Kanu enfolds her tightly for a moment, then takes Syura's shoulders and holds her at arm's length. "Ma Ayah, my mother, what is wrong?" He's surprised to see tears standing in her eyes. "Is everyone well? I've been nervous about Syeha, but not desperately worried."

"No, she is well... but not. It began... I'm not sure... a few weeks ago. Syeha was spending her evenings running with the pack," Kanu's mother says, referring to a constant and self-perpetuating group of wild teens. "I suppose we all do it at some point, so I was not terribly concerned. But lately, your sister has begun to look worn and tired. She is by no means the only one of our young people to be so afflicted. Your father and I took turns observing her surreptitiously, and she sneaks from her bed at night, coming back before dawn."

"They all do, and some of them come home with bruises they cannot explain." Syura reaches out for Summer Wind's hand, for comfort perhaps. "The truly alarming thing is that when confronted with knowledge of this behavior, they have no memory of it, and I would know if it were not the truth. Someone, or something, is exploiting them, I think, but I can find no trace of it. I do not know what to do. One mother tried tying her son to his bed; the boy fought like a lion until drenched awake with a large pot of water."

Summer Wind seems abstracted very briefly, and then says, decisively, "Get her out of the village. I do not know why, but I think Syeha may be at more risk than some of the others. It is a good time to broaden a young girl's horizons; send her to my family, to Blue Turtle Dreaming and Moon Shadow."

Kanu and his mother look a little startled, but each has had such presentiments themselves. "Very well, if this is all right with your people, I will send her immediately," says the witch-woman.

"I will speak to him now, but I think they will consent to foster your daughter for a short while, even though their own children are still very small," and Summer Wind goes into another room to do just that. After almost no time, she returns, saying, "Go and tell Syeha to pack what she needs. We will follow you to Bowing Tree village as soon as we are ready ourselves. It will not take long, I promise." Summer Wind and Kanu both kiss Syura goodbye, although they plan to see her again soon.

Syeha is not happy about being sent away like a naughty toddler told to sit on their step; but at the same time, she is not unhappy to be going to the plains, and is a little excited at the prospect, in fact. None of the other boys or girls her age has ever been through a magic door, only her Ayah.

And there is also Kanu, of course, but brothers are different, somehow. She is supposed to visit Summer Wind's extended family, but there will be no opportunity to talk to her sister-in-law first, which, Syeha admits to herself, would make her feel better. All of this is to keep her safe, her parents tell her, from some mysterious thing that is causing her to sleepwalk and do whatever else. The girl wonders what it will be like to sleep in a tent, where all the furniture can be folded up for transport.

Blue Turtle Dreaming is a shaman, which is a little like her mother's role in the tribe, as she understands it, so that should be all right. Syeha knows nothing about Moon Shadow except that she comes from the east of Visharvé where Summer Wind was born. It is hard to keep her sister-in-law's relatives straight, to be perfectly honest, but she has refreshed herself regarding names and relationships upon being told that she will actually meet these people. She is ready, yes, she is ready now; and, hugging her father and mother, Syeha goes.

Walking out of her mother's arms, she practically steps immediately into Moon Shadow's, except that the Paleyit woman seems to understand that Syeha needs a little space at first and only pats her shoulders. Her initial impression of the couple is that they are... restful. A second glance around, however, reveals that they are parents to a set of still ‘baby’ but not ‘infant’ twin girls, and a practically newborn son. "Butterfly, Dawn, and Foxfire," Moon Shadow introduces them proudly.

Syeha instantly gives up speculating on whether she will be able to sleep with no rigid walls and resigns herself to being awoken several times a night by assorted baby sounds. Blue Turtle sees this in her eyes, and says, "They're remarkably good. But they are, of course, still very small children. Often we take turns napping during the day."

"Don't worry," adds Moon Shadow. "You were sent to us for peace, rest, tranquility, and we can provide that, if not necessarily strictest silence."

Moon Shadow can tell that Syeha still harbors doubts about the veracity of that statement, but wherever Blue Turtle Dreaming and his wife go, calm seems to follow them. Each had this ability on their own, although he possessed it more clearly, but together they're a very soothing couple to be near.

The woman from the northeastern hills is also quite familiar with pharmaceuticals of all sorts from her first husband's business, and it is not long before she begins to suspect that Syeha has become habituated to... perhaps a form of hashish. Kanu's sister, however, shows none of the characteristic behavior of an addict seeking more of their drug of choice, or facing the grim possibility of an immediate future without it. What she does exhibit are signs of withdrawal, very mild ones only, thankfully.

This makes Moon Shadow wonder if perhaps the girl has been drugged without her knowledge, as Syura has told her about the strange nocturnal compulsions of the young people of her village. Apparently, it is impossible simply to follow the sleepwalkers to their destination, because at some point, like an alarm, the teens "notice" that they are being trailed, and wake up confused as to where they are or how they got there. It is possible that the intoxicants are used to lower resistance to spells.

It is an old trick and a thoroughly despicable one, but maybe to induce so deep a hypnotic state hours later and from afar, it is necessary even for a powerful sorcerer. Because there is no doubt that there is evil magic at work; everyone agrees on that. No, the only problems here are isolating the source and discovering the purpose. And then, of course, it must be stopped. Moon Shadow relays her findings and her suspicions to Syura, Kanu, and Summer Wind for them to act upon in the southern savanna lands.

Cautiously, Moon Shadow questions Syeha about running with the pack. Did they have rituals where they ate and drank? This far from home, it is easier to talk about and the girl tells her that yes, they ate a sticky candy and drank liquor. Then there was dancing, and sometimes more than dancing for pairs who felt like it. She never had... that she recalls... because she was enjoying playing the coquette too much; Syeha did remember fights breaking out from changing the partners who one favored that way.

While Syeha is living up to her name "breath" and ridding her system of toxins both literally and figuratively, Kanu and Summer Wind are faced with an ironic conundrum; they are too old to run with the pack, especially Kanu, and too married. Summer Wind is additionally too foreign to be accepted.

Therefore, although Syura has danced on the matter herself and gotten nowhere, Summer Wind seeks out her spirit animals. What they hint at is a technique she read about in school but has never had occasion to try: the mind link. With their permission, she could meditate as the boy or girl fell asleep and, with the spells in place, be aware of their dreaming impulses without exactly being conscious. In this way, she hopes not to trigger the "I'm being followed" response and reach the goal behind them.

Kanu is, to put it mildly, not sanguine about this plan, and demands to be in on the mind link as well. If Summer Wind is linked to the affected teen, then he will go into a trance-like state in order to be linked to his wife. Being one step removed from the actual sleeper, he will be more alert, although still not entirely awake. But he feels that she needs someone to guard her back and protect her, especially since the young mage is so highly noticeable as an intruder due to her pale skin.

The boy who was experimentally tied to his bed volunteers, and that night, although Syura and Taronyu her husband are very anxious, Summer Wind and Kanu establish their links and wait for the sleeping teenager to stir. Before too long, the boy arises from his bed and walks off into the darkness, with the young mage following him, and her husband following her. They proceed through a thick grove of trees and downstream, but not across, a small river. Finally, however, the three of them emerge from the sparse woods and arrive.

In a sharply dropping valley, almost a ravine, and well camouflaged from the casual eye lies the... training center. Here, boys are practicing with wooden swords and dull spears, girls are shooting targets with arrows, and a few of each seem to be working very clumsy and ineffective enchantments, which would probably be a lot deadlier were the magic-workers not asleep. Some are running, dodging, jumping or climbing over logs, ducking under a roof of shields. No one is bothering with first aid.

While the boy continues on, and takes his place among the other slumbering warriors, Kanu is able to disengage from him through Summer Wind, and then to fully awaken his wife. The two of them have seen all they need to, except for who or what is organizing this, and they feel that they have pressed their luck enough for one night. Stealthily, they slip back into the bushes and away, so that the perpetrator will not know that the nocturnal meeting place has been discovered by conscious adults.

Since Syeha has been in the steppes and removed from the site of the disturbance, she has not tried to leave her bed in her sleep and doesn’t even toss and turn. Perhaps it is that slumber has now become more precious to her, but she revels in getting as much as she can to make up for lost time at home.

She has occasional, mysterious crying spates that even she cannot explain, and no one is sure if this is a form of homesickness or a side effect of the heavy spells she was under. However, these blow over like storm clouds leaving her cheerful and bright, and since the girl is not nearly as shy as Summer Wind was, the local young people begin to welcome and include her a little. In her own way, she is as lovely and exotic as Summer Wind, and the adolescents of the clan notice that as well.

One day, Blue Turtle Dreaming takes her aside and inquires, "Why is it that you suppress your magic?"

"I don't know what you mean," Syeha says, but she does. As the silence stretches longer, she asks in return, "How did you know?"

"I see things in people that even other magic-workers can't sometimes. It is my strongest gift," the shaman replies.

"My... gift... was not always there, to be counted upon. Until recently, it was very sporadic, and I... just wanted to be normal," she tells him. “Mother is so strong, and wise, and powerful, and I couldn't be prouder of her, but I'm NOT! Not strong or wise or powerful. It was easier to pretend that I had no magic all the time than to try to explain that sometimes it was there and at others it wasn't," Syeha confesses.

"It can happen that way, for some," Blue Turtle reassures her. "Obviously, since it did for you, but I know of many magicians who fluctuated early on yet grew both wise and strong. You don't have to be a witch-woman." Syeha looks startled, as though that thought, whether of being one herself or of not having to become one, had not crossed her mind. "What you do have to be is yourself," Blue Turtle Dreaming continues. "Nothing is ever gained by denying parts of who you are. Besides, who else can you really be?"

"What is it that you want me to do?" asks the girl, a bit warily.

Blue Turtle Dreaming smiles kindly. "First, learn to control and channel your magic so that you are not a danger to yourself or others. Second, make educated choices when the time comes."

To Syeha's surprise, her training in magic is given into the care of Moon Shadow. "I didn't know that you had magic powers of your own," the girl says, and then blushes for her lack of tact.

Moon Shadow is not offended, however. "Let us say that I have enough to get by. I can conjure at need."

Summer Wind, Kanu, and his parents have, of course, been informed of this new development. Syura is pleased that her daughter will get the specialized attention that she needs but dismayed both that she failed to see the signs in Syeha, and that the girl did not come to her with this information. The young mage, however, is reassured by this explanation for why she felt her sister-in-law to be in such extra danger. In turn, the discovery of army training found via the mind link is passed on.

"So, I was to be a spell-caster in my sleep for these people, whoever they are?" Syeha concludes.

"Yes, probably their most powerful," says Blue Turtle Dreaming.

"That's horrible, not to have any choice like that!" the girl exclaims.

"It is, especially considering who the unconscious young people will have to fight," remarks Moon Shadow softly.

"I don't..." begins the teen.

"Who is it that will still be awake?" Moon Shadow asks.

"Oh no!!! Their parents, their families!" and Syeha’s tears fall.

The southern N'kiwãng girl, of course, hates feeling helpless and wishes she could do something right away. "Close your eyes, and imagine water: not just the sight, but the feel and smell of it, the sounds it makes and the way it tastes..." is not what Syeha had in mind, but that is what there is for her to do, besides change wet and messy babies.

"Patience is a hard lesson," Moon Shadow tells her. "I have not yet mastered it." And that this ultimately serene woman makes such an admission, does help. "Feel the magic uncoil within you, flow through you like energy..." Moon Shadow lays a hand on the back of the girl's neck. "Some people feel it in their blood or breath, others feel it rising up their spines."

Syeha scowls. “I can feel it; the magic, it’s right there but I can’t reach it!”

The older woman's hand smooths Syeha's hair. "I think you're concentrating too hard. Yes, you must focus, but you can't force it. A part of you should stay relaxed. It's a balance." Syeha makes an effort to be patient, to stop making so much effort, and imagines water, lets her tension seep out like water... and suddenly her fingertips drip, wet.

"How did they know to target me?" Syeha asks one morning when she is attempting to conjure fire without burning herself. "I mean, I never told anybody about my magic while I was awake, so why wasn't I given a bow and arrows like any other girl?"

"That's an excellent question," Moon Shadow replies. "I don't mean to offend you, but might you have let it slip if you had drunk too much, while you were running with the pack?" the older woman asks.

"But that would mean that they, whoever they are, include one of us, wouldn't it? Because otherwise, why think to question them about me."

Moon Shadow nods her approval both of the logic and the sparks Syeha has produced. "Yes, I'm afraid it would."

"But... but... who would do that? Why would they do that?" The girl is appalled at the idea.

"Think about who provided you with the sticky candy and the alcohol. That person, or someone very closely connected to them, is probably the most likely to be responsible," suggests Moon Shadow.

"No... that's Makto, and he volunteered to do the mind link. But I never liked his girlfriend, Ahi'i, from a more western tribe, and I believe she had a hand in the candy making. I can't honestly say whether I suspect her because she deserves it, though, or just because she seems... small of spirit."

"The two are definitely not mutually exclusive," says Moon Shadow. "We should tell your family in Bowing Tree Village about these surmises. Even though they are not evidence, they may prove helpful."

"Yes, I suppose so." Syeha concedes. "If it is Ahi'i, well, she'll be easy to recognize, because she's tiny. In addition to being close-minded, she's also very short." That night Blue Turtle Dreaming contacts Summer Wind and they exchange news. Not much has progressed in the interim; there are human alarms.

Syura and the other parents are extremely encouraged by the information that Summer Wind and Kanu bring back from following the mind link. It is deeply disturbing, of course, that their children are being trained for war, but it explains the bruises, and at least now they know where they're going.

There is a general feeling that a large party should secretly gather, and each family grab their teenager and run, while Syura and her son and daughter-in-law deal with whoever the malefactors may be. Summer Wind and Kanu think this is a disastrous and, to say the least, poorly thought-out plan, but these are desperate mothers and fathers, and the young couple is overruled. Syura, oddly enough, declines to give her opinion either for or against the strategy, although Taronyu openly condemns it.

Accordingly, on the next clear night, the squad of parents assembles, to be led by Kanu and Summer Wind to the training camp. Taronyu comes as well, although his daughter is safely removed from harm, because he is concerned by his wife's strange reticence. As it turns out, his worry that she may need protection is well founded. As the crowd sneaks closer to the center of nightly activity, twigs snap here and there, and a few faces catch the light. Roughly one teen in ten stops and stares; the rescue mission is discovered.

When these sentinels spot the intruders, each throws his or her head back and wails like a siren. At this signal, the rest of the young people cease what they are doing and congregate in the center of the valley, as though protecting someone or something. They are, effectively, both hostages and guards, since no one wants them hurt, but they're quite willing to fight as they have been enchanted to do. There is no choice but to retreat, go back to the village, and wait until morning once again.

Something, however, has been learned from this expedition. In the midst of all the armed teens, was a figure, very tall, and draped from head to foot in black. Perhaps there was more than one; with all that ebony shrouding, it was hard to tell, especially considering that the moon was not yet half full.

Kanu and Summer Wind are of one mind. "There has to be some reason behind that other than just to look menacing. After all, their audience is asleep," she says.

"Hot! Wearing black blankets in this climate,” he replies. “Camouflage?"

Summer shakes her head. “Wouldn’t body makeup be cooler and just as effective?” she asks.

"Yes, but I don't know why else the ruling family would go to all that trouble," Kanu answers. When called upon to explain, he tells Summer Wind that the region is technically, although not functionally, run from Tlahzeos, the Dzubah Imperial capital city to the west, where there is a royal family of extraordinary height. "They measure status in inches, there. The taller you are, the more important you must be." Their aristocracy is not based on skin color, but physical stature, and apparently those who do not grow enough are exiled.

The government representative assigned to Syura's Bowing Tree Village, and indeed the entire N'kiwãng region, is a woman named Utral. Usually, she resides on the borders of what she considers civilization, the commerce town at the feet of the Gateway Mountains, but Utral is required to regularly tour the lands she administers. When she is contacted, however, she claims to know nothing about the situation, and does not feel that one glimpse of a hooded figure is enough to warrant an official investigation.

Utral is not aware of any members of the elite classes masquerading in this area, and certainly no criminal elements have escaped that might be causing this unfortunate problem. She becomes irate when it is suggested to her that the perpetrator might be an evil magician from her culture; such people are immediately executed, and definitely none are at large in the savanna country. Surely there must be some mistake, or maybe the person seen so briefly, approximately seven feet tall, is just a fluke.

Syura, slightly more herself after this blatant denial of the facts of the case stresses her into losing her temper, remarks upon leaving the local Imperial Outpost that too many generations of cousins marrying cousins, and historically even brother and sister matches, to preserve the bloodlines of the nobility have not had a salutatory effect upon their intelligence. Summer Wind has not been particularly impressed with Utral, either, especially when she recalls this society's prejudice against those not deemed of sufficient height.

Still, it was a step that had to be taken, and merely because the tall woman had professed ignorance of basically anything pertinent, that did not mean that something was not going on right under her snooty nose. Momentarily Summer Wind wishes Ifrit had been in attendance in her human-colored but fey-height disguise, which makes her wonder in turn how her family and Syeha are doing. The next piece of business here will be to track down the mysterious girlfriend Ahi'i and see what she has to say.

According to Moon Shadow's report, her relatives are all well, and Syeha is doing excellently. As for Ifrit, she and Jí´ have recently stopped by to play with her and Blue Turtle’s children, since babies are exceptionally rare among immortals. Ji is captivated by the twins, especially, as they just don't occur in fae or genie families.

Unfortunately, tracing Ahi'i is not as successful. Try as she might, Syeha cannot remember exactly what tribe she was supposedly from; this did not seem odd at the time, because often teens from surrounding villages appeared in the pack. And of the young people still in Bowing Tree, only Makto, her erstwhile boyfriend, particularly cares where she might be. Apparently, although the diminutive girl had been cautious not to make enemies, she had not ingratiated herself or become genuinely popular.

This is all right, though, Blue Turtle Dreaming comments philosophically. "Progress is a spiral. You think you're getting nowhere and going in circles, but in reality, you're closing in on your goal." Syeha is having trouble absorbing this. She will accomplish one very simple spell, only to forget or foul up one of the first that she learned. It is like there is only so much space in her brain, and something must fall out of the bottom to make room for anything further to be added to the top.

Moon Shadow and Blue Turtle are very insistent that Syeha still find time for recreation and get plenty of sleep. She likes most to dance during her free periods, comparing her cultural traditions to the plains dances which the other young people show her. The girl hopes to train in shamanic dancing one day, although the implications, that she must have great power to master this, haven't quite sunk all the way in yet. During one lesson, she shyly asks Moon Shadow what her spirit animal is.

"In the Paleyit nation, we don't have them, or at least we don't discover them," Moon Shadow tells her, "but I confess that when I came to the steppes, I was as curious about them as you are." The woman's eyes twinkle. "Sometimes they are creatures that do not actually exist, like Star Hawk or Smoke Cat or Blue Turtle. Often a young person will amend their name when they find out their spirit animal, but it is not required."

"So..." prompts Syeha.

"It seems I relate best to the wise dormouse," Moon Shadow placidly informs her.

"You're a mouse?" the girl asks incredulously.

The older woman corrects her, "No, dear, my spirit animal is a mouse. In my culture they are symbols of great wisdom and, of course, caution. Because everything eats the mouse, they must be always alert, always sensing, testing, learning. We do not dismiss them as vermin."

