And she ran. The black thing chased her, it's animated body flickering and changing. She turned back and pulled the energy from her surroudings. The trees wilted as the force grew strong and she let go, watching the blue power surge into the thing. She struggled for breath as she ran again. More were coming. She didn't have enough power. She didn't know what to do. She ran through the trees and settled behind a bush, panting and gasping for air. She wrapped her arms around her for warmth. She was cold. So cold. Tymber turned and her eyes settled on those of grey. She felt only sadness as the blast came towards her and she knew it was the end.

And she woke. She quickly sat up and put a hand over her heaving chest. She looked behind at Daire's innocent face, softened in sleep. She lay back again. It was a warm night, but she curled close to Daire's body. A noise made her jump. Tymber looked back. Something was moving towards her. Something black. Adrenaline rushed into her body and she prepared to waken Daire and run. But something stopped her. She felt with her mind; felt the living things around her, and quickly identified Staar.
When he got to her he slowed and moved back a little. He flopped on his side and crawled along the ground. When he came to her feet where she had stood, he rolled over and exposed his underparts. Tymber felt the fear inside of him.
I got one, leader. he told her. I finally got one.
Tymber swallowed and tried to keep her calm as she felt ready to cry at the fear she had caused him.
Caught what, dear brother? she mindspoke, softly.
I caught the buck I have been waiting for. He is large. You should see him.
Good for you brother! Quite an accomplishment for only one wolf.
I hope that Presta thinks so. he said.
"Staar..." Tymber said aloud. She looked back as Daire rustled. Staar, I apologize for going into your mind earlier. I should have asked your permission.
Staar avoided her eyes. It is alright, sister. He paused. I felt your happiness, you know. I heard you speak with the beast, Seabring.
Yes. I would never have imagined. Tymber told him.
I felt your happiness again, sometime late.
Yes. We leave with Daire when he goes to be stablehand to the King.
And then --- Staar paused. I am not sure. Almost cold. I felt cold. And frightened. That is really why I came. I saw images in my mind. You ran. I couldn't catch up with you because I was hurt. My leg was injured. And -- and then I saw you -- you -- and her... He drifted.
I know. Tymber said. I saw it too.
She put her arm around him and pulled him close to her.

Her eyes fluttered open when Daire lightly touched her side. She looked up at him.
"Look." he pointed.
Tymber pushed herself up and looked. Before her, on the other side of the fence, were dozens of sheep. She smiled. Then she saw the lambs. She watched them as they chased eachother around. Suddenly the black one lunged out and grabbed the white. They tumbled in the grass and screamed. Daire jumped up and Tymber followed him as he jumped the fence and went to the lambs. She stayed back and watched Daire. He pushed the black off the body of the white. The white quickly recovered and ran. The black didn't move.
"She's dead." Daire said.
Tymber smiled bittersweetly. "Yes. But we still have the white one."
Daire looked at Tymber strangely. "Yes." he said. "Yes, we do."

Tymber helped Daire groom the horses. She put the curry brush back on the shelf. She quickly looked at Daire who was two stalls away from her, then looked back at the horse. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She found this horse's link, and tugged it. The horse shuddered.
What is that? the horse asked.
Tymber grinned with pride. It's me. she said.
The horse looked at her in fascination. I can understand what you say!
Aye. Timber patted his soft velvet nose.
Suddenly a noise made them both jump. Potter had swung open the stable doors. "I'm back early!" he yelled.
Daire went and embraced him. "And?" he asked, excitedly.
"I got the job! I got it!" Potter shouted in happiness.
"You got it? That's marvelous!" Daire yelled back.
Tymber walked out of the stall shyly.
"Tymber!" Potter said. "I got it! I'm the royal stablemaster; can you believe it!"
Tymber grinned. "Yes, I can believe it."
"A celebration!" Daire said. "We must celebrate!"
"Yes!" Potter replied. "I'll get Martha!" He stormed out, yelling Martha's name.
Daire sauntered up to Tymber and grabbed her, lifting her into the air. "We're going to GreyKeep!" he said.
Tymber laughed and put her head back, as Daire swung her, feeling the air flow through her hair. He set her down and said, "Are you going to go home? To say goodbye?"
Tymber thought a moment. "Yes. There is someone I've been meaning to speak with."
"Alright. I assume we leave tomorrow. When will you be back?" he inquired.
"As soon as possible." Tymber pulled away from his grasp and ran to where Seabring was stalled. She jumped on his back and off she rode. She looked down at the empty spot ahead of her. Staar had left during her sleep. Instead of going straight home, she went to Potter's house where he gave her the necklace she'd been promised. Then she went on to the forest.
When she got to the village, she put Seabring in the corral. I'll be back, love. she told him.
I'll be waiting. he replied as she ran off.
"Tymber." Neolyn's voice made her turn. She stood there, looking ever so much taller and stronger than Tymber. Her arm still had not healed. Tymber imagined that Neolyn opened the wound continuously so that it would never heal, giving her everlasting pity. "Where have you been?"
"I go where I please." Tymber said confidently.
"And I suppose you do as your told as well?" Neolyn asked, smiling sweetly.
"What do you mean?" Tymber inquired.
"Berta wants to see you. She wants to know where you've been." Neolyn said sternly.
"Berta can wait. I must see someone." Tymber turned her back and started to go for the middle of the village. She was surprised that Neolyn did nothing to stop her, but went in the direction of their tent. Tymber smelled the food that was cooking and her stomach rumbled. With all that had been going on, she hadn't had much time to eat. She saw the deer over the fire and thought of Staar.
Tymber waited outside of Presta's tent. She busied herself fixing her hair until the tent flap finally lifted. Presta's grand daughter stepped out. "Tymber." she said. She went back in the tent for a moment. She came back out and said, "You may see Elder Presta if you wish."
Tymber thanked her, and stepped inside the tent. Presta sat on the other side of her table, smoking a pipe. The skull was nowhere to be seen, and Tymber wondered what had happened to it.
"The skull was old." Presta said. "I will get a new one, thanks to your Staar."
Tymber wondered how Presta always knew what she was thinking. "Yes." Tymber said. "He wanted to give that deer to you."
"And you have something for me as well?" Presta asked, eyebrows raised. "Let me see it than."
Tymber opened her hands and lay the necklace on the table. "Child..." she drifted. "It's been a long time since I've seen something like this. A long time." She looked into Tymber's eyes deeply for a moment. "Thank you child."
"You are welcome Elder." Tymber smiled.
"You have somewhere to go, no?" Presta asked.
"I do, Elder." Tymber answered.
Presta looked away for a while and then turned back. "It is a good place. This is where you should go."
"And it is alright if I leave as soon as possible?" Tymber asked.
"Yes. It is better. We have little time. Only months. Then it will come." Presta looked into the smoke that she blew.
"It?" Tymber asked, confused.
"I do not know what it is!" Presta yelled, angrily. "But it is coming!" She reached over the table and grabbed Tymber's shoulders. "You must listen to me carefully, child. You are dealing with powers. Evil powers. So evil that your own good may be no use to defeat it." She took a breath. "You are the one. The one with the wolf. You are the wolf child. And no one else. But daughter of a wolf you are not, for he is not a wolf, but a men among men."
Tymber shook her head. Presta was speaking so wildly that she wasn't making any sense.
"You will see. You will see." Presta fell back on her skins. Tymber rushed around the table to the Elder's side and held her hand.
"Elder--"
"Tymber, child..You must find him. He is there. In the prophecy. Find him." Presta whispered hoarsely.
"Find who? Who?!" Tymber cried.
"You must go now. They'll see you here. They'll blame you. Do not trust the cat or the fox." Presta held her hand out, clutching the necklace. It caught on some antlers that lay on the floor. The string snapped and the beads dropped to the ground. The tiny orbs bounced and lay still.
Tymber looked at Presta. The Elder stared ahead blankly. Tymber dropped her hand. She felt the life around her, and didn't feel Presta's essence. She felt cold. So cold. And she ran. She tore open the tent flap and it ripped. She tripped over the opening to the tent. People watched her run and stared. She made it tot the corral. Staar stood there waiting.
Come sister, he said, we must go! Now!
Tymber opened the corral gate and mounted Seabring. She rode out and stopped when she saw Garth. He stood in front of the trees.
"Tymber," he said, "how are you?"
"I'm in a hurry; I must go." Tymber said quickly. She heard shouting coming from the village.
"Why surely whatever happened can be forgiven." he looked over to the village and smiled.
Tymber wan't sure what he meant. "I have to go!" she said.
Seabring twisted and turned. Garth stood in front of the closest opening. He stared into Tymber's eyes. Tymber panted, her breath visible on the air that chilled her and made her face feel frozen.
"Tymber." Garth smiled at her. "Surely you have enough time for me."
"No." Tymber looked both ways, and finally yelled to Seabring, "Go, Seabring, go!"
He kicked off and ran for the trees. Garth jumped out of the way just as soon as Seabrings hooves touched the ground where he stood. Staar followed and then stilled and looked back. Garth stood, staring. His little fox jumped in front of him and sniffed the air ahead. A hand rounded the tree beside him and Neolyn appeared. She stared into Staar's eyes. Staar felt a chill within the deadness of her irises. He turned and ran.

When Tymber got to Potter's house she decided that none of this had happened. She went and said goodbye to Presta, and Presta is still there, alive and well. None of this happened because it wasn't possible. It just wasn't. She had a future with Daire now. There was no prophecy. Nothing she did would help her tribe. She didn't want to give them help. She realised then that her entire life had been spent trying to get away from them; the better part anyway. What did she have now? She had nothing; no identity.
She took a deep breath and stabled herself. She led Seabring into the stall. "Um, there's some grain there." she told him, pointing to a bucket.
"Tymber, that was quick." Daire said, coming into the stable.
"Yes. There wasn't much to say." Tymber said, her voice wavering.
"Are you alright?" Daire asked, concerned. "You look flushed."
"I-I'm okay; just a touch tired." She smiled lightly.
Daire nodded. "We stayed up late. How about some breakfast?"
"Oh, yes!" Tymber replied. "I'm starving." She pulled his arm toward Potter's house.
They went in the back way and into the kitchen. Tymber helped Sera and Peewee set the table while Daire went upstairs. When everything was set up, Martha yelled for the men to come down. Daire sat beside Tymber and took her hand as they thanked the Gods. Tymber lifted her eyelid and looked at Daire. They had stayed up late, and Tymber was sure she looked horrid, but Daire's looks never failed to be simply beautiful. When he let go of her hand, she knew the prayer had ended and felt guilty that she hadn't paid the God more thanks and Daire less attention. She blushed and secretly wished that her hand was still in his.
They got eating. This breakfast was almost as wonderful as the feast Tymber had eaten the day she met Potter. There were bacon, and eggs, and potatoes, and everything that Tymber simply loved, and some things that she had never even seen!
When they were almost done, Daire whispered something to Potter and then excused himself from the table and came back a few seconds later with their harps. He handed Tymber her's. She took it reluctantly.
"Daire -- I-I can't play." Tymber said.
"Why not?" Daire asked, smiling.
"I'll mess up. I always mess up." Tymber said, looking down and feeling her face go red.
Daire leaned in. "No you won't. You'll be fine. " he assured her. "I mess up sometimes too. It's not a bad thing. Just laugh."
Tymber nodded and Daire began playing. She knew when it was her time to start playing but she had missed it. She felt terrible; she had just ruined the music! But Daire kept playing like nothing had happened. He did the introduction over again and this time Tymber was ready. She started playing.
It sounded beautiful. When they were done, everyone clapped. Martha reached over and placed a hand on Tymber's.
"Tymber," she said, "Why you are as good as Daire. But you know what he tells me?"
Tymber shook her head.
"He tells me that you have the voice of an angel, and then some."
Daire coughed and looked away. Tymber laughed at him.
"So," Martha said, "I'd really like to hear you sing."
Tymber stared at her with her mouth agape. "Sing? In front of everyone?"
"You sang for Sear and Peewee, so they say." Martha told her matter-of-factly.
"So I did." Tymber looked down.
"And did it wonderfully." Daire said.
He was enough inspiration for her to burst into song.
For the rest of the morning they all sang. Tymber left after pleading fatigue and lay down in the field she had layed in the night before.

When she woke up, it was almost night, and Staar was beside her.
Sister, Staar said, you should not sleep so soundly, for there is danger.
Danger, brother? Tymber asked.
I feel it. It isn't ready yet, but preparing. Can't you feel it, sister?
Tymber felt the life around her and noticed the absence. Everything was far on the other side of the field.
Where is everyone? she asked.
They keep as far from the forest as they can. That's where the danger is. That's where she is. Staar explained.
Tymber nodded. "That's the danger that Presta wanted me away from. The danger that I have to defeat to save my tribe." Memories flooded back but she pushed them away. She needed to repress any of her past feelings and thoughts.
Don't. Staar told her. Remember everything. Remember what your duty is.
"My duty..." Tymber looked down at her hands. I don't want to remember. she mindspoke.
But you must. Staar demanded. To save your tribe. They depend on you.
But I no longer depend on them. Don't you see Staar? I have my own life now. I'm going away tomorrow. I'll be far away from the tribe. Far away from my twin sister and all my other troubles. Tymber told him.
Staar looked into her eyes. Will you? Does your twin sister not have legs and a will that she might travel to where you are? None of your problems might follow you on your journey?
Tymber shook the thought away. "No." she said aloud. "No. Neolyn hates me. She wouldn't follow me."
Hates you, yes, but does she hate the feelings she causes you? No. And you know that she's the one.
"I know no such thing!" Tymber yelled, standing up. "You're right Staar. One problem will follow me, and that's you!"
Staar's eyes looked quickly away and the flash of hurt she caused him branded and singed Tymber's mind like a hot poker.
I only try to protect you. Staar said, and he quickly ran away.
Tymber let herself drop to the ground and she rested her forehead on her knees. Fooling with the blackness in her mind, she quickly sw some life coming towards her. Feeling it and playing with it's essence, she quickly recognized Daire. She didn't raise her head. She felt the ground shake as he plopped himself down beside her.
"Tymber?" Daire asked. When she didn't answer, he spoke agin. "Is something wrong?"
Tymber purposely fell over and let her head rest against Daire's shoulder. "I - I...You wouldn't understand." Tymber explained.
"I think that's what you think. But I'm sure that I will understand if you only tell me." Daire said softly.
Tymber looked up at his eyes, and then let them fall back to the ground. "If I tell you why I'm upset, I'd have to tell you everything."
"Then tell me everything." Daire's concerned eyes searched her face.
Tymber sighed. "I come from a place in the forest."
"I know that." Daire said.
"Just listen." Tymber demanded. "There I lived with my family, and with my people. My tribe."
"Your tribe?" Daire hought a moment. "Wait, do you mean that tribe, where every person has their own animal?"
"Yes." Tymber said slowly. She waited for Daire to nod, and continued. "Staar is a wolf. He is my spirit bond."
Daire's eyes widened. "You mean that - that you can speak with eachother? Communicate?"
Tymber nodded.
"This is very interesting! What does he say to you?" Daire asked, excitedly.
"He says many things. However I became angry at him for something that he told me just now. And I'm afraid I've hurt his feelings." Tymber's eyes started to well.
"There, there." Daire wiped away her tears with his thumb. "He'll forgive you."
Tymber nodded but started to cry. She tried to concentrate and feel Staar, but her body was shaking and therefore rocking the links. She couldn't get a hold.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Daire asked her.
"It was my fault." Tymber told him, pushing her face into his shirt. "I didn't want to admit it. I wanted to push it all away. I killed Presta, and Neolyn is going to kill me. She's the one I saw. It was her eyes. Her eyes that I saw in my dream. They stared straight at me. Sh-she..."
"Calm down, Tymber, girl." Daire stroked her hair. "Would it make you feel any better if we went and searched for Staar?"
Tymber nodded and they walked to the stable. Daire climbed upon the white horse, Chilles. Tymber mounted Seabring and they rode off. Tymber felt Staar. He was in the forest. Seabring felt the sudden shock and stopped. Daire stopped ahead of Tymber.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
Tymber didn't look at him. She stared straight ahead into the forest. "He's in the forest." she said.
"Well then, let's go." Daire said.
Tymber nodded and caught up with him.