Sheng
Sheng (say: shuhng while smiling, and you've got it) is an honorary title, signifying that the bearer will be chief next. The origins of the word are unknown to the tribe now, but it has always been used in Peacock Mountain.

Recognition
Recognition, the meeting of two souls who've known each other a long time, can come early or late in Peacock mountain. It cannot be ignored, however. There is even a tale in the tribe history, of the earlier generations, when Wildhunt refused her recogntition to Dragondown and was killed by it.

Wandering
Chieftess Raindance's last words were, "There are others. They need you. Go, find them, bring them back." This message was heard as an overwhelming sending by many of the elders of the tribe, so overwhelming they were rendered unconscious by it. This was taken as a sign that they were to set off in search of others, leaving Snowfall and the young elves of the tribe to run the holt for themselves. Those called to wander were:
Arrowheart
Sparkle
Wren
Phoenix
Lily
Cricket
Grunbaum
Aerie

Black Dragon
Black Dragons are noble creatures, creatures of the mountain mist who wish only to preserve life. When the early elves found themselves wandering without a home in the Mountains, these dragons took pity on their frail bodies, knowing that they would never be able to sustain life on such a mountain. The fiercest, strongest elf of the bunch was chosen to be the bearer of their blood to her people, and she has come to be known as Mother Daina through the subsequent 11 generations of her kin. The dragons do not show themselves often, but there is an undeniable tie between the two intermingled races. One would know if the other had dissappeared altogether. Both races are immortal, but the elves tend to live relatively short lives, due to the continued fragility of their bodies.

Red Dragon
Noble to the eye, but posessed with a fierce blood-lust, these smaller dragons have been the bane of the holt from the beginning. They cannot hide as easily, due to their shimmering, ruby-red scales, but they are quick and rarely miss their mark. Many an elf has lost their life to these evil creatures, to this magic gone bad. But they all know that without evil there would be no good, and without the Red Dragons, the Black would have no existance. The two races of Dragon do not war, for the Black are too noble to kill a smaller breed of their own blood, and the Red are too afraid to take on a larger breed, but they are not friendly at all.

Dragon blood
All elves in Peacock Mountain Holt have, to some extent, the blood of the Black Dragon in their veins. This is the blood that saved them, that allowed them to adapt to their harsh surroundings, to avoid humans, and to aviod being wiped out altogether by the Red Dragons. This is noble blood, given as a gift to Mother Daina, the first Chieftess of the holt, before it had a name, before it had boundaries, before the humans were afraid, by the good Black Dragons on the mountain. The dragons are rarely seen now, But thier blood runs through the holt. The Chief family, those descended directly from Mother Daina, have the strongest Dragon blood, however. Their blood is often darker, and makes them quick with both a weapon and a judgement. It is the Blood that chiefs and chieftesses are made of, but it can be dangerous. It holds magic the elves do not completely understand, and might never. Some have it thicker than others, even in the Daina's Line. Oftentimes the bearer of especially strong dragon blood would have small horns. Now, however, it manifests itself through eye color. Many with strong Dragon Magic have red or yellow eyes. In the tribe now, Silvan's red eyes show him to be the bearer of the Blood, and Sheng Highsun's have a yellow ring around their black inside. Oddly enough, it is Fireshadow who is thought to have the thickest Dragon Blood in him since Mother Daina herself.
Line of the Dragon Blood:
Daina(f)
Ivory Tooth(m)
One Horn(f)
Redwind(m)
Naga(m)
Quickturn(f)
Sunspot(m)
Tyger(f)
Scale Seeker(m)
Blacktree(m)
Raindance(f)
Snowfall(f)

Coming of Age
A short, but massively important ceremony each elf must go through when he or she is mature enough. There is no set age, it is different for each individual. During this ceremony, the elf coming of age presents his Soul-Symbol to the Chief for (purely ceremonial) approval, as a gesture of obedience to the tribe, and his or her Life Path, be it one that has been known since their birth, or a complete surprise, is announced to the tribe. Ther is no arguement with the choice of Life Path or the apprenticeship that often comes with it, because the Life Path is in accordance with each elf's spirit. Only those in the tribe who have Come of Age are allowed to attend the ceremony, as a formality, and probably to increase their anticipation. After this ceremony, it is understood that the elf who has undergone is officially a contributing member of the tribe and has attained full adult status in all things. Mant times, the name of the elf Coming of Age will be changed during the ceremony, to better signify his or her Life Path or personality. The ceremony is probably derived from a similar one in Black Dragon culture.

Soul-Symbol
Based on each individual's soul name, there is a symbol that will appear to them before their Coming of Age. They go to the symbolmaker, who will inscribe their symbol on a stone amulet, which they will present to the Chief at the ceremony. The Chief puts it around their neck at the end of the ceremony, signifiying their role in adult society. This symbol is often exchanged with a Lifemate, if they decide to stay Lifemates after answering recognition's call, and is worn by the lifemate even after the death of their mate, or their own death.

Life Path
It sounds fatalistic, perhaps, but it is hardly so. Each elf has a purpose, an intended path to follow. It is not that they don't have a choice, simply that the choice they make manifests itself in spiritually and translates into a Life Path. For example, Fireshadow (then known as Snowshadow) was thought to had the chief's Life Path before him, and was often called Sheng before it was declared. He knew, however, that this was not so before the ceremony even began, and passed it on to Highsun. Other times, the elf going through the ceremony has no idea what his or her Life Path is to be and waits in great anticipation to find out. When they discover what they are to become, it is obvious their spirit has guided them to it, because it is always perfect. Highsun had no idea he would ever recieve the Chief's Tattoo, but once he was told he would, he knew it was his true Path.

Farsight
Some in the tribe are gifted with the ability to see the future, or to see something going on far away. It is unexplainable to the elves, and it occurs in only the most powerful of magic users. Sleepflower is the one who most often has the Farsight, and trains herself day and night so that it comes only when she asks it to. power is not so easy to control, however, and it can be dangerous.

Chief's Tattoo and Sheng's Tattoo)
A symbol of Chief status, each Sheng recieves a sharp edged, hollow band design around each arm at their Coming of Age, called a Sheng's tattoo. When they take over the Chief's duties, their tattoo is filled in and completed, a Chief's tattoo. This tradition began with Naga, a male chief, who had a twin brother that was often confused for him. His brother had the idea to tattoo a design on him, and the tradition began.

Spring Fest
a celebration of earth power that begins with the sunsink on the day before spring breaks. They keep this celebration partly to remember their connection to the Black Dragons, whose blood in their veins ties them to the earth, and partly because that same blood will never let them forget. it is a time of new magic and new life, when the earth is being reborn, and the tribe has watched the cold winter turn to budding green. The elves too feel the power of the earth in its newfound fertility, thanks to their blood, and are called to celebrate. The day before the great fires are lit, there is much excitement and pounding blood. when the sun sinks, the fires are lit, and often the lasses of the tribe, representative of the fertlility of tribe and land will dance. and then there are joinings, symbolic of the tribe's tie to the land and/or the black dragons who tied them to it, between whichever and however many elves as feel drawn to join together in love. Some stick to longtime lifemates and lovemates,but many accept a third into their usual group, or simply take a lover for the night. it is as the fire calls to them, and many know not who they lay with until the next morning. Many choose to bring back boughs of flowers from the woods or the mountain to decorate the mother oak in the center. This is the most common time for children to be concieved out of recognition, if such a thing can be called common. These cubs are often strong in dragon Blood, even though it has happened only a few times in the line of the Blood.

Shades Eve
A celebration of all that is elvin and spiritual to the tribe. This is generally in late autumn, and is said to mark the full passing of the four seasons, and the beginning of a new turn. With the death of the season, in the dying season-as some call it, elfin connection to their own is at its pinnacle. Sendings can communicate ultimate joy or incredible pain without any attempt to do so, soul sisters are found, soul brothers realized, and more recognitions have come on this day than any other. often , those with strong magic will recieve a moment of the Farsight, even if they have never had it before, and many times old loves or family will return in dreams or the Farsight at night. Hence the name, Shades Eve.

Star-period
A period of seven days. In Peacock Mountain Holt, the days are Measured from midsun to midsun, as they usually go to sleep a few hours before sunup and wake around midsun.