imperious voice called in her mind.  Or rather ait was a voice that projected to the area, not specifically her.

She ignored it, focusing on the next tree to jump to, willing with all her heart for that voice to not be talking to her.  Why me? she thought forlornly.  She was out of sight of the mages, and was feeling relatively safe enough to relax slightly. 

She missed her next grip as she felt Kyth being trapped.  The shock the bird felt was so powerful that she slipped into her bond-birds mind completely, seeing everything she did.  She also heard the conversation one of the mages was forcing out of Kyth.

:Where is your bond-mate, Kyth?: a strange, beautiful voice asked the kestral.

:Gone back to clan,: she replied.  Her bond-mate was far away, she knew, so Kyth thought that they would let her go.

Firesong did indeed release the kestral.  He sent his mind out, scanning the trees for the mind linked to the bird before him.  :There,: he Mindsent to the Vale leader.  He then sent his Mindvoice out to the person again.  :Stop.  Your bond-bird is here.  Why are you even within our lands?:

Treesong recoiled physically as well as mentally, on the branch she had fallen to.  If the mage who sent the thought to her could follow the bond between her and Kyth, he must be an Adept.  Uh oh, she thought.  Now what?  :Let her go!:  she sent, using all the force she had to send the thought all the way back.  She cautiously began heading back towards where Kyth was, following their link.  The mage made no reply.  Is this a trap? She wondered.  Nevertheless, she wouldn’t let Kyth be trapped by anyone, especially the mysterious Tayledras.  She arrived back by the Veil, resting out of sight, high in a v’raka.  :Kyth,: she Mindsent to her bond-bird, :can you come?: 

The bird rose from the ground in front of the mages, slowly at first, but quickly gaining height and altitude.  :Here.  I hurt.: the bird said simply.

Treesong sent out a mental caress, feeling where the bird hurt the most.  :Kyth, go back to Shirl.  Shirl will help you, Kyth.  I will come soon.:  Hearing the kestrels assent, Treesong returned her attention to the mages.  There were five in total.  There was a high-level Master mage, one Adept, one she could not tell if he was Master or Adept, and one she felt that had a different ability, but one she could not sense, as well as Firestar.

:What do you want?: she demanded from her perch.  She knew that they could not see her, but if she had been found as far away as she was, they probably knew she was there.

:Why are you watching us, trespasser?  Why are you watching Tayledras on Tayledras lands?:  the mage wearing the flamboyant, and typical Tayledras, robes of red and orange asked her.

Firestar winced at Firesong’s choice of words.  He waited for Treesong’s reply, wondering if she would actually answer this time, rather then evade as she did his same question.

Her strong voice carried down to them.  She must not have been as strong Mindspeaker if she chose to call from up there, rather then keep up the Mindspoken conversation.  “Who said that they are your lands, Tayledras?  Did you even wonder if perhaps there were others here before you?” her mocking voice easily heard by them all.

“They have always been our lands, Treesong.  Why have you trespassed on them?” the mage dressed in blues and greens asked her, his voice calm.

“Yours?  Who are you then?  You do not look like a Tayledras.” Treesong’s derision was obvious in her inflection to the words.

“I am Darian Firkin k’Vala k’Valdemar.  The leader of this Vale.”

Incredulous laughter preceeded Treesong’s next words.  “So it isn’t even a true Tayledras Vale?  How ironic.  What I would like to know is why you’ve set up your Vale, redirected the ley-lines and formed these new nodes?”

He held his patience outwardly, hoping that their elusive trespasser would show herself.  If only they knew more about this strange woman, who claimed a clan keep but was obviously not Tayledras.  And who knew about the ley-lines and nodes.  “Because we were entrusted with this duty by the Queen of Valdemar, to direct the flow of magic back into usable streams.” He paused.  “It would be much easier to speak if you were closer to us,” he suggested casually.

“Fine.  If you really want a look at me that badly, why not?  I’m in enough trouble as it is.  Be warned, though.  If I feel that I cannot trust you, or if I am in any danger, I will shoot first, escape second, and perhaps apologize later.”  She jumped down from branch to branch easily, using the outermost ones purposefully to show her agility off to the Tayledras.  She would not come to them as inferior!

When she was about ten feet off the ground, she stopped, sitting deceptively casually on the branch, her long-bow held loose in her hand.

Dar’ian managed to stifle his gasp at her appearance.  She looked every bit the Tayledras Adept, down to the bleached, braided hair, silver eyes, and confidence so strong he felt nearly smothered in it.  She wore an outfit designed to blend into the forest, but he felt that if she wanted she could wear mage robes and still be invisible among the trees.

“Had a good look?” she drawled.  Her eyesight and other senses were sharp, and she wanted to remind them of that.

“Who are you?” the one who she couldn’t identify asked her.

“Although I’m sure your good friend Firestar already told you, I am Treesong k’Ren’fa.  Scout, and hunter.”  She smiled at the looks of startlement on some of the faces.  I guess they didn’t believe Firestar, then.

“But, how?  There is no Vale k’Ren’fa!” the Master level mage said.

“Of course not,” Treesong drawled, “we’re not Tayledras.  We don’t manipulate the nodes around us, nor do we change our environment to suit our needs,” she bit out maliciously.  “Now, since I’m already in over my head, I’m going to go now.  I’m so terribly sorry I cannot stay longer.  Before I do enough damage to be outcaste.” She waved jauntily, and disappeared, melting into the trees.

“I don’t think so,” Firesong said, catching her mind, freezing her in place.  At his instructions, Firestar climbed up the tree, gently bringing her down to the ground.  Treesong fought him as much as she could, but she was caught fast.  As soon as they reached the group still in the clearing before the Veil, though she was still held by Firestar, Firesong released her mind.  Feeling this, she tried her best to break free from Firestar, only managing to force him into holding her far tighter then he had meant to.

Deciding that her struggles were getting her nowhere, she ceased moving.  She glared with the lightest eyes Firesong had seen on anyone not a mage who had been manipulating magic since they were born, shooting arrows with her gaze that he could almost feel. 

“I hope you do realize the moment I break free, I will go straight to my Eldest, and he will punish you for what you have done to me.  That was the most painful thing that anyone had ever done to me, and I have been through a lot.  And I’m not even scratched!”  She was already sending a message through Kyth that she was in past her depth, and she knew that Shirl at least would come to her aid.               “You may outnumber me, but I will not take this.” Her accusations made the Tayledras feel acutely embarrassed.  Who knew that one person had the will to shame a group of strangers?

However embarrassed he was, now that he had had a hold on her mind, there was no way Firesong would let her go.  “Do you realize how much Mage-potential you possess, Treesong?” he asked her quietly.

Firestar gasped.  Why hadn’t he felt it?

She continued to glare at him.  “And so now you think I should be jumping for joy, begging to be taught by the legendary Hawkbrothers?” she asked sarcastically.

Firesong looked pleased.  Finally! He thought, I’m getting somewhere.

Her expression didn’t change.  “I was being sarcastic, you fool.  I don’t want anything to do with you.  Even if you are as powerful as I think you are, I won’t let you touch me,” she stated firmly.  Her anger was beginning to overcome to barriers she had erected between her and her emotions, and she didn’t want to know what she would do when she lost control.

Dar’ian spoke from behind Firesong.  “You need the training, Treesong. Now that Firesong pointed this out to me, you are, or have the potential to be, as strong as him.  Maybe stronger.”

Treesong snorted incredulously.  “You expect me to believe you?  I won’t.”  She began struggling again, using her fairly large amount of strength against the taller man.  She couldn’t break free yet, but she could try.

“You should let her go.” A completely new voice came from the nearest tree.  An arrow flew through the air, whistling less then an inch from Firestar’s head.  He glanced up at the same time the rest of the group did, finally paying attention to their surroundings.

“No.”  Firesong’s unafraid voice aggravated Treesong.  “Would you let me go?  I don’t care about being a mage!  I want our forest back!” she cried, still, just barely, holding onto her emotions.

The people grouped in the trees stopped.  They were uneasy around magic ever since the mage-storms, and having their best scout captured, then shouting it startled them.  They shared her sentiments about their forest however, and a few more arrows shot down towards the group, not hitting, but meant to intimidate.

