Highsun sat back and let the yellow light beat down on his face. This was what life was all about, sitting with a bowl of Thistletricker's best and laughing the day away. All he needed to complete it was a night of lovemaking and his own personal beginning of spring festivities would be complete. From the way Brighteyes was winking at him, he could see that she had the same thought. Wonderful, that lass. Just wonderful.

"So you see," Marlin prattled on, jolly and red-faced with drink and too much sun, "It was the trolls who gave us the secret of metal-working-"

"Trolls! What cubs' tales are these?" Neubach wanted to know, pink in the face himself. He was not a susceptible as the fair Marlin to sunburn, but just a susceptible to Thistletricker's barley stout.

"It's true," Goldvoice told them, with the authority of both a tribal elder and holt tale-keeper, "there were trolls when the elves first came to this world. They lived under the mountain. They broke ties with the black dragons and were destroyed by the red, in the time of Sunspot. All weapon-makers know the tale well, do they not, beloved?"

Moonpool, with his characteristic half-grin, nodded, and Highsun saw him squeeze her hand. "We have always acknowledged the source of our art."

In the meantime, Marlin had moved on to a new topic, "This is the last of the hot sun for the day, soon it will be time to start the fires."

Highsun nodded enthusiastically. The fires were his favorite part. If truth were to be told, they were everybody's favorite part. Whether they stuck to a long-time lifemate, or found a new love only for the night, everyone of age was welcome to participate in the fire ritual. It was tradition! "That's what I was thinking!" He laughed, knowing his own reputation, and quite happy with it.

"None here would doubt that that's what you've been thinking all day, cub!" Marlin added his golden laugh to that of Highsun.

"My guess is that's what all the young people have been thinking all day," Goldvoice smiled at her daughter. "I remember the feeling, when it was all new. The energy from the earth. It's times like this, when the earth is being reborn, that we all feel it. Only, as I grow older, I feel it less urgently, more as a subtle longing..."

Neubach nodded, "Truly tale-keeper, it does not fade, only becomes different."

Highsun didn't mind how it came to him, he loved the energy at spring fest. Knotwood had once told him that their ties to the dragons, creatures of the earth, made them feel the tides of the land as they do. And that's what it felt like. A rushing tide, like in the great water, not exhilarating for its danger, but for some other reason.

Brighteyes winked at him again, and he remembered the reason.

As many times as he and Brighteyes had rolled in the furs together, it was never so much fun as at spring fest. The earth really did call to him, and to her. Last spring, Rivershine had joined them, and he had no doubt Thistletricker would come also, this time. What a merry party they would all be! If only Jade would join them, they could all enjoy it together, all those he loved!

Goldvoice watched her lifemate out of the corner of her eye. He smiled slightly, as he usually did, and always seemed to be listening attentively to whoever was speaking. Sometimes she wondered if he truly was, or if his mind was wandering the way it did in the forge. So many turns together, as friends, and then as lifemates, and she thought she might never know what he was thinking. But that was part of Moonpool. And she loved him more than life itself, without question, without even a thought. She always had.

Spring fest allowed her a relief that no other holiday could. Tonight, she knew she would not be called on to give a story. She loved her place as tale-keeper, and had never wanted anything but to take her mother’s place as such, but tonight… her head was already beginning to swim.

And it was because of him. She was in no hurry; indeed, the waiting made it that much sweeter, but her heart leapt into her throat at the thought of the fire. When the fires were lit, she could be Goldvoice. Not tale-keeper, not gardener, not anything but Goldvoice. And he would be Moonpool. It had been so since the first fire of their joining. Oh, others often joined in, but it was all a part of the pattern of life, death, birth, and rebirth. But one thing was constant in her being.

Him. And tonight, she could revel in it, with no other care, no other thought. Just…

Him.

He looked at her suddenly, his bright blue eyes that he’d passed to their daughter smiling and speaking at the same time. He knew what she was thinking. And his eyes answered her… or was he sending? Sometimes, she wasn’t sure.

Yes, love. And tonight, it begins again. The way it always has

At that moment, Marlin, who had gone back to his rant on trolls, called on Moonpool to give his story credence, and those eyes turned to look at the Symbol maker.

Those eyes. He had been named for his eyes, no doubt. They could only be equated to pools of moonlight, when the red moon was in its dark phase, glowing and otherworldly in their blueness. Goldvoice looked up at the sky, where the colors of sunsink were beginning to show. She breathed deep, breathed in the greenness of the holt, breathed in the great oak and the sweet whiteflower and closed her eyes.

She felt like a cub again. She felt like the mother. And it felt good.

***

Rivershine pulled herself away from the conversation over trolls and the spring fire. She had been thinking of who she would take to the fires this year, and she thought she'd like to have them all. But to her, spring fest had meant a connection with one. She was not one to think of deep meanings and love and all that nonsense, she lived fast and furious. But spring fest was different. A celebration of the holt's connection with the land, of their connection with the black dragon. Highsun and Brighteyes were fun in the furs, but she didn't know about it for tonight. Last spring had been fun, but it was less symbolic for her with three in the group. One tribe, one land was the way she had thought of it before.

Ah well, the hunt had been good today, and she could feel the energy rising in her already, about to come to the surface and make her mad with its power. It was a good feeling. And things would sort themselves out soon enough. Anyway, once the fire began burning and the dancing started, she would be led in the right direction. She always had been before.

Lotus watched Cloud listening to his Grandsire tell of the great earth spirit and smiled to herself. Spring fest always began with such a beautiful day. She could not remember a time when the day had not been sunny and the night not warm and soft. She had participated in the festivities every year, and in the fires as well since she had come of age. This day embodied every thing she stood for. Giving, the generosity of the earth, loving, and freedom of spirit and connection to home all at once.

Cloud was a child of the spring fires. Swiftfox had loved the fires and had taken her away from the large ones to build their own, the first spring of their joining. And she had found her love for Jay during the spring fires, a few springs after Swiftfox had been lost to her. She felt her connection to the land and her people at a peak on this night. She knew it was a night when the power within this earth they were bound to was at a peak, and that was why. With all things in bloom and at their fullest fertility, how could it not be. And empathy made the power of the tribe more obvious to her than to most. This was also the greatest season for elfin fertility in the holt, and somehow, that manifested itself in an incredible excitability. It was most obvious in the younger members of the holt. Even Sleepflower, her younger sister, who kept mostly to herself, was excited and went about singing today. She could feel the energy from everyone, all at once...

"Lost in thought, my lovely flower?" A soft voice behind her asked.

"Jay, beloved, come and sit with me. Look at Cloud. He smiles like Knotwood." She answered, without having to look to see who it was. Her empathy told her, if his voice alone was not enough.

"He does. He takes after his Grandsire in more than that, though. He listens with undivided attention because it fascinates him as much as it does Knotwood. Everyone can tell, he has great magic in him," Jay sat beside her and took her tiny hand in his rough one. Rough with climbing rocks and shooting arrows and hand-to-hand sport.

She smiled into his silver eyes, "You feel almost magic today, love." And he did. There was something about him... usually he seemed restless, but, oddly enough, today he seemed content. Today, the day when the rest of the holt was jumping out of their skins to get to the fires...

"I can't explain it. I feel... good."

But Lotus knew, as only she could, that it was more. There was something in him today... and in her. Perhaps they would see tonight, when all the tribe's energies would culminate. Perhaps.

Jay let go of her hand, and lay down on the sweet-smelling grass, his head in her lap, seeming more content that she could remember ever seeing him. She played with his hair and continued to watch her sky-child with her father. It truly was a magical day.

Fireshadow, on the other hand, had never been more restless. Lately, he had felt as if he was on the verge of something, something big. He had no clue as to what it would be, but he could feel it, stirring up his Dragon blood, torturing him by making it even more impatient. And now, Spring fest. His veins could barely stand the fire in him. He had been practicing or at the hunt all day, hoping that more exertion than usual would make him tired by the time the fires were lit. But he knew it wouldn't happen as he wanted. And his blood would call for him to go to the fires and be swept up in the moment. But he would not. He would not be ruled by the Dragon, but by his own mind. That was what he told himself, anyway. But much of it was that he felt uncertain with the lasses. There were plenty who would have him, fires or no, but he did not feel any connection with them. Indeed, he had never given in to the fires, not even the first one after his coming of age. He did not understand females as being much different, except in their lovely form, and he certainly would have no use of one in that capacity if not for the fires. He was simply too busy for that. He related to everyone on the same level. Male or female mattered little to him. So he didn't know what to do. He had confided this to Highsun once, and his brother had suggested he try a lad on for size. This appealed to Fireshadow little. At least lasses were pleasant to look at. Lads were just... well, just like him. Highsun had been puzzled by this, since he found both interesting as the mood struck him, and suggested that the right lass simply hadn't come along.

Fireshadow cared little if she ever did, and it seemed unlikely that she would if she hadn't. So what was this nagging feeling that he should go to the fires? Perhaps he should push it away as he always had, in favor of spending time in the forest, alone, fasting and practicing until the sun came back up. No, he would go to the fires for the dancing. The lasses moved with such grace, grace that seemed to come to them naturally from the earth, grace he worked day and night for, he couldn't miss it. It was as if for one night they were transformed into flowers of unsurpassed beauty, or part of the fire that danced with them…

But what was this nonsense he was thinking! He sounded like that fool Knotwood. Thank Mother Daina there were no empaths around to catch his mooning over the Fires. What would they think?

With almost grim resolve, the dark elf with the Dragon blood turned to the circle, where his father was discussing last year's fire and how he hoped they could make this one bigger. He would have to endure. He knew there was power in holding back such blood tides as well. Perhaps he would need this power someday. The thought disturbed him. He had little interest in power, only in discipline and in serving the tribe as he could. But it seemed to him that these thoughts arose for a reason, and he should go with his gut.

No matter how his blood pounded.

The sky was glowing orange and pink over the mountain. This was Sleepflower's favorite time of the day. She preferred night, and the stars, and what light the moon could give, but the colors in the sky at sunsink always made her want to cry for love of beauty. She loved spring fest. Even though she knew she was not meant for the fires, she loved seeing all her tribe-mates so happy and free. She would someday take part, she knew with the sureness of one who had Farsight, but not yet. She was content now to feel the magic of the earth all around her and feel giddy as little Plumtree, who ran about singing songs of fire and earth.

In the center of the holt, she could hear the wood being thrown into the huge pile that the Chieftess would soon set ablaze. She silently thanked the tree for giving them its inner light, and thought how noble a death it was for it, in thanks for life itself. From the tree she sat in, she could see her sister sitting on the grass, her lovemate's head in her lap, stroking his hair. She could see all around them a white light. Jay's light was rarely white, he was usually restless, but blue. She smiled. It was the day.

She heard the golden laughter of Marlin and Highsun as well. Without really noticing, she laughed too. How could she not, when the two of them were laughing? Highsun, her dear friend, would be jumping out of his skin by now. The Dragon blood in him, evident in the yellow ring in his silver eyes, would not let him rest 'til he had exhausted himself completely. She wondered that Fireshadow never took part, for she could see that he had more Dragon Blood in him than his brother, or his mother, for that matter.

But soon, her thoughts turned away from her tribemates and moved inward. She rested her back against the rough bark of the tree, feeling it scrape a little through her light shirt. But she felt it only shortly. For soon she was in a trance, a trance of the Farsight, which brought her to the Black Dragons. They held their own ceremonies tonight. And she watched with silent awe. And they allowed her, for they knew her.

Thistletricker, like Highsun, was never happier than at spring fest. This was his day! He'd run around singing all afternoon, "oh today is the day when the barrels come out… dreamberry wine and thick barley stout…!" as the preparations for the fire were being made. Barrel after barrel, he'd built up his stock for this night. And his new brew, a hot, sweet rice brew, had gone over brilliantly.

His heart felt close to bursting as he threw back bowl after bowl of wine and stout. Everyone moved through a thick liquid, it seemed, including him. He had trouble concentrating on much but he felt Marlin give him a slap on the back and tell him he'd done well to brew wine from rice. Good, they liked his concoction… the very thought made him warmer inside… or was that the bowl of wine he was sipping? He began to laugh, knowing he looked a fool and not caring. The foolishness of it made him laugh even harder until he was reduced to giggling and rolling around on the soft grass.

Suddenly he was being pulled up and supported himself by leaning on a strong shoulder. He looked over, into deep red eyes. "Silvan! You've come… to rescue me!"

The soft-spoken healer smiled at him and shook his head, "you seemed to need a rescue. You would not leave off knocking your head off that log-"

"Pffffft!" The Plant Shaper blew all the air out of his lungs in dismissal of this ridiculous idea. Him? Needing a rescue? Ha! "I saw no log! And my head feels fine, thank you, gentle healer."

Silvan laughed softly, as he usually did, and made his way to the nearest group of semi-sober people, Thistletricker in tow.

Thistletricker grinned like he was mad and let his head roll from side to side a bit. It felt rather neat, really.

He had officially met his beginning of spring goal.

Redleaf looked with dismay at the pile of wood. This would be the first spring fire she could participate in, and she did feel the call of the earth, but somehow she knew she couldn't. it was stupid, of course. Anyone might have her. It was night where lovers mattered not, and anyone could be with anyone. But the one she wanted was uninitiated.

She sighed and leaned back, resting her hands on the soft grass, and leaning back on them. Coming-of-Age wasn't all it was cracked up to be. She felt torn in half. Part of her wanted to go to him anyway. He wasn't too much younger. He'd be starting to feel the tides pulling at him by now, and he'd Come of Age this summer. It was not forbidden to her. But she would have to seek him out, he would not be at the fires when the dancing was done. He would most likely take little Plumtree away and put her to bed, then sit there… by himself. So she would have to go to him and bring him.

And she couldn't. He was younger. He might want to wait 'til next spring. He might tell her no. he might say that they shouldn't. Perhaps he thought of her as one of the lads, as she had been to him for so long. Perhaps he thought Brighteyes more beautiful and would want her when he came of age. She'd have him, too. And what would she do then?

She looked at Fireshadow. He was beautiful, and as strange as their joining would be normally, in the light of the spring fires it would be perfectly normal. But he never took part. And she could not, in good faith, have Highsun, since Jade was so possessive of him. It was hard enough on her that Brighteyes took her pleasure with him as she liked, it would kill her if her own sister did. Jade did not care for the magic of the fires, she was too possessive for that. Thistletricker would prove wonderful, no doubt, she had heard Brighteyes speak of their tumbles together. But that wasn't really what she wanted…

Ah well, it wouldn't matter anyway. She should stop thinking of it and relax. When the fires began, she would know the way, even if it was to watch the fire alone all night.

Those who had long since Come of Age seemed completely at ease. They already touched and laughed like they were all lovers. And here she was, young and alone. She would go speak with Brighteyes. Her cousin always knew what to say to her in times like this. If only her mother was still here…

Silvan watched the young people flirt and make eyes at one another as he tried to stop laughing about Thistletricker's drunken antics. He himself was young enough to join them, only considered an elder by default since the departure of so many of the elders. But he knew it wasn't his place. If he was meant to, he would know by the fires. That was for certain.

He thought back to last year. At the time, he had not known who it was he was with at the fires, only that she held the face of the great earth, and the great Black dragon was there too. He had wakened the next sun's zenith to find himself between Goldvoice and Moonpool. Truly, it was a night of magic.

Despite the bewitching magic of the fire and the fest, he had to fight even harder this night than any other to keep Bamboo out of his thoughts. Now, with the mountain outlined in the glow of the sunsink, he could not help but look up at it. He loved it, as she had, but he hated it for taking her. He stared at it and wondered why. It was not the mountain's fault. It was pure accident that the rock had broken and thrown her to the ravine on the other side. He, who carried the ancient blood, who had the red eyes to show his noble birth, should know better than to blame something in nature, and to imagine that it had not been for a reason. But he felt the loss still, though it had been many springs ago, when Plumtree was just a tiny cub.

Dear, tiny Plumtree. He saw her go to Redleaf and start climbing on the older girl, chattering about the wood being thrown on the fire and the dance that was coming up and Even she could feel the excitement of the day. Staring at his pretty little lass, he suddenly had a flash of the Farsight. The world went black and misty except for…a cub… to be born in less than two turns of the seasons. He saw the cub in his arms, soft, golden hair and those eyes that only the newborn have, like warm steel. A child of the fires… a child not of recognition, but of this earth… a child with magic like to the dragons…

He felt himself swoon with the magic coursing through his Dragon blood, as he would after a great healing, and the world was green and glowing in the sunsink again. He felt as if a great tide had washed through him and left him empty for a moment, but quickly recovered. He was used to such happenings, but more often on Shades eve than spring fest. Pale and a bit weak, he made himself stand fast. He wondered if Sleepflower had seen it too…

Snowfall held her hands up in silent invocation, feeling the energy run through her. It started in the earth at her feet, then rushed up through her like an uncontrollable tide. This was her part to play as Chieftess, and she relished it. The Dragon blood in her agreed with spring fest now that she had grown older, and she preferred it ten tens times over Shades eve. These things she understood. Earth and dragon and life. The fire had begun to blaze, only a small shadow of what it would soon be, and she breathed in the smell of the burning oak. This was good. This was life.

Her mind drifted as she spoke the ceremonial words. She had done it enough that she could give herself in to the spirit. Yes, this is how it had been from the beginning, fire and earth, creation and new life… this was it… this was life… this was good… this was life…the fire blazed now and the heat from it touched her face. It was like a blessing from the Black Dragons themselves, good and pure. Yes, Mother Daina, work through me, your daughter. Let their blood rush with the blood of the earth you bound us to. Let us feel what it was like that first time…

The lasses were gone, now, preparing themselves for the dance. Snowfall remembered when she had been a part of that dance, it felt like so long ago. As Chieftess, it was her place to sit near the great oak with her consort and lifemate, and watch. She could feel the thumping of her blood now, everywhere in her. And it was wonderful. Her lifemate… her lifemate… where was he…

She could feel herself becoming drunk with the earth. She stepped down. Her duty was done. She let herself be led to the customary seat and watched the fire dance. Here she would stay. Here she would watch. Until Marlin came to her. He was the dragon to her. And always would be.

Plumtree danced about the fresh fire, excitedly. Round and round and round. Like a seed pod, she thought. Like a seed pod floating to the ground. Round and round and…

"Father, when will they come?!" she demanded, landing in Silvan’s arms after a particularly violent spin.

"Soon, little one," the healer smiled at his daughter.

She smiled back, and threw her arms around his neck "I was just a cub at the last fire, I don’t remember it! This one I’ll remember forever!"

And she meant it. All she remembered from last time was being taken back to her den by Cloud and Redleaf. But now Redleaf was grown and would be dancing with the other lasses… "Father, when can I dance?"

"You can dance all you like," his smile never faded, and she assumed she had his complete attention. Since she usually did, it was not an odd assumption.

Good. She had some questions that needed answering. "No, when can I dance with Redleaf and Brighteyes and Rivershine?"

"Perhaps tomorrow."

"No! At the Spring fires!" she insisted. She would not be deterred. She would have an answer.

"When you’ve Come of Age."

That’s what he always told her. "but… why?"

Now he was watching the fire, "because, little one, you aren’t old enough for the joining."

"The joining? Is that what Brighteyes and Highsun and-"

"Yes, love, that’s what they’re talking about." He refocused on her, now.

Good. "but how old must I be to-?"

Her father squeezed her in a hug she thought she’d never escape from. "Oh, Plumtree, you will know when it’s time. That is why they dance. Its… magic. And they can feel it. When you feel it, you will know to dance. And you will understand the joining."

She thought about this, trying to see if he was just saying things to put her off. But he never did that, that was mostly Redleaf and Cloud and the others who did. But still… "so Cloud is not old enough for the joining, either?"

"No, love, his isn’t. But he will be next year."

"But why-?"

He hugged her again, and she couldn’t finish her question. "Shhhh, little one. They will be here soon. Go and find Cloud, he will keep you tonight."

Hmmm… well, maybe Cloud would be able to answer a few questions…

Brighteyes deftly wove whiteflower through Redleaf's hair. Jade should be doing this, she thought, sensing Redleaf's mingled anticipation and fear of what was to come. She remembered her first fire when she'd come of age, and she was glad she could be here for her little cousin on hers, but she felt a sort of empathic pity for the lass. "you don't mind that I'm doing your hair instead of Jade, cousin?"

"No, of course not. She's busy preparing herself, she shouldn't be bothered with me. I feel bad enough that you have to take the time for this."

Brighteyes smiled, for once glad of her inherited tendency toward empathy. She knew that wasn't what was bothering the girl at all, although she wasn’t sure exactly what was. "Don’t worry, cousin. You'll feel it. All will be well." And she stepped back to take a look at Redleaf's flame colored hair, now softly twisted and twined with small whiteflower. "Let me look at you."

Redleaf stood up to face her older cousin, obviously a bit awkward with all the attention being put into her appearance. She was radiant, though, her angelic face shining and flushed with pink, her red hair shining with it's little white snow flowers.

"You look lovely. Go and see if your sister needs you, now."

Redleaf nodded, smiled sweetly, and turned to search for Jade.

Jade. Brighteyes looked at the ground. Oh cousin, there is something in you I don't like. That you should be near Redleaf makes me afraid… But the thought scared her. Was she being empathic again? Was she sensing something she hadn't sensed before? She immediately broke off the thought. What if someone knew she was empathic…? Would she be feared like her father and Sleepflower? Was it even real empathy? Was she only overreacting…?

She shook her head. These were not things to me pondering tonight. Those things were for Shades eve. This night was for light and dance and love. Her three favorite things, interestingly enough.

"Something amiss, daughter?" Goldvoice came from behind her.

"No, nothing. I was just… watching Redleaf and Jade," She shifted her gaze to where the sisters stood, Jade primping Redleaf talking, not so far away.

"Jade fancies herself a peacock," Goldvoice laughed, carefree and full of life energy, golden hair braided with ivy of deepest green. Brighteyes could feel the earth in her mother at that moment, feel the rising of the tide of life. And she forgot about her cousins. Goldvoice put a crown of oak on her head and they helped each other prepare for the dance.

Brighteyes thought no more. Now was the time for light.

Neubach was taken back, as he was every year, when the maidens came out. Their hair was braided with ivy and crowned with oak and he started to think there was something to old Knotwood's tales of tree spirits. After all… here they were. Granted, he wasn't thinking with his normal clarity, but this was an evening for fancy, wasn't it? He watched them twirl around the flames till they seemed to become a part of them… especially her… the one.

He watched her as long as he could, attempting to separate one lithe form from another, and those from the flames. For as the flames leapt, so did the lasses, till none could tell them apart if he tried. He watched her though, and when he could no longer watch her, he still felt her there. He had seen her before, although she had worn many faces. And he would welcome her as he had before, and she him. It had been so as long as they had lived in this wood, with this mountain, because of them.

The dragons. They were here too. Black and shadowy, away from the flame. They stood watching, waiting for their part… didn't they…?

He caught her in her arms, all blue eyes and shining hair and oak crown. And the old play was revived.

Cloud stared. He could not help it. This was her first time dancing, and he couldn’t help but stare at her. He hadn't seen this in her before. Well… he'd always been in love with her, but she'd always seemed so… well, like she wanted to be one of the lads. He couldn’t help but love her, so strong and free and capable and… well, beautiful. But this… this was different. She had taken on the very form of the flame.

For Cloud, who was only beginning to feel the pull of earth magic, she stood alone. Singular, brilliant, shining. He wanted to reach out to her, to feel that flame that danced in her figure. She was a creature of wonder. Surreal and…

His head began to swim as he felt the rising of magic in his stomach. It was getting to be an all-too-familiar feeling, but this was different. This wasn’t his magic… this was everyone's. Realization dawned on him as he began to notice couples leaving the fire, entranced in one another's eyes. This was the joining. This was older than his tribe, as old as this planet they had been on for so long. This was life… this was…

He shook it out of his head and took Plumtree by the hand. Laughing, she came with him, far from the fire. She was so young… she didn't know. He looked down into her lovely smiling eyes.

