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  Because she was so much older then the others of her year-group, Windance quickly became the older sister to them all.  She may have been at the same level as the rest in her book classes, such as History or Orienteering, and she knew very little about housekeeping chores that the Trainees were expected to take care of, aside from cooking, but she was in good shape, and knew some fighting skills that even Weapons-master Jeri knew very little about.  It didn’t mean that she didn’t get her share of bruises, but the fact that there was something that she knew that none else did made her a much sought after companion.  She made some very good friends almost immediately, which surprised her after the way her voorthayshen had treated her.  The topic came up one time when there was a group of her closer friends, Toryn and Fiera included, were mending clothes.

  “Windance, why did you seem so, well, startled when we offered to be your friends?” Toryn said in her blunt way.  She was mending a gray tunic next to Windance.

  Windance glanced at her quickly, but sensing nothing other then curiosity from the younger girl she replied softly, “Because my clan was always afraid of me, and too respectful too get close enough to see past their fear.  Only Treesong bothered.”

  “Oh.  But why did they fear you?”

  Do I tell her?  Oh why not, it’s nothing that she and the others shouldn’t know anyways.  “Because of who I was, well, am.  Because of my differences.  And they were respectful of my status.  So they stayed away.”

  “What differences?” Toryn asked innocently.

  Umm… what do I say to that?  “Gifts.  They were afraid of my Gifts,” She said softly.

  “Oh.  But we don’t care about that here!  Lots of people have Gifts, here in the Collegia!” she said brightly.

  “That’s why I accepted you.  If you were like my kin, I wouldn’t have.”  Windance smiled to take any possible edge her words may have portrayed.

  “That’s good!  Soo…  Who’s Treesong?  You said she/he was the only one who bothered to get close to you.  Tell us!” 

  “She’s my sh’aen.  Sister.  So, Toryn, how’s your, uh, relationship with Jerra coming along??”

  Seeing her friend blush, and hearing the teasing remarks made by the others, Windance laughed, thinking it would be nice to see Treesong again.  And to feel the forest surrounding her.  To be among her trees again, with nothing but the trees and the birds to keep her company…

  Almost immediately she knew that she needed to leave, before she became so much a part of the Collegium she no longer wanted to return to her forest.  She resolved never to let that happen, and she would keep her pledges, even ones to herself.  So she made plans to leave, sometime within the next few days, to return, even briefly, to her forest.

  :And what about me, Chosen?: a hurt voice asked her in her head.

  :Oh, Tarin, I wouldn’t dream of leaving you behind…: she paused, thinking about something.  :Unless you would prefer to stay here, alshoa’kreth.:  She used the nickname she had formed from her language, which was so almost identical to the common Tayledras that she didn’t even want to think about it.

  :You think that I would leave you go off alone?  Without me?: his mind voice was so incredulous that Windance began to laugh.  She could just picture him standing there, even figuratively, scolding her loudly for daring to even thing that.

  :So are you coming?: she knew that he knew she would go anyways, no matter what he wished.

  :Of course.  Do I have any choice?: he mind-sighed, showing his dislike of the idea clearly.

  :Of course not, alshoa’kreth.  If I wanted someone who wouldn’t agree, I’d’ve told Jerra, or Toryn.  We’ll leave tomorrow.  I can get away after weapons-training, when I would be with you anyways.: