Chapter 4

After Tymber had a nice warm bath in a big tub, she rode off on Seabring's back. When she got to the end of the road, she waved at Daire, and watched him wave back. She had forgiven him for his earlier outburst, and was really beginning to like him. There was more to him than those sky blue eyes.
I want to go hunting. Staar said. That way I can present my gift to Presta today.
"You go ahead." Tymber said. "School will start soon." Tymber reached down and pulled off Staar's red collar.
Ah, he said, a mountain breed for half a day, and a wolf for the other! Cheers sister! He ran into the distance. We are pack forever!
Tymber shook her head and smiled.
She was entering the forest now. She quietly put Seabring into the small corral, untakced him, and then walked into the village.
"Where have you been?" Neolyn stood in front of Tymber, blocking her way.
"I was riding." Tymber answered through her teeth.
"Riding!" Neolyn scoffed. "Where were you..'riding'?"
"Why does it matter? Seabring needed exersise so I rode him."
"Seabring?!" Neolyn laughed, "Oh for pity' sake, what a terrible name. Anyway, Staar is a terrible name too. Where is that mongrel anyway?" she asked, looking around.
"He isn't a mongrel!" Tymber's blue eyes flashed with anger. "He's a wolf, and you're just jealous!" Tymber looked at Neolyn's arm. It was covered with dry blood and gashes from where Staar had attacked her.
"You know what the people are saying about you?" Neolyn asked. She shoved Tymber when Tymber tried to push past her. "They're saying that there's never been anyone with a wolf spirit bond before. Nobody knows what that means. But I know it means your just a freak." Neolyn pushed past Tymber.
Tymber watched Neolyn walk away and wiped her tears. "I'm not a freak." she whispered. She heard a bell ring. She knew what that meant. She walked into the line that was in front of the Elders' main tent. She saw only boys in front of her, and when she looked behind, she, again, saw only boys. What if Presta had gotten confused, and sent her on the wrong day?! No, Presta is much too clever to make such a mistake. So, she waited in line, and finally she was at the front. She looked around and people were staring at her. Tymber was the only girl in the whole line. Her face reddened.
"Tymber." The Elder at the front said.
Tymber bent down and bowed her head. " Yes Elder." she replied.
"Here." the Elder handed Tymber a large leaf. "This displays the classes you will be taking. Take fortune, child."
Tymber took the leaf from her hands and was surprised to see the Elder wink at her. She smiled and said "Thank you, Elder."
When she had gotten away fom the lineup, Tymber looked down at the leaf. She couldn't believe her eyes! Boys classes! They had put her in boys classes! Maybe it would be a good thing if all the girls got to be in boy classes, but she would be the only girl! Tymber almost fell over.
Sister! Staar called. He ran up to her. What troubles you? I could feel it from way over there.
"You were right, brother." Tymber replied. "They put me in boy classes. Why would they do that?"
I don't know. Maybe --
"Tymber." Tymber turned around to the sound of her voice and saw Presta's granddaughter. "Tymber, Elder Presta would like to speak with you."
Tymber uneasily walked up to Presta's tent. She pulled back the flap and cleared her throat. The Elder was seated oppisite of Tymber, facing the back of the tent. This was Tymber's chance to look around. She noticed colourful things decorating the tent walls. She saw bottles and pots. Most interesting, a skull that sat on the corner of the short table that was in front of Presta. To Tymber's surprise, the Elder had turned around and was now facing her. Tymber quickly regained a straight face.
"Find my belonings interesting, child?" Presta asked her.
"Um, yes." She felt her eyes trail back to the skull on the table.
"Deer." Presta said. "Do you like deer?"
"I - I suppose I do. I mean, I like the taste of them..."
"Your spirit bond is searching for deer now?"
"Yes." Tymber said uneasily. "But -- how did you know?"
"Tymber, sit." Presta ordered.
Tymber sat down and felt herself sink into the bear fur. She welcomed the softness on her legs. Presta looked down, and then looked into Tymber's eyes. "You know," she said " you don't owe me anything. Neither you nor your spirit bond." Tymber felt her mouth slowly open and she pressed her teeth together so much that her cheeks hurt. "What you are doing is dangerous. The townspeople and our tribe do not find eachother pleasant company. But then, I suppose you don't care what people think of you." Presta spoke. "And if you do, you shall have to learn not to, as I'm sure you realise now." Tymber was confused at the Elder's words. "As you must know now, I have placed you in classes that do not match those of the other women of this tribe. I know you can read the words written on that leaf." She waited for Tymber to nod before she went on. "You are different than others." Presta sighed. "Tymber, you have a wolf as your bond. This is a spectacular thing, as it has never happened before. And I must say, that I have no reason to understand why this has happened to you, so do not ask. I just know that you are someone very special." She waited. "Tymber?"
"Elder..." Tymber whispered. Then she looked into the Elder's eyes. "I have waited my entire life to be different. I've always wanted to be special. And now that it has happened, I'm not sure why, and I'm confused. Why do I take these lessons?"
"You are the catalyst!" Presta shouted, surprising Tymber and making her jump. "You are the one who will change the life for us, for better or for worse!"
"But what does that mean?" Tymber asked quietly, frustrated.
"Nobody knows what it means! I know the best of any of us, and I don't know alot. It is written in the prophecy. Child of the wolf; that is you. You are the catalyst; you will change the lives of all of us!" Tymber looked down, confused. "When you are done your lessons you will leave."
Tymber's eyes shot up. "Leave? Where?"
"You will choose where. There is evil brewing child. Evil that will rid the worlds of our people. There are so few of us already."
"But I don't know where to go, let alone fight --"
"You will learn!" Presta's eyes flashed yellow momentarily. She stammered and fell back.
"Elder!" Tymber rushed to her side.
Presta tried to sit up but couldn't. She looked into Tymber's eyes. "You see child? I felt your power. It brought power back to me; something I have not felt for a long time. Did you see it? Did you feel?" Tymber shook her head. "There are certain things your class will not teach you." Presta told her, her voice weakening. "You will come see me when I call for you. And only when I call." Tymber nodded. "You must go now." She watched Tymber walk past the table and push open the flap. "And Tymber.." Presta called. Tymber looked back. "I give you permission to leave the village." Tymber smiled. "You are special.

"Remember that. You are special."

Tymber heard the shriek of the swiftberry bird, signalling it was noon. She looked through the trees, trying to spot it. Her eyes focused on the blue bird that was positioned on the branch of a pine. She heard the unmistakable shriek that escaped it's throat. They were lucky to have such a bird. It was a great fortune that they could rely on it to tell all of the presence of noon.
She looked at the leaf that showed which lessons she would be attending. First she was to go to weaponry. She found it odd that they started a new class. She remembered that in past years there was no weaponry, as her tribe never felt the need to defend itself. Has that changed? She felt odd standing in the crowd of young men that waited to be instructed. They looked around, sometimes resting their eyes on her for more than a moment. She looked down at herself in her skirts and suddenly felt self-conscious. She searched her mind for Staar and tugged at the link there. She surged queasiness into his mind and she knew he was coming. Their bond was becoming stronger and it felt strangly normal. She felt as though she could carry her life on as though they'd known eachother forever. Maybe a small part of her had known him forever.
Staar approcahed. Little sister, he said, you don't feel right. Perhaps you should rest.
"I can't." Tymber replied. "I have class." She tugged at the black fur on his back. "Please stay with me. Besides, it looks as though everyone else has their bond."
I shall stay with you. Staar said. You know, I had a buck. Right when you called me. He got away.
"I'm truly sorry." Tymber apologized.
You should be. You should have seen him! He was three - no - four times as strong as me! But I could have knocked him down with one --
"Class in beginning!" A male voice sounded in the clearing. Tymber and Staar looked up. It was the butcher. Tymber's stomach reeled. She felt like vomiting.
Hold yourself. Staar reminded her.
Tymber nodded and listened as the butcher went on. "I will be teaching you the art of weaponry. We need to be able to defend ourselves in case of attack. No matter," he said, suddenly looking at Tymber, "whether it is from friend or foe." Tymber looked around and then let her eyes settle on the ground. She didn't listen to the rest of orientation.
She floated through her other classes in a daze. She could remember the cold stare of the butcher when he spoke those last few words. It was as if he was implying that Tymber wasn't to be trusted. She wondered if the entire group saw him look at her that way. The butcher was a cold man. The men in the camp did their own butchering, but there would be times when a man was late and a woman wanted to cook her meal but not get her dress dirty. Or when a woman was gifted with some unskinned meat that needed to be tended properly. They'd go to him. And he'd do what was needed in return for...other..."favours." Tymber kicked the dirt in discust.
I see the things you think of. Staar said. This big man; he is not nice?
"He is evil." Tymber said.
Staar didn't ask why. Instead, he led the way to the corral. Seabring whinnied and trotted the short distance to the gate. Tymber tacked the stallion and they left. It was dark now, so the way to the town was difficult. She couldn't remember which way to go, but Staar remembered. Seabring instinctively followed the wolf. When they got there, Tymber jumped off Seabring's back and walked down the dirt road. She heard the crunch of the pebbles shifting beneath her boots in the quiet stillness of the night. A bird flying low caused her to startle. She shrunk against Seabring's black flank.
Do not fear, little sister. Staar said. Night is only a darker version of day. he said cheerfully.
"And quieter." Tymber reminded him. She looked around slowly at the darkness that had engulfed the town. It seemed a different place. Tymber wondered whether she could find her way to Potter's home. She mounted Seabring and led him down the path that she thought led to Potter's. She turned out to be correct; she was proud that she could find his house in the dark.
Then she heard something.
I hear it too. Staar told her. Infact, wolves have much better hearing than..---
Tymber blanked out the wolf's presense and let his words dissolve into a world of deafness as she focused completely on the beautiful sound. It sounded familiar. It led her right into the barn. Her intense curiosity didn't make her brave. She sat atop Seabring hoping the beautiful music would never end, but didn't dare slide herself from his back. He stepped forward, causing the stiff hay to crunch beneath his hoof. The music stopped. From the loft, Tymber heard a russle, and then she saw Daire's head lift from the shadows. That was the music! She remembered him playing the day she met him.
"Who's there?" A pause. "Tymber?" Daire asked uncertainly, squinting at her sillohuette against the starlight.
"Yes, it's me." Tymber said.
"What are you doing here?" Daire asked.
"I - I just needed to get out. Take a walk. And then I heard your music.." Her voice trailed. "It was lovely."
"Climb atop here. There's the ladder to the left." Daire told her.
Tymber started climbing the ladder. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Maybelle, the sheep down there; she's due to give birth any day now. I promised Potter I'd stay close to help her." He moved aside to let Tymber have a comfortable spot. "She's had too many. That blasted ram from the farm over keeps breaking out of his pen and seeking out poor Maybelle. Looks to be twins this time."
"Twins?" Tymber asked.
"Yes." Daire answered. "Not common in sheep. Poor dear will be lucky to make it."
"I am a twin." Tymber told him.
"Are you?" Daire asked, interested. "What is it like?"
Tymber almost laughed at the way he bent over and stared intently at her in curiosity. "It isn't that great. Atleast, my twin isn't." Her voice drifted. "She's very cruel."
"That's too bad. Does she look like you?" Daire asked, looking at her blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
"Not at all. She is larger and has brown hair and dark grey eyes." Tymber explained. Daire mumbled something and fiddled with his instrument.
"Play it again." Tymber said.
"Do you know how to sing?" he asked.
"I don't know. I sing when I'm alone. Unless there is a celebration, singing is forbidden where I'm from." Tymber told him in dismay.
"Is everything forbidden where you are from?" Daire asked, exasperated.
"Well no, we are allowed to -- " Her voice was cut off by the glorious sound of Daire's fingers brushing the instruments strings. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe in the sound, hoping its essence would play in her mind forever.
Daire stopped playing. "I'm going to teach you a song." Daire said.
"I - I -- Alright." Tymber said uneasily.
For the rest of the night, she and Daire practiced singing, and Tymber learned that this amazing instrument was a harp.

Daire realised that his short rest had lasted all morning. He looked over and saw Tymber snuggled in the straw beside him, her head comfortably rested on a bag of grain. He looked over the loft and saw Tymber's horse drinking from a water bucket, and her dog sleeping soundly in the corner of the barn entrance. Then he heard Maybelle wail, and he knew. He turned back and shook Tymber's shoulder. "Tymber. Tymber!" He saw her eyelids flicker. "Maybelle is giving birth! Come!" He climbed down the ladder and watched her silently do the same. When they got to the corner at the back of the barn, thy saw Maybelle lying on the floor breathing hard.
The old sheep wailed again, and Tymber asked, "Is she alright?"
"She'll be okay." Daire told her. He saw the liquid flow out of the sheep in a quick rush. Then two feet emerged. "Oh no. She's breach!" Daire realized. This would be harder than he thought. He ordered Tymber to worry about Maybelle's front end. He admiringly watched her immediatly obey, patting Maybelle's head and talking to her softly. Daire noticed the legs were out farther. He grabbed them and slowly pulled, careful not to hurt Maybelle. The lamb emerged entirely. He told Tymber to wipe it's face off and wipe out it's nostils and the inside of it's mouth. Then, as Daire had predicted, a second lamb began to emerge. But so did blood. Too much blood. This lamb wasn't breach atleast. But it was very large. It came out with much dificulty. When finally it gave, Daire noticed the size and compared it with that of the other lamb. It was almost twice the size. He wiped out the mouth and nostrils and the lamb gave a sharp bray while the other lay quiet, sleeping. "Oh no.." he heard Tymber say softly. He looked at Maybelle and her heaving had stopped. She lay quiet. They had lost her.
Daire knelt and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
When he looked up, tears were streaming down Tymber's face. "I have to go." she said. He tried to talk, but she walked quickly away and mounted Seabring. She noted his tack still on and cursed at herself. "Thank you for teaching me to sing." Tymber called to him. He watched her ride briskly away, that wolfish dog at the lead.