Maybe she did know…

"Cloud, you are too young to join them?" she asked, innocent and smiling. So different from Her, yet the same, in a way.

"Yes, little one. It's not my place. I'm not of age yet." He told her as they reached Silvan's cave.

She sat down and continued smiling at him. "You and I are the only ones who aren't out there. We are both too young. But what will I do when you're not here with me next spring?"

Cloud smiled, "perhaps there will be another by that time, little one."

Without thinking twice on his own prophecy, Cloud put his arm around the little lass and she curled up and fell asleep on his shoulder.

Marlin could barely keep inside his skin. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry. Every emotion he’d ever felt was trying to rush at him at once. He laughed. Yes, laughing is better than crying. Then he laughed at himself for having that thought.

Was it the wine? Ohhh, Thistletricker had outdone himself, this time! He couldn’t concentrate on anything. Normally, he was quite interested in the dance. He remembered what Knotwood had told him about the spirits in nature, and how they were like elf spirits in a way, and he thought maybe this was a night where you couldn’t tell the difference. And that was what the dance was about… wasn’t it?

The he looked beside him. He gasped, out loud. She was there. Again, he was caught between laughter and weeping. He couldn’t understand why, but that was how it felt. He felt himself swoon, and felt the oak catch him. He reached out for her. he touched her… scales… smooth, and shining in the fire. Scales… black as the sky above, yet shining like the moons together.

Had that been her…? Xue… beloved… where are you?

She looked at him… had she always had red eyes…? No… surely not.

He looked back at the scales his hand was still sweeping, gently, almost as if he were afraid of them. Then he realized… the scales were not hers. They were his. In the back of his mind something thought, well, this is certainly something new.

He looked back up and stared into those red eyes again. No, that wasn't him. That was her. He could still feel the scales though, cold and hot at the same time, like new steel looks cold, but can burn the hand. Only one sense wasn't separate from the other now. And slowly, he realized he could hear her. Was she sending?

Again and again. And finally he realized what was happening. He was not seeing or feeling or hearing anything at all. She was. And he was receiving it all, in one powerful send that overtook his entire being till all he could feel was what she could.

He was seeing himself through her.

Jade kept her consciousness about her, and would not be seduced by the earth magic. How could she be certain Highsun would not fall into the clutches of her playful cousin, Brighteyes, otherwise? She moved slowly, smoothly, but differently than the others. Their movements were like that of the fire, hers was like that of the cat. Carefully, gracefully, she twirled her willowy form around and around, holding on to herself.

All the other lasses had let go, she knew that. Even Redleaf had. But she had learned her lesson last year. She would have her way this time, and there was no question about it. She caught him in her eyes. He was half-drunk and smiling, but transfixed by what he saw. He was beautiful. His smiling grey and yellow eyes, so noble, so pure, his perfect form, his glowing hair, his ever-present smile. What beautiful cubs he would give her some day.

She moved closer, closer, as others started moving away from the fire. She focused her whole concentration on his dragon blood eyes. That’s right, she thought, willing him to see her as… well whatever it was the lads were seeing that had them so riveted, here I am… come to me… me… me… me…

She danced forward, flowing from one step to the next, flowing and stalking. The Sheng of Peacock Holt stared at her, eyes wide, in awe. That’s right… she thought again, its me you want. Me me me me me me….

He looked almost afraid now, but she had him in her spell. She touched his chest, bending smoothly to him. He put up a hand in a noncommittal gesture, and she took it, gently leading him from the fire.

Recognition cannot be forced, part of her thought smugly, but some things can.

Oh my love, another part thought, forgive me. I do it out of love.

Moonpool sighed, a sound of utter contentment. Sleep was tugging at the edges of his intoxicated mind. And the intoxication had nothing to do with the wine. He'd only had a bowl or two, and only to please Thistletricker. He needed no wine on this night, the magic was enough to make him light-headed.

The magic the magic. So much. He wondered how they survived it every spring, but somehow knew they would be in far more danger without it. To lose the connection was certain death. The earth was unforgiving if she was shunned; that much he didn't need Knotwood to tell him.

Goldvoice shifted in his arms, sound asleep, and turned to face him. This night, she would sleep like no other night of the turn. Everyone would. Except him. At least, he'd never seen anyone else awake too long after the fire died. He wondered if it was the magic-users.

He smiled then, as his mind touched another. Sleepflower. She was awake, but far off, in the woods, in the pool by the foot of the foot of the mountain. And Silvan. But he was only partly awake, he probably didn’t even realize he was. Magic took a lot out of those with thick Dragon blood, but in return the ancient blood magnified the magic. He stopped searching then, lest he should come across one who would not take to his touching of their mind, even though it had nothing to do with empathy. Fireshadow. Jade. Even Neubach, though he tried to hide his discomfort.

"Beloved…." Goldvoice whispered through her dreams.

He felt himself smiling, and held her close. This was all he needed. Right here. For everyone to be content. His lifemate in his arms, his daughter safe and secure. Nothing could go wrong when the Black Dragon came. Nothing.

By midsun, the tree he and Lotus were under could no longer shield Jay from the sunlight. He heard others begin to stir around the holt, and he opened his eyes. He blinked a few times and sat up, facing his lovemate. Over her shoulder, he saw another couple rising from the ground, helping each other out of a tangle of ivy. He was not surprised in the least to see that it was Brighteyes and Neubach. They laughed at the mess they had made out of themselves in the ivy, and helped one another pick it out of their hair. Jay smiled. He still felt content, a rare and most welcome sensation.

Other couples were just returning to the holt. Snowfall and Marlin came, hand-in-hand, from the nearby woods. Silvan and Rivershine appeared to be playing like children as they chased one another out of the trees just below the mountain, hands full of what looked like purpleberry branches. Now that was interesting. Finally, the silent healer had decided to act his age. Highsun looked completely dazed as he followed Jade out of her den, but he smiled and called out to Thistletricker as soon as he came into the holt. Thistletricker, on the other hand, had barely made it through the dance conscious, and sat up too fast to answer his friend. He quickly grabbed his head and laid back down right where he was, obviously in a bit of pain. Redleaf sat near the great oak, looking as if she'd fallen asleep without meaning to, quite confused, and watched everyone with wonder.

"Hello, beloved." Lotus half-giggled at him.

He looked down at her, grinning like she was a wee lass, but looking very like the grown one she was, sweet and pink-cheeked as ever. Actually… now that he thought about it, it was more than usual. Maybe it was the may the midsun threw yellow light onto her hair. Maybe it was the shadow of the leaves of the hazel tree on her face. Maybe it was the light in her violet eyes…

He gasped. The light… was different. There was more.

She looked at him knowingly, like a little girl with a secret she thought someone else might share. Her hand covered her stomach, and she didn’t move from her spot on the green grass. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she stopped and cocked an eyebrow. Do you know, love?

He was dumbfounded. He wanted to speak, but something in him couldn’t.

Jay still could not find the words. A daughter of the earth, not of recognition… to him. To her…

Finally, his mind broke free. Mother Daina's horns…

Lotus laughed, and he laughed with her, understanding much more about their love in that moment than he ever had before, and wondering if he'd ever understand it this well again. It was always a mystery to him.

Knotwood sat near the pool by the mountain, smiling and singing to himself. Soon Cloud would be here for his lessons, and he assumed Jay would be coming too. After all, he was about to have a lot more to tie him to the holt, he would want to talk to the older man. He picked up a birch bough he had been whittling for a staff and began to scrape it clean. And he never stopped smiling.

At least for one moment, they all felt what he felt every day. Slowly, but surely, they would realize the danger of letting their ties to the earth and their ties to the high ones fade. And his daughters would carry on after him. And he smiled. His daughters. His grandson. His grandchildren.

The smile never faded.