When Tymber was out of the barn, she led Seabring into a gallop. The wind rushing at her face was cold and it numbed her. It made the tears feel frozen against her cheeks. She lifted her head high and breathed in, the cold air freezing her lungs. Then she bent over and her shoulders shook in a sob. It was like they had told her. They had told her how her birth had been. How she was breach and how her sister has killed her mother. It was a sign; it had to be. She looked down and saw Staar looking up at her.
Sister..? he begged.
She shook her head and looked straight ahead, her vision blurred by tears. She welcomed the impaired vision. Sometimes it was better not to see.
When they got to the village, she rushed Seabring into the corral, not bothering to untack him, and she ran for the other side of the forest. She crawled on the ground and pushed herself into the opening under the tree. There she cried. Staar crawled in, his front legs inching towards her. She moved aside and he quickly crawled in, putting his head on her shoulder. Tymber wrapped her arms around him and dug her face into his shoulder and wept.

When morning came, Tymber didn't feel like going to Potter's. Her muscles ached from sleeping in an odd position, and her tears had dried and chapped her face. If Staar felt her reluctance, he didn't show it as he grabbed on to her skirts and tugged on them.
Let's go! he said.
Tymber crawled out and walked to the corral. She felt guilty for leaving Seabring tacked all night.
He doesn't mind. Staar said.
"How do you know?" Tymber asked dully.
I just know. I don't really understand it. Like when I knew his name. Staar tried to explain.
Tymber didn't reply, she just shrugged it off as wolf craziness and pulled the red rag off the fence and tied it around Staar's neck. Then she got atop Seabring's back. He was as tired as her. He pounded his hoof on the ground in frustration before he started walking.
The sun was already beginning to rise. Tymber knew she would be late.
When she got to the gates to Potter's field, she was beginning to waken and brighten up a bit. But looking at the barn gave her momentary vertigo as she rememberd lastnights event.
Daire met her at the stable entrance. "Tymber." he welcomed.
Tymber smiled and met his eyes for only a moment. She then went on untacking Seabring and giving him a rub-down in the stall.
"I talked to Martha and she'll be at a bake sale all day. She said not to worry about the beasts today, but to watch after Sera and Peewee when they get home from their friend's." He watched Tymber nod in silence. He sighed. "I --" he started. Tymber looked at him. "I gave them to a sheep who stillborned last week. She took them in gratefully. So don't worry for their sake." he spoke really quickly. "You know, the funny thing about sheep, is how they will take in a foreign lamb right away. With horses, you have to rub the foal down with the lost foal's scent and -- and -"
"Can I --" Tymber started. Herface winced a littleand she looked away again.
"Come with me." Daire took her arm and led her to a fenced off part of the field. He pointed to a sheep.
Tymber stared intently but couldn't see the lambs. Then, the sheep got up, and she noticed the two smaller forms follow behind on wobbly legs. Tymber smiled. She looked at Daire and he smiled back. As the sheep got closer, she looked at the two lambs again and her smile faded. The smaller one was white and perfect. The second born was large and stocky with fur black as night.
"Let's go." Daire said. "I brought my harp again."

Tymber and Daire sat in the last stall. Staar's head lay upon Tymber's lap as he listened intently to her voice. The song ended and he raised his head. Very good! he cheered. Howl some more.
"Tymber." Daire said. "Have you ever considered becoming a bard?"
"A bard?" Tymber asked, her face showing her confusion.
Daire looked shocked. "Don't tell me you don't know what a bard is!" He watched Tymber shake her head. "Why they sing for a living, silly! They travel around singing for audiences."
"It sounds interesting." Tymber said. "But I am not accustomed to audiences." She looked down. "I guess I -- I guess I'm shy." She blushed.
"Well, why don't we practice singing in front of people? Sera and Peewee should be here soon."
"Alright." Tymber replied. "But first let's do a song I know."
"Which one?" Daire asked.
"It's called Sunn and Staar." Tymber replied.
This is going to be good; I can tell. Staar said.
"Sunn and Staar?" Daire looked off and squinted. "Can't say I know that one."
"Let me sing it and then you can play from there." Tymber told him.
Tymber was surprised and impressed at how well Daire picked the tune up. He played it wonderfully on his harp. The song had just ended when the two little girls entered the stable. "We heard the music!" Sera said.
"It was lovely." said Peewee. "Can we sing too?"

The rest of the morning they all sang while Daire played his harp.
When it came time to go, Tymber didn't want to leave. But she had to go to class. Her stomach turned over. "Weaponry.." she whispered.
"What?" Daire asked.
"Oh, nothing, I have to go." Tymber answered. "I'll come by tonight if you'll be here."
"Sure, I'll be here." Daire answered, smiling. He watched Tymber ride into the distance on her black stallion's back.

When Tymber got to her village, she put Seabring away and took off Staar's collar.
Are you ready? Staar asked.
No." Tymber answered quietly. "But I'll go."
The swiftberry bird sounded and she knew it was time to go to weaponry. All of the boys stood in a line there and she got in line as well.
Staar lay where the other spirit bonds were, eyeing them in delight while licking his lips. Can't I eat just --
"No." Tymber said. The young man in front of her turned around and stared. Tymber remembered him from the bond search.
"I was talking to my spirit bond." she explained.
"He's the wolf, aye?" the boy asked.
"Yes." she replied.
"Mine is the fox." he smiled. "My name is Garth."
"I'm Tymber."
"I know that." he laughed. "Everyone has been talking about you."
"Everyone?" Tymber blushed. "What do they say about me?"
Garth thought a moment. "They've been saying that you are the only one ever to have a wolf bond." He paused. "I think they are frightened of what they don't know. I think they are frightened of you."
Tymber blushed. "They have no reason to be frightened of me." she said.
"I'll let them know that." Garth smiled.
Tymber returned the smile.
"What are we standing in line here for?" she asked, trying to look pass the crowd of young men.
"Old Butcher Bembry is testing us." Garth answered.
"T-testing?" Tymber inquired with a shaky voice.
"Yes." Garth said, pushing back his sandy blonde hair. "But don't worry; he won't hurt us. This is just a test to see how far along the majority of us are." He pointed. "We're getting close. Can you see?"
Tymber looked again and this time she could see Bembry the butcher. His opponent was too short for her line of vision but it looked as if he was losing. She looked away.
Tymber? Let me fight with you. Staar suggested.
Tymber shook her head. He had to stay. Besides, this wasn't really a fight, was it? It was just a test!
Her turn came closer and closer. Finally it was Garth's turn.
"Wish me luck, Tymber." he told her as he walked over to Bembry and grabbed hold of a long javelin.
"Good luck." Tymber said.
She watched the match start. Both her and Garth were lucky, being two of the last to go. They knew what to expect from observing him.
Bembry took it fairly easy on Garth. The test ended when Garth fell back and the butcher placed the tip of his javelin over Garth's throat. Garth was back on his elbows and his adam's apple bobbed as he tried to breathe. Finally Bembry let him go. Then he turned to Tymber and smiled.
"Let's go!" he said.
Tymber nodded. She went to pick up a javelin but was thrust out of the way by Bembry. She landed hard and cried out. He ran towards her and she rolled over and got up. She was supposed to use the javelin but grabbed what was nearest to her; a sword. The sword was awkward to her uneducated arms. They felt wobbly as she grasped the strength to hold it. She wondered where this sword had come from. Her people had no means of metals. It must have been a trade from someone passing through.
Bembry ran towards her again, this time with his javelin held parellel in his arms. Tymber ducked and it got her shoulder. She fell. Bembry jumped on her and tried to press the sword she was holding against her throat. He laughed under his breath as he pushed her body into the ground. Tymber couldn't breathe.
"Stop..." she pleaded.
He pushed her harder, with all his force. Tymber turned away. She saw a crowd forming. Staar pushed people's legs aside and got through.
Sister! He started to run towards Tymber.
"No..." Tymber choked. I have to do this on my own.
Staar paced like a littlun who needed to pee, but he obeyed her.
Bembry heaved up a bit to let Tymber breathe. He was teasing her! This was all just to get her riled up! As he started to push the flat of her sword towards her face, Tymber got a new idea. If she could send feelings to Staar, why not Bembry? She groped inside her mind and made a link with the butcher. She surged her feelings of helplessness, of lonliness, of the pain that he was causing her; of the discust she felt with what he does, straight into his own mind.
First his eyes widened. Then his mouth opened in a silent scream. He pushed away from her and held his head. And then there were screams. Tymber covered her ears as she watched him shake his head screaming. She awkwardly crawled backward to try and get away from him as far as she could. Then she broke the connection. He stopped screaming and looked at her, accusingly.
"Witch!" he screamed. "What did you do! What did you do?!"
Tymber shook her head, eyes wide open and mouth agape in fear. He moved towards her, eyes squinted and jaw pressed together in anger. She looked away, covering her eyes and opened her mouth to scream when she heard an odd snarl. she looked back and saw Staar with a mouth full of leg. He was growling and tugging.
Now sister? Staar asked.
Tymber quickly shook her head and watched Staar as he chased the butcher through the crowd.
Hahha! He tossed his head in delight, trotting back to Tymber.
She looked around. The entire group was staring at her.
Garth started the cheer. Everyone screamed and whooped and laughed. He walked over and extended his hand, smiling.
"You did better than I did, that's for sure." he said as he pulled her up.
"Yeah." Tymber breathed. "Yeah, I guess I did."
Garth laughed. "I guess lesson ended early today. Want to take a walk?"
"A walk would be great."
He took her arm and they walked through the crowd. Everyone turned and smiled at Tymber, clapping their hands. She blushed and looked down, letting Garth practically drag her.
When they got through, Tymber noticed that he didn't let go of her arm.
"Your spirit bond sure has spunk." he told her.
Tymber laughed. "Yes, I suppose he does."
Spunk? Spunk?! Staar shouted, offended. ... What's spunk?
A red fox trotted up to them.
"How beautiful!" Tymber exclaimed. "What is she called?"
"Her name is Juniper." Garth replied. Then he looked back at her. "How did you know Juni was a 'she'?"
Tymber thought a moment. "I don't know." she said. "I guess because she is thin boned?" she decided.
"She is, isn't she?" Garth smiled proudly.
Spunk isn't a disease, is it? Staar asked. Because if he's saying I have a disease, well then he's out of his right mind!
Tymber looked away, shaking her head in mock exasperation.
"What is your wolf's name?" Garth asked.
"His name is Staar." Tymber answered.
"Like in Sunn and Staar!" Garth exclaimed.
"Yes!" Tymber said. "Do you like that story too?"
"Like it?" Garth's eyes widened. "I love it! I love any story with a good hero in it."
Tymber laughed. "Me too."
Garth started reciting the song. Tymber held her hand down on his mouth.
"No!" she whispered. "You don't want anyone to hear you singing!"
"Am I really that bad?" he asked, grinning.
"You know the rules." she jokingly chastized.
Spunk, spunk, spunk. Staar complained. He looked over at Juni the fox. You wouldn't happen to know what spunk is, would you?
Tymber rolled her eyes at her bond.
They were getting near the corral. She'd have a chance to show off Seabring.
"We're out of hearing range." Garth said. "May I sing for you m'lady?" He bowed.
"Don't risk it!" Tymber laughed.
Garth started singing jibberish in a monotone Tymber could never even hope to accomplish. She had to wrestle her hand over his mouth.
"Stop it!" she yelled, laughing. "Quit it already."
She fell down laughing and Garth did as well.
Oh Garth, Staar mocked, would you be my love forever? Let's go have spunk together!
Tymber gasped. "Staar!" she laughed. "You brat!"
"What did he do?" Garth asked.
"Nothing!" Tymber said, exasperated by Staar's efforts at getting attention. "Nothing at all." She stuck her tongue out at the wolf.
Spunk.. Staar grumbled.

At some point on this walk, Staar had gone off somewhere on his own without telling Tymber. Juni was still following impatiently.
The bell rang and they knew it was time for the next class. Tymber hated that bell. It had a dent in it that made the sound terrible. She remembered when a passing traveler had traded it for an old buckskin.
"Next we have reading and writing." Garth said.
"So we do." Tymber said. She noticed again that he had taken her arm. She must be a convenience; being the only girl in all of the classes. She wasn't sure how to feel about that, but as they walked to the clearing beside her family tent, she remembered what had happened earlier and felt anxious. She had pushed feelings into the butcher's mind -- something she thought she could only do with Staar! It made her wonder just what was possible...

Garth had tried to stay with Tymber when lessons were over, but she pleaded headache and made way to her tent. She watched him leave but decided to wait a few mintues before she left for town, just to be safe. She sat atop her sleeping skins and pulled her feet underneath her. She closed her eyes and breathed in the wild air. Then she saw something. No -- she saw and felt it. It was there; her link with Staar. She followed the link in her mind, tracing its path and feeling the rush of nothingness as she passed through quickly. And she was Staar. Rather, she was seeing what Staar was seeing.
Sister? Staar looked around.
Tymber tried to speak, but wasn't able to. Her mouth groped for speech. S-Staar? And there it was. Not speech, but mind-speech. The same type of words that Staar sound.
Sister, you have made it! You are one with the wolf! Staar exclaimed.
She felt his excitement. It was almost as if the excitement was hers; but she also felt cold. These feelings mixing together made her feel like vomiting.
Why do you feel that way? Staar asked.
She ignored his question and broke free from the link. Something was there. Something wasn't right. She looked closely at the link once more. And saw something interesting. A second link. She touched it for only one second and was pulled in. She looked around. No -- the butcher looked around. He felt her presence. After seeing no one, he scratched his stomach and rested again. He lay in his sleeping skins beside a woman. Tymber didn't want to see who it was. But she didn't break free either. She waited. The butcher turned to look, and his eyes rested on eyes of grey. The eyes broke through the butcher's and stared right into Tymber's. Tymber pulled back and felt the link pop. She stared into the blackness of her mind, and with all of her power, pushed her will onto the link until it diminshed. She felt her mind breathe with the suspension and death of it. Her mind eased and she went back to Staar's link -- and stopped. Something else. It was light; barely there. It was odd though. She tried to break into it but it pushed her away and made her inner self buckle. It was shielded. She saw how it stayed connected to Staar. So she made her way into Staar's mind again. Staar felt her.
Sister? Where did you go before? He asked.
Not now, Tymber mindspoke.
She dug into his mind and reeled at his confused lash. Her mind flew and she dizzied. She pushed harder and stared into his own blackness. There was the tiny link, barely visible. Staar pushed against her with his shields. She pushed harder and grabbed hold of the link. She quickly tugged the link and felt herself flow through the blackness so fast that she saw lights. And she regained her stillness. She looked around. Her vision was impaired. No, she saw through eyes that were set differently than hers. The head moved. It looked around. Tymber saw the flow of black hide as the creature spinned. Seabring!
Who is there? the horse asked.
It's Tymber! Tymber said excitedly.
Tymber? A pause. The wolf thinks of you always. Seabring said.
You were linked to Staar. Tymber said. How?
I felt him. Seabring said. He has a light.
A light? Tymber asked, confused.
I suppose you would not know. You will see one day, maybe.
Tymber felt tired. I'm coming to get you. she said.
I will wait. Seabring assured her.
Tymber pulled away and was in blackness once again. She pushed herself until she opened her eyes and gasped, groping for air. She saw lights. She shook her head and fell back, placing her head on her soft skins. After a time, she felt well enough to get up. She walked outside the tent as Cerber, Neolyn's bond came in. The mountain lion kept her distance, but made a low rumbling yowl. Tymber let felt the cat's fear. She felt it as well as she could feel Staar. She let her mind flow and felt all around her. She could sense everyone's feelings. She could smell the life around her. She smiled and walked away from Cerber.
She approached the corral and Seabring trotted up to the gate.
Tymber. Seabring called. Do we leave?
Tymber felt as though she shouldn't be surprised anymore, but hearing Seabring speak made her jump. She nodded.
Good.
Where's Staar? she mind-spoke, only half-realizing it. If Seabring noticed anything, he didn't say.
He is hunting. His mind is focused on a beast that he will give to Presta. Seabring told her.
Tymber cleared her throat. "I have to leave." she spoke aloud. "I suppose Staar could be angry with me." she considered. "I did barge in without asking."
Let us go without him.
"I suppose we shall." Tymber said in dismay.
When they got to Potters's house, Tymber went out back and opened the gate. She put Seabring into a stall in the stables. She had never bothered to tack him, so she just wiped him down and walked to the barn. Daire wasn't there. Suddenly she felt a presence. She saw a rush of excitement in the blackness of her mind. Hands clasped over her eyes. She gasped and started to struggle. Daire's voice whispered in her ear. "Surprise!" he said, and he stepped in front of her. He held out a harp. "It's for you," he told her.
Tymber didn't know what to say. "M-me?" Her mouth opened and closed again.
"Yes." Daire pushed it into her hands proudly. "It was hard to get. Had to promise the shopkeeper that I'd clean up after ours for a month. But I got it!"
"Oh Daire..."Tymber looked up from the harp. "I've never been given aything before... I--I-"
"You like it?" Daire asked in obvious excitement.
"Yes!" Tymber shouted. She caught herself and whispered, "Yes."
"Good. Because tonight I thought that we could play together."
"You'll teach me?" Tymber inquired, awed.
"Of course!" Daire looked at her oddly. "You've never been taught to do anything, have you?"
"Certainly I have." Tymber replied smugly. "I was taught to sew, and cook, and --"
Daire shook his head, smiled, and took his arm in his hand. "C'mon." he said.
Tymber followed him, confused.

They sat in the field and laughed. She had messed up again. No matter how many times they played the simple tune, Tymber messed up on that one part.
"It's hard!" she complained while laughing. "Stop laughing at me!"
Daire laughed even harder and fell back into the grass. Tymber fell back too. They lay there staring at the sunset. Tymber looked over at Daire. His black hair made a beautiful contrast on the yellow of the dead grass. He looked at her and his blue eyes glowed with sunlight.
"Daire?" Tymber asked.
"Mm." he said, staring back at the sun.
"Where did Potter leave to?" she asked him.
He looked back at her and searched her face. He glanced away, sighed, and looked back. "You won't tell anyone?"
"Of course not." Tymber replied in a worried tone.
"Potter has gotten word that the King is looking for a new stablemaster. He went there, hoping to be hired."
"Why is this secret?" Tymber inquired.
"He was the only one told beforehand that the stablemaster would be fired. A friend of his that works with the King told him so that he'd be the first to speak with the King, and hopefully the one hired."
"Where does the King live?" Tymber asked.
Daire looked away and thought a moment. "In GreyKeep. About a days away." he told her.
"But you're the stablehand." Tymber accused.
"Yes." Daire replied.
"You'll be leaving when he's hired, won't you?"
Daire looked at the sun. "Yes." he said quietly.
"Oh."
They sat in silence for several minutes.
"Come with me." Daire told her.
"What?" Tymber asked, wondring if she heard him right.
"Come with me."
"To GreyKeep?" Tymber's eyes widened.
"Why not? You never act like you enjoy being where you live now. So move. Come with me." Daire persisted.
Tymber looked away and thought. Presta had told her that she had to leave. It didn't matter where she went. But she had to leave. Her decision would turn her tribe for better or for worse. How did she know what this would do to her tribe?
She looked back at Daire and saw the pleading look in his eyes. They mirrored her own sky blue eyes as she pleaded to the Gods that her decision was the right one.
"Alright." she said.
"Alright?" Daire searched her face.
"I'll go with you." she assured him.
He looked away and nodded. "Alright." he said, smiling.
Tymber pushed herself close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. As the sun went down, and the world turned black, her eyes fell and she tumbled into her own world of darkness.