“Stop shooting!” Firesong demanded irritably.

“Why should we?  Let Treesong go.” The same person called out.  “We’re only trying to get our forest back!”

The small group of mages was now encircled, outnumbered and facing some very angry archers.  Treesong smiled to herself.  Kyth winged down to land on her shoulder, choosing the one closest to Firestar.  The smug satisfaction of Kyth showed that the kestral had brought back not only Shirl, but most of the off-duty scouts as well.

However, Kyth just sat there on Treesong’s shoulder, not helping her at all as she tried to get away from Firestar.  “Great.  Now my bond-bird won’t even listen to me!” she muttered under her breath, and watched the events unfolding before her.

Unfortunately, for Treesong at least, Firesong had no intention of letting her go.  “We found a trespasser on Tayledras lands.  You are all trespassing on our lands, and we deal with them as we feel necessary.  We also do not harm others unless they provoke us, so Treesong will be fine.  We only had some questions for her,” he said placatingly.

The spokesperson for the scouts laughed.  “That’s exactly what we are here to stop.  We don’t let others attack our own, even if all you wanted was answers.  We can’t give them to you, so don’t bother.  We are the k’Ren’fa, so back off.”  The spokesperson was Shirl, Treesong was relieved to note.

“Look.  All we want is to investigate the watcher we noticed on the edge of our Veil.  We will not harm her, so will you please back off?  We will only take her into the Vale.”  Firesong used his most sincere voice.  He didn’t want a clan of who knows how many angry at the new Vale.

“That is enough.” A commanding voice said, with a definite sound of finality.

  Treesong, and all the other scouts were shocked.  The Eldest stood there next to Shirl, the latter obviously hadn’t notice the older man as he maneuvered through the trees.  The Eldest descended nimbly to the ground, his powerful presence and authority over Treesong and her clan obvious to the mages.  “I would appreciate if I could count on my watchers to remain undetected, but I suppose it was inevitable.  Still, Treesong, why did it have to be you?” The Eldest sighed as he stopped near her.  He lifted her chin from where it had slouched at his words.  He was called Eldest, although he was not nearly the oldest in the clan, merely because that was the name of his station as leader of k‘Ren’fa.

“Eldest, I didn’t—“

He cut her off.  “I’m sure you didn’t mean to, but you were found out.  I can’t believe it was you, and I really don’t like it.  This is not good, leeka.  You know who this man is, do you not?” he gazed at Firestar intently.  At her ignorance, he sighed.  “No, this is not good.  How did this happen?” he asked, sounding almost as if he was talking to himself.

“Eldest, I was caught by magic, as was Kyth.  I could do nothing.  He is an Adept, sir.” Treesong managed to get one arm free to point at Firesong.

The Eldest, glanced up quickly, before nodding to himself.  “Yes, he is.  I do not know what I can do for you child.  This Adept is right, you do need training, which is something I cannot give you.  And you were caught.  That is not permissible.  I’m sorry leeka.  As much as it pains me to admit it, I think he is right.” The Eldest faced her, looking straight into her eyes.  “I think you must stay with the Tayledras.  You no longer belong among the clan.  You are still k’Ren’fa at heart, but you belong elsewhere.”  His quiet words that only she and Firestar heard changed her completely.  She collapsed in Firestar’s arms, seeking a foreign comfort in him.  She glanced imploringly at the Eldest, but she saw the truth in his eyes.  She nodded in mute acceptance, straightening up in pride, and, showing a strength she had been holding back before, tore away from Firestar completely.  Turning her back to the Eldest, she walked calmly over to Firesong, and said clearly, “I accept your offer of guidance and teaching.”

A shocked silence came over everyone gathered there.  Her clan was mortified, but knew it something to do with what the Eldest had said, therefore it was alright.  They vanished into the trees, the Eldest with them, leaving the small group of five alone.

Firesong stared at her.  He wanted her to accept what she needed, to be taught before her Gift got out of hand, but the complete and total pledge shocked him.  Deeply.

As her clan vanished into the trees, Treesong heard one last message from her Eldest.

:Be well with your shrey’kreth’ashke, Treesong.  May you learn well.: