Goldsand Beach~Harvest Festival

Kai smiled as her gaze drifted to the festival. "We really sure find a better way to spend these festivals." She mused to Starystar. "After all we are leaders, pillar of our little community." She giggled. She was getting tipsy, and she knew that it could be distarious if she got too drunk. She picked at the food that Straystar had brought with him.

" I wonder what stories they're going to tell around the fire this year?" She mused again. Should they go join them? Ah but they still had wine, so why move? "Should we be seen, my friend, or stay here on the beach in the dark drinking?"

'I'll eat pretty much everything they hand me right now.' She calls back to Brooksong, after swallowing such a large lump of meat that she nearly chokes on it. Bright red patches appear on her cheeks but she works it down. Ash is half way through her plate when Oakroot stops dancing and walks to the food table. **What's cooking in that head of yours?** she sends to him after seeing his face. She sets her plate aside. The food doesn't settle to well in her stomach for a moment. Ash stands up and walks onto the dancefloor. She softly taps Brooksong on her shoulder. 'Teach me a few steps?' she asks with a smile.

Oakroot opened his package with the quails. "Ah, perfect!" He looked at the table, took a bowl and started to fill it. **Nothing yet, dear Ash. But I am finding the right ingredients!** He looked around and saw his chief and the ever so lovely High One walking his way.
Now he knew he had to tell a story. But, would Tern join them too? He had to wait!

Kai laughed at the memory Straystar shared with her. It amused her greatly. "No wonder your wolf friend wants little to do with me." She grinned. She sat for a moment listening to the chief and the waves. She very much agreed that spending the rest of the festival just out of the firelight would be ideal but like she had said they were pillars of the community, leaders too. They couldn't sneak off and drink like well younglings.

"You are right." She said taking his offer of help up. She grinned. "I adored your grandam." She smiled. "But I never could look right with brown eyes." Besides she liked the color blue they were. "Who's to say this is my natural coloring?" She raised her eye brows at the other elf. "I could just be hiding more things." She laughed then. "Oh I never could say that with a straight face." She said helping him stash the rest of their stolen wine.

"Well if Oakroot is howling we should show for the story. He tells such amazing tales." She was a little wobbly on her feet but none more than from sitting so long. "Next time we bring chairs." She said. They were older after all.

Kai's silver hair caught the fight light and gleamed like the moon light on the sea. She looked around for Tern, wondering what he would think of her new coloring, but quickly shook her head. She couldn't help him being on her mind but she didnt want to think about him. They had parted on such sour words. "I believe I will have some of the Dagger tooth they brought back." She said hoping that there was still some left as she walked towards the fire.

She wanted to send out loud and strong for no one to say a thing to her about the recognition of her and Tern to leave it where it was, to let her enjoy as much of her evening as she could. But she didn't keeping her thoughts to herself she suddenly had a bad feeling that she wasn't going to care for the end of her festival much. "Staystar, you have been great company as always." She grinned.

Tern’s eyes hardened. He was an easy-going spirit, for the most part, but there were certain lines even he did not like seeing crossed. Insulting his dead father without just reason, the one elf he idolized above all, was one of those lines. Tern had changed his whole life because of Spearshaft, and he wasn’t about to let the hunt leader get away with shattering that. He had been through enough already.

What bizarre fabrication had Serpent Fang made up? Was it the reason he disliked Tern so, or was it an excuse? The younger elf did not allow it much thought before he belted out his retort.

“You may have known him longer,” he growled, “But do not ever presume you knew him better. Especially if it is about something that happened even before you were alive. You are too busy caught up in your grumblings to look past the worst.”

What was left of the pillars behind Tern erupted to new heights, despite the fact that he was oblivious to them.

“Whatever you think my father did to get in the way of your mother’s recognition-I’m sorry,” Tern spat, no real apology in his tone, “But he would never have intentionally done anything to get in the way of recognition. That is a truth that can never be denied, even if everything else I knew of him was proven false.

“Your mother died giving birth?” Tern’s volume softened, but his tone maintained it’s hardness, “That was no one’s fault but your own.”

Maybe-probably-if he had been in a better state of mind he would have avoided the blow, or at least regretted it. But, he wasn’t, so he did not regret the cruelest thing he had ever said in his entire 323 years.

With his release of frustration, Tern’s harshly rigid posture relaxed a little, and the pillars slowly died down. “I’m forcing her?” he asked bitterly, “I am not the enemy in this. Recognition is forcing us both.”

**You know nothing, Tern!** Serpent Fang's anger exploded like a tidal wave upon rocks. He did nothing to soften the blow of his sending. If it was normally painful, it was nothing compared to how it was now.

His fists clenched and he was shaking violently. Anger would be met with anger, cruelty with cruelty. **You think you knew your father, but you know nothing about him! My mother would still be alive if it weren't for him.** And I wouldn't be. Serpent Fang added the last bit to himself. Grief washed up, but with it came bitter, bitter guilt. It was all his fault that Seabird had died. Had he not been born...

Serpent Fang wouldn't allow Tern to walk away with an intact image of his father. Guilt, grief, and anger made Serpent Fang cruel. His sending was more violent than it had ever been before, meant to inflict pain, to wound.

**Why do you think you were born?! Out of Recognition? No! You may call it love, but it was desperation! Your father wanted a guppy of his own with his chosen mate, not with the mate Recognition had chosen for him! That's the truth!** Serpent Fang was breathing had as though he'd been shouting or running. He refused to allow the truth of Tern's own words affect him... even if it was true that he was the reason his mother was dead...

--

**I think she does,** Ridge lock-sent back. In fact, he knew she did. There was a level of certainty in his sending, but also doubt. He found himself explaining, even if he hadn't intended on it, **She ran away. She's afraid of the forest.**

Ridge smiled back at Stormcloud, a little wistfully, thinking of Swirling. Again, he wondered how elves of the sea could be mates with those of the shore. There was no easy way to cut it.

"It most certainly will," he said thoughtfully. No one was likely to forget this in a hurry, not even the elves caught up in the Now of the wolves.

Oh oh, trouble! Oakroot had always been sensitive to sending. He felt some one was sending in anger!
Looking around he saw both tribes were spread over the beach, most were dancing or eating, some sitting only a few feet away in the sand, two, the High One and his Chief were walking toward them again, and two at the shore-line. The sending came from them! He couln't see who they were or what happend, but judging the bodylanguage it wasn't good....

"Well, I think it is time to relax now and listen to a good howl!" He wispered to Stormcloud and Ridge. And he walked to the middle of the dancingarea. "Come my dear friends, gather and listen to how we Wolffolk also celebrate, not just with dance and song, but also with telling tales!"
"This is a good night to howl and to remember!" Oakroot took out some dreamberries. "If you want I can tell you about great hunts! Or maybe something else?" He looked at the berries and showed them to both tribes. "Strange berries these are, deadly to one, a great joy to the other!" He smiled and put some berries in his mouth and immidiatly felt their effect, he started to remember again. "Join me in my memory and eat some of the berries, if you want." He handed out the rest of the berries to who ever wanted them.

"Have I ever told you how we learn about dreamberries and why they are called that?" Oakroot asked. "It was in the time the Wolffolk was first formed, in that time we called ourselves Wolfriders. Our tribe was made up out of High Ones, Firstborn and Halflings. Life was hard and we just moved from the ice-coldland to a much greener place. Most High Ones still felt out of place, longed for the life before they came to this world. The Firstborn and Halflings tried to fit into this new world and felt more at home, it was, afterall, the only one they had known." He took a small sip from his nap and cleared his throat.

He looked around and saw most of both tribes sat down and started to listened to him. He knew now which story he wanted to tell and hoped he could teach and give insight to the troubles that played among a few of them.

"In this time there lived a woman called Moondancer, her parents were direct descendants of Timmorn, the first of the Wolfriders. She was a free spirit, enjoyed life as it came to her. Knew how wonderfull it could be. It never crossed her mind that another of her tribe wouldn't feel the same, even the opposite.
The pure-blooded mostly kept to themselves, only asked for meat to eat and fur to make clothes, so Moondancer never actually had to do anything with them, but all that would changed with a accidental meeting!"

Tern cried out, his hands shooting up to his temples and his face screwing up in pain. He stayed like this, waiting for the pain to pass. Okay, maybe getting in a serious fight with the most skilled sender of the tribe was not his best decision.
What was Serpent Fang talking about? He refused to believe whatever Serpent Fang was suggesting, refused to even acknowledge it. However, the implications still left him with an unsettling feeling, one he could not ignore no matter how hard he tried.
I was born out of recognition, he told himself. It was the only thing that made sense. Everyone said that children born outside of recognition were not special, and Tern was a magic user. Unless everyone was wrong, he had to have been born out of recognition.
He shook his head and glanced back up at Serpent Fang, willing himself to hide all he was feeling behind a mask of impassivity. "I think you have been through a lot today," he said evenly, "You should get some rest."

Kai smiled at the old wolf chief. "I could never tire of your company, friend." She said accepting the plate. She laughed. "I would guess not, since we had our share of wine." She smiled. "I do believe a good story would be wonderful, and Oakroot always tells such good stories." She smiled and took a seat towards the back of the pack, in a chair that had been brought for her. She thanked the elf that fetched it for her, and ask if they would like to sit with her. 

"Where is your young son?" She asked Straystar. She looked on Lancestrike and Brooksong like grandchildren in a way, having been there for both of their births, being the one of the eldest females, and a talented midwife. In fact she had helped bring many of the elves here into the world, and she loved each of them. 

A ripple of anger touched her mind. She knew it was Serpent Fang, there was no denying the feeling of his mind. She wanted to reach out to him and try to sooth his anger but she felt like at this distance it would be an intrusion, after all anger like that didn't come from out of no where. 

*Lancestrike?"* The High One sent. * Would you like to sit with me for Oakroot's howling?* her sending smiled at the young cub, who in return bounced over to sit in the High One's lap and help her eat her Daggertooth. 

Settling in she smiled and waiting for the rest of the story. 

"This has turned into a wonderful festival after all." She said to those around her.

Snaketwist joined many others among the quiet listeners of Oakroot's story. He was curious and wanted to learn more about the wolf-folk. He was slightly dissappointed at first to hear the story was just about dreamberries, as he had hoped for a love story for example, but soon Oakroot's talents at storytelling won him over and he listened with silent fascination. Sometimes berries were more than just berries, it seemed.

--

Skybolt's longtooth hunt had not gone as planned. She had found some day-old tracks that led her closer to the beach, but then the tracks were gone. She had climbed a tall tree to get a better view, but the branch she had put her weight on hadn't been strong enough. The result was that both elf and branch fell to the ground, with the branch on top, trapping her against the ground. Skybolt broke her arm, but worse than that, she was captured under the branch and unable to get out. Frustrated and more than a little embarrassed, she lock-sent to the one person she was willing to have see her in such a situation: **Stormcloud! I need your assistance. Come quickly! And don't tell anyone.** The sending included an image of the location.

--

Stormcloud received the sending and sighed. She would have liked to dance more, hear a story or two, get pleasantly fuzz-headed with the wine, and so on. But no. It was her bothersome mother again. She had no idea what Skybolt had gotten herself into, but as usual, it seemed the daughter was more sensible than the mother. Skybolt just didn't think before acting... Stormcloud had to admit to herself that she took after her mother in that, as the situation with the tusk-pigs had shown. **I have to go. Thank you for the dance!** She told Ridge, and hugged him quickly before heading off to the forest.

He saw in the corner of his eyes that Stormcloud left. It didn't bother him, he knew she must have a good reason to.

Oakroot continued his story.
"At a night just like this Moondancer went to the river for water, dancing in the moonlight she filled her jug. She didn't look were she was going and why would she! She was the only one there.
While swirling she fell over a rock into the water, making a big splash. She laughed, not quite the ending she had planned, but now that she was in to water, why not take a bath. She tried to take of her leathers when...
"Ahum, I am sorry, but I don't think this is very funny!" Moondancer looked around and spotted a pair of legs dripping with water, "I am sorry, I didn't know some one was here too."
She looked up to see who it was when...  She looked into a pair of ice-blue eyes, but it was more! She not just looked at him, but looked into him! In one instance she knew who he was, although they never really had met before and she didn't know his name. It was Recognition!


Baylon had been sitting at the riverside most of the day and night. He didn't care what happend, he just wanted things to be how it had always been. Travelling amongst the stars, not being trapped in this ugly form! If not for the betrayal of those pesky Apes, his Bond would have still been alive, now.... what was the point of going on when all that he cared for was gone! He missed his Bond so much he wished at times he could follow her, shed his flesh and search for her spirit...
He felt he was getting more and more depressed.
He heard some one coming, no, he didn't want any company tonight! He wanted to leave when he saw a girl dancing and turning. He had seen her before, but didn't know her name. Mesmerized by what he saw he didn't move when she fell over a rock and splashed water all over him.
She laughed, but he wasn't. "Ahum, I am sorry, but I don't think this is funny!" He said and she stopped getting undressed. When she looked up he saw a pair of bright green eyes. "No! No, I don't want this!" He knew what happend. He had seen it with his people, but he didn't want this! In his heart was only place for one!"

Cold rage followed by an equally cold calm washed over Serpent Fang. He watched as Tern's expression became one of pain and his hands flew to his temples. Serpent Fang felt savage pleasure at the sight, but he kept his expression closed.

His lip curled at Tern's comment. He had been through a lot and rest would come, but not now. Part of him hated Tern's now impassive expression. He would not return to the festival, he couldn't.

Serpent Fang turned his back on Tern. He couldn't stay here, but he also couldn't go back to the festival. In anger, he stalked up the beach, away from the celebrating elves. The un-tread sand was cold beneath his feet, the water heaving back and forth.

It was almost in a trance that he stalked away; his head beginning to clear. Regret and grief began creeping up. How could he protect his tribe if he was hurting them so? Serpent Fang didn't look back as he walked. He couldn't return to the tribes, he was hurting them more than he was helping them. He closed his eyes as he walked; he knew what he had to do: he had to distance himself from them.

I am S'vatar. I am S'vatar. I am an outcast and exile. I am Outcast. Serpent Fang thought to himself as he walked. The tribe couldn't depend on him and he, in turn, couldn't depend on them. He would simply end up hurting them.

--

**I enjoyed dancing with you,** Ridge lock-sent to Stormcloud, helet go of her hands, letting her go. He joined the other elves to listen to Oakroot's tale.

Ridge sat down near Kaimeta and Straystar. He took a couple of dreamberries, chewing them slowly. As Lancestrike bounded over to sit in the High One's lap, he was followed closely by Leaf and Twig, Ridge's younger brother and sister.

Leaf clambered onto Ridge's lap while Twig sat down beside his older brother. While listening to Oakroot tell the tale of the Recognition of Baylon and Moondancer, Ridge began braiding his younger sister's hair the way Tern had showed him how to that morning.

He saw that most were listening with great interest, some who had a loving Recognition were a bitt shocked. What a reaction! But they also saw the simularity to what happened today.
Oakroot deliberatly didn't look in the direction of Kaimeta or he would change his story to another.....

He continued.
"Moondancer was shocked! She was happy this happend to her, this meant new life. A life to care for! But she only felt rejection on his part. Why? "Why don't you accept this gift? This means new life!"
No!" Baylon replied! "I can't accept this, I don't want this! I, I don't love you! This.... We..... I just can't!" And he took off, leaving Moondancer behind.

She didn't understand. It was Recognition, what was to want? He knew they could die if they didn't acted on the call.
Never had she heard of a rejection like this. It must be her! Was she that ugly to look at? Still in shock she went to the holt. Seeking guidance she felt the urge getting stronger and stronger with every step.

Baylon didn't know what to think! How could his body, his soul betray him this way! His heart belonged to another. He would never!, never give in!

For several days he avoided Moondancer, but she was very persistend. Encouraged him to releave them of the urge, they didn't need to be lifemates or even lovemates. But he just couldn't.
"What of the child that will be born? This world is too dangerous! It would die before it's time! Why would you want a life like that for your child!" He shouted at her. It was as if he stabbed a knife in her heart, so it was about her! He hated what she was, where she came from!
In anger and sorrow she shouted at him "Aaaaaaarhh! So be afraid of me, hate me if you want! Then we both shall die!" Tears rolled down her face as she turned and ran off. She ran to the one person she trusted more then her parents, her mentor and friend Marleah.

She didn't understand, why didn't she? Baylon just stood there. He had wanted a child, but with his Bond. She was gone, he couldn't have one with this woman. He didn't hate her, but he was afraid for the life they lived. The dangers that surrounded them! Didn't she know? Life had been better and safer in the Palace. No dangers, only living and learning! How could he tell her, make her understand what he meant!?

"Marleah? Marleah? Are you in here?" She didn't have to ask, her smell was still fresh, but she had learned the High Ones prefered their privacy. "Yes Moondancer. Come in and tell me your troubles!" The beautiful woman sat on the floor, inviting her to sit next to her. "You want to know how to deal with Recognition?" How did she know? Moondancer hadn't told any one. The shame of rejection was too big. "I...I do not understand him. How can he refuse? He knows what will happen to us! It is not as if I am forcing him to tree with me? Why does he hate me this much?"
Marleah looked at the troubled woman. For her it was simple, Recognition demanded a child, so they should listen! "You know of our history? How we came to this world?" Moondancer nodded. "Before we took this form we already were an ancient race. We could not have children any more, nor did we needed to. In that time we bonded. Like Recognition, but without the urge to create new life." Marleah looked at Moondancer. "Baylon had a bond like that, the strongest I have ever seen." Hmmm, how could she explain it. "When the Palace fell to this world, his Bond was one of the first to be killed by humans. And, you must understand that their bond was a true union between minds and souls, so when she died he felt it too! It devistated him.He grieved for many cycles, looking to see how he could join her! He only gave up doing that because we moved to this place, far from our Home!"
Moondancer understood now. There would never be a place for her in his life!"

Once Serpent Fang was out of sight, Tern's shoulders slumped. The pillars behind him fell as the last of his frustration drained away and exhaustion set in.

He returned to the festival on slow feet, reluctantly taking a piece of the daggertooth because he knew that, despite his lack of appetite, he had not eaten much. Another part of him also wanted to get a taste of the victory.

He found a place in the crowd and settled in at the moment Moondancer fell in the water. A ghost of a smile tickled his lips and his heart couldn't help but flutter at the romantic essence of the tale.

But then Baylon refused Moondancer. Tern frowned. I just cannot escape this today, he thought, silently empathizing with Moondancer.

Ah! Tern had finally joined! Oakroot could only hope he would listen and not dwell on his own predicament.... and not leave before the story had ended.

"He had done it all wrong. He just wanted to make her understand why he couldn't. And now....

He didn't see Moondancer for days, he noticed he began to worry and looked for her were ever he was. Seeing her at the riverside again made his heart jump and he noticed he had missed her. There in the moonlight she looked strong and in a strange way more beautiful then he remembered. He shook his head, strange thing this Recognition. He had days to think about what he could and should say to her. **Moondancer, I want to explain myself.**
Moondancer grabbed her head "Please, no sending, I can't! Not now!" Through his sending came images, feelings more then she could bare. She already knew what to do.

He looked at her and was suprised. She had lost weight, her eyes didn't shine as bright as he remembered. She looked as if she was in pain. He too had suffered, but not this much! All that he wanted to say to her was forgotten.

Moondancer took his hand and walked into the forest. He didn't want to "Where do you take me? No, I don't want to go in! It is too dangerous for me" She stopped by strange bushes with berries. "Humans call them forever-sleep-berries. I have see them eat even one and never wake up again!" She took a handfull and before he could stop her she ate them. "If you do not accept Recognition or life itself then maybe you accept my gift to die?" Whitin moments she collapsed and fell to the ground.

What had he done? He didn't want this! He just wanted to seek a solution to deny Recognition!

Baylon paniced! "No! No! What did you do!" He looked at the girl and the berries, stupid girl! Now two were dead... Maybe, just maybe he should... without thinking he pulled off some berries and stared at them. Would it be that easy? Had the solution he sought been there all the time?
The berries had a strange flavor. Not bitter, like he expected with poisonberries, but sweet and a little bit sour. He started to feel lightheaded. He felt his legs refuse and hit his head when he fell to the ground. When he lived in the Sphere he had sought among the stars for new worlds, left his body countless times. So this was dying. It was easier then what he always thought!"

Ridge listened to the story, but was also aware of the elves around him. He saw Tern sit down out of the corner of his eye and felt a wave of relief. At least Tern was here.

**Are you alright?** Ridge lock-sent to his friend. Gentleness and sympathy were in his sending, sending that was very different than Serpent Fang's. His sending was also supportive, meant to be reassuring.

Ridge looked over his shoulder at Tern, a faint smile pulling at his lips. His eyes were wistful, but warm. He wished wholeheartedly that he could reach out to Tern and show him that everything would be okay. If only he could show Tern the affection he felt for the sea-elf. If only...!

And just as suddenly as she was starting to enjoy what was left of the evening, Kai was ready to leave again. This was not a story she wanted to hear right now. She knew better than any here what the reprucissions of refusing recognition were, and she knew the reasons for the call. 

She was almost tired of young pups and pips telling her what she needed to do even in their sneaky little ways. She did hope that the next story wouldn't be one in a similar tone. 

She saw Tern rejoin them. She wondered for a moment if she should say anything to him, but last time they had spoken she'd made a mess of things, so in the interest of a peaceful end to the festival she held her tongue. Instead of chewing on dream berries, the high one kept nursing her mug of drink, not wanting the fuzzy-ness in her head to clear till morning.

Oakroot gasped when he saw Kaimeta's expression... he didn't mean to judge what ever happend between her and Tern. He simply wanted to explain that sometimes Recognition needed time. She knew Recognition happened for a reason, but Tern needed to learn that rushing things wasn't the solution.
He looked at his nephew. Ridge also needed to know that, eventhough they all were elfes, they all lived a different life! Some more sheltered then others.

He hastitated to continue, but it was a great love-story too.....



He took a moment for himself, making it so as if he needed a small drink.

"Moondancer's heart was broken. She felt as if she had lost her unborn child. Her lovely child, that would never be born. Now she could only hope she had made the right choice. It wasn't as she expected at all. She didn't know what to expect ofcourse, but being in a void wasn't it.

**You see that? You see that little star?** Baylon pointed to a small light. **It is pulling me. I think it is were we must go now.** He took her hand and in a blink of an eye they were at the light.
But it was no star! It was the Palace! **It is our Home! We have come home!.......** Baylon let go of her hand. **Bond? Are you here? I am finally here too!** Moondancer saw several Spirits coming closer. One was taking shape. A beautiful elf stood before them. **My Bond!** Baylon felt happy for the first time in a long, long time! **I have come to join you at last!**

**Oh Bond, you are here! Who is it you brought with you? She isn't of our time, is she? Is she your new Bond?** Moondancer felt the joy of the Spirit. **I am so glad you have found a new Bond!.... But what happend that you have arrived here?** Baylon looked suprised. His bond wanted him to have another Bond? Why? Why would she want that for him? **Why so suprised? I know our bond was pure, but after the Palace crashed and I left my body, I knew of your sorrow for me. But you have to live on, live for me.** The Spirit danced before them. **Life is too precious to just live it. Go into this new world, from what I have seen it is a wonderous place! And now with this new bond, you have a new chance, oh I am so happy for you! And a lovely creature this is!** She took Moondancer by the hand and swirled her around. **Laugh my child, because it is just beginning!** She turned to Baylon, she smiled and floated to him. **Remember me, my Bond. Do not cry for me, but life for me! Life for yourself!** Now the Elf pushed them together, Baylon and Moondancer bumped into each other, felt how they merged!

With the laughter still in their head they woke up. "We....aren't dead?" Baylon asked. But they ate the forever-sleep-berries! He didn't know he should be sad or happy. He was happy he had seen his Bond. But it had confused him. His bond didn't mind him being alive. In fact she had been happy he was....
Moondancer was suprised too. She had seen humans die from eating the berries. But she didn't feel confused, she felt happy to be alive and sad because of how she felt now! She didn't look at him when she spoke. "Now you can go your way. The urge is gone, Recognition has been broken!" As she talked she started to cry. "I hope life will be good to you..." Baylon could feel she was speaking the truth and eventhough he didn't wanted Recognition to happen to him, he suddenly felt a great loss. And strangely enough a happiness! His Bond had always been with him, he never knew it, but she never really left him and she wanted him to move on, enjoy life again.

"I never knew your name, never did I ask, but I would like to know your name!" He placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head and making her look at him. **And I want to give you mine! My name is Baylon and I would like you to teach me!** He made the decision right there! **Lan, teach me! Teach me how to live!** Moondancer's eyes were wide open! **Lan? Yes.... I am Lan! But this means....** **You are my Bond now! My lifemate as you say it!**"

Oakroot looked around. "In the days following they answered to the call and Moondancer taught Baylon how he could enjoy life again and he taught her what life was before, showed her how deep their bond was going to be! The both of them learned how to use the berries, which in time they called Dreamberries, because it took them to other places, made them remember. And in their lifetime they Recognized more then you can count on two hands! Haha, a fruitful relation indeed!"

Now he waited. See what happend next and if he had told the right story to give insight to those who needed it....

Tern's breath caught when Baylon and Moondancer ate the berries. In the moment of the story, he forgot about himself and could only feel hurt for those in the tale. His heart broke for another time that day. How tragic, he thought. It was a bittersweet ache, though. How romantic that they left the world together.

Pulled out of the story, Tern visibly relaxed at the soothing sending. It was the kind of comforting cool to a burn. He turned his attention away from Oakroot to find his friend's gaze. **I have had better days,** he admitted in lock-sending, **But there is nothing much I can do.** He shrugged, smiling sadly.

Trying his best not to disrupt the story, he stood and made his way towards Ridge. "Is this seat taken?" he asked with a grin, forcing himself to at least try and forget about Kai.

Not wanting to draw attention from the story, he sat down before receiving an answer. Crossing his legs and leaning back on his hands, he smiled at Leaf. **Who's this?** he asked.

He glanced back to Oakroot and found himself letting out a breath of relief. He was glad that Moondancer and Baylon had had a happy ending after all. Maybe Kaimeta will learn something from this, he hoped.

**I'm sorry,** Ridge lock-sent back. There wasn't really anything he could say to his friend to make things better. He had no experience with Recognition. Besides, if Tern wanted to talk about it, he would. If he didn't, then he wouldn't.

Ridge smiled when Tern sat down without waiting for an answer. Leaf looked up at Tern with big blue eyes, but smiled all the same. **This is Leaf, my sister. And this,** Ridge leaned back slightly to reveal his little brother who was leaning against his side, **is Twig, my brother.** Twig looked shyly up at Tern; unlike his sister, he didn't smile.

Ridge put an arm around Twig and the cub didn't even shrug him off. Twig looked back at Oakroot, listening intensely to the elder's tale while Leaf took more interest in Tern.

Kai smiled at Starystar and Lancestrike. Part of her was looking forward to interactions like this with her child, the one that she would have with Tern. What she wondered is whst kind of future they would have with that child.

Kai listenend to the story and found it hard to not leave the festival. She wondered if he choose this to try to teach her a lesson to get her to give in to her recognized. The High One's expression was flat. The tribes needes to stop and let things take their course. She nor Tern where children and they did not need the meddling help of other elves.


Kai sighed. " A fine story." In a soft voice. She smiled gently the same sort of tolerant smile she would give a child. She would not show how much she wished he would have chosen a different tale to tell. She drained her mug and asked for a refill, which was given without issue.

Lancestrike crossed his arms in Kai lap, making a face of childish disgust. "To mushy, I think. It should have been about a great hunt or the time Chieftess Firespark..." He quietly ramble on whispering his favorite story about his granddam to the Highone so that Oakroot could not quite hear or so he thought.

Straystar choked slightly on his wine at his sons' comment as the timing was just when he was taking a drink. He coughed a little through soft laughter he could not quite suppress, his cheeks flushed bright red from lack of air. **It seems to me someone is going to give Crowspirit a tail chasing in the howl circle.** he locksent to Kai. His eyes mirthful now that he was not choking on Dreamberry wine, hoping he had not made too much of a scene from it. Listening to Lancestrike talk on, **Now if only he could get the story straight with out making up stuff** he smiled.

Lancestrike was so excited to have Kai full attention for the moment he paid no heed to his father laughter thinking it directed elsewhere.