"I'm sorry, that was rude," Syeha apologizes. "Our society venerates the spider, the weaver, which I suppose is pretty weird from an outside perspective."

Moon Shadow smiles. "That is good. Now, make the feather float."

Everyone in Bowing Tree Village is concerned that time may be running out to rescue their sons and daughters before being confronted by them at sword point. Summer Wind, therefore, has a mediocre to moderately good plan to find out who the cloaked figures actually behind all of this trouble are, which she proposes to enact.

Sleepwalkers, she persuades Kanu, are less likely to be cautioned against pale color than age, and she is just barely inside the realms of young enough to be one of them. While she pretends to be simply another one of the girl archers, Kanu can practice his invisibility and sneak closer to the center of the training camp. When and if she is spotted by someone in charge, he is sure to get a good look at them and might even be able to capture and hold the overseer if there is only one left on duty at a time.

If she is not picked out as a threat, Summer Wind will be able to "watch" Kanu's invisible back while he investigates the entire middle of the complex, if necessary, in order to find the malefactors. Syura, however, leans toward feeling that this strategy lacks something, namely her. The witch-woman, "watching" from an alternate vantage point at the edge of the valley would provide both extra power for back-up and another, possibly clearer, line of sight. She will be careful to snap no twigs by treading carelessly.

Her son and daughter-in-law accede to her accompaniment and, in fact, are secretly glad of it; so that night Syura, Kanu, and Summer Wind set out, at slightly differing times but at intervals where they can still see each other, for the training site. Summer Wind is first. Boldly she walks into camp, picks up a bow, and goes to join the other girls. Nothing untoward happens. Next is Kanu, although by then he is invisible. He threads his way between sleepwalking teens and towards the center.

Not long after that, Syura establishes her hiding place among the trees on the valley's lip. She and Summer Wind, knowing that Kanu is there but invisible, can sense where he is, and if he is in any kind of immediate danger. Amazingly, this plan goes completely as designed, although it is painstakingly slow. There are one or two close calls where Kanu narrowly misses being bumped into, but he is able to arrive at his goal and discern that there are three unusually tall people on guard: two women and one man.

While Kanu doesn't recognize any of the three by their faces, he didn't expect to, and so is not disappointed. The only thing that is clear is that none of them is Ahi'i the short. The three black-clad figures all seem relatively young, and unhappy, but there are more unusual similarities as well.

When they move, the two women, especially, seem to be... oddly aligned, as though they had an extra joint in their arms. Also, all three have robes that sweep the ground, and do not seem to walk so much as glide across the turf. For some reason, Kanu is reminded strongly of the huldre woman Woe despite the fact that, in appearance, these people could not be more opposite, and the females possess no powers of attraction whatsoever for him. Yet there is a sense of... abstraction in their gazes.

Later, as he is describing the trio in black for his wife and mother, Kanu realizes that what struck him could be that they were each maintaining some ongoing magic, like the huldre had to constantly hide her tail. Ifrit's disguise comes as naturally to her as breathing, but then, she is a much different sort of creature, an Ethereal Entity rather than a Halfling. "Could the hypnotic compulsion spell require perpetual refreshment?" he asks.

"It could, I guess, but I would be more inclined to think that once or twice a night would suffice." Syura looks at Summer Wind to confirm her conclusion, and the young woman nods.

"Perhaps," adds the mage, "it is the strange articulation which is the reason they need the long robes, and their human faces are only for show. I would need to consult Ifrit on what kind of immortals, if any, fit that conformation."

"That did occur to me, as well," says her husband. "But then why would their expressions show signs of strain instead of being projected as calm or menacing or whatever?"

"Good point,” both Kanu’s mother and wife agree.

When Summer Wind talks to Ifrit, she learns two main things. The first is that according to the djinn woman, any beings that are so clearly nonhuman generally shun mortals like the plague and would certainly not put themselves at the mercy of armed ones, not even sleeping, half-trained young people.

Seeing Ifrit herself reveals the second thing, although it is Jí´ who puts it into words after the blue woman says goodbye. Visiting in the steppes, she seems much more fragile and stereotypically feminine than her usual business-like persona. It takes a lot out of Ifrit, he tells Summer Wind and Kanu, to turn in a fae or halfling who is facing a probable or even possible death penalty. For those who would otherwise live more or less forever, the end of a life is a serious thing, but Woe had been a cold-blooded killer.

It is the first time that Jí´ has been privileged to help her in getting through the after-effects of such a mission, and he thinks that being surrounded by so many fresh new lives, in the form of the family's children, is really aiding the process. Her eyes still darken occasionally to maroon and fill with tears, but the drops seem to cleanse rather than merely streaming forth. This is a side of Ifrit only hinted at before, and the couple is pleased that she feels comfortable enough to share it.

Summer Wind, privately, wonders if some of the increased... for lack of a better word... girlishness of Ifrit's is not in part due to the fact that Jí´ is there and, coincidentally, does not have tusks and drool a great deal. That she would be delicate and feel raw makes sense but does not explain why the djinn woman suddenly has sparkles in her hair. Maybe this is a natural effect for the blue woman, like the reverse of her inability to blush or the odd sound of her laughter. That, too, seems like Ifrit.

"Well," sighs Syura, "that is a relief in that I really didn't want to have to fight the supernatural but, in a way, it almost makes things worse. It is harder to think 'This hideous monster has stolen my child,' if they look just like you... on the outside, at least."

"Yes, hatred like that is easy." Summer Wind continues, "Such prejudices will always be a problem, I'm afraid. Maybe that's the whole reason for the disguises of the gliders in black, to implicate someone they hate? It seems far-fetched, though."

"Possibly not," Kanu says. "If it is a group of people, and we know there are at least three, perhaps they want to start a revolution against the ruling classes, as well as take control of the villages."

Syura's voice is tired. "These are evil people; I do not understand them.” Her eyes close as though she is in pain. “I barely understand my own daughter," she mumbles to herself, but Summer Wind hears her.

"Is that why you are so... tentative, of late? Because Syeha did not come to you with her problem?" the young mage, not so terribly much older than Syura’s daughter, asks kindly.

"I should have seen..." the witch-woman trails off.

"Ma Ayah, my mother, even you cannot see everything. Think how boring life would be if you did!" says Kanu.

"Yes, we would not have this amusing little trouble now, would we?" Syura snipes with unusual bitterness.

"You can't blame yourself for that!" her son objects.

"No, I suppose not. If it hadn't been my village, it would have happened somewhere else... first," Syura seems defeated again.

"I will talk to Blue Turtle Dreaming as soon as it is light here," Summer Wind whispers to her husband. "Syeha really needs to have a long chat with her mother. Now!"

"While they are speaking, we can try to locate the drug dealer. The tiny girlfriend Ahi'i, or whoever, had to get the intoxicants from somewhere," approves Kanu. "You can pretend to be an addict; I'm more sinister."

Blue Turtle Dreaming summons Syeha and tells her that her mother needs to speak with her. Then he leaves the two of them alone. Syeha feels that this is not a good sign; the conversation she has avoided is staring her in the face now. She has hurt her mother, but she does not know how to fix it.

"Ma Ayah? My mother? I... I am so sorry!" the girl begins.

Syura looks tired, as though she has spent the night awake. "It is all right, my baby. I just... did not see that you were not my baby anymore... not in time. Maybe I did not want to see…"

"No, Ma Ayah, it is not all right," Syeha continues, feeling very small and sad. "I am still, and I will always be, even though I am not, do you see?" and she gulps back tears already. "I... my magic... I didn't want to see it, didn't want it to be sometimes oddly there." She cannot figure out what to do with her hands, and winds up gnawing meditatively on her nails, although Syeha abhors the habit in others. "I wanted to go on being like I had always been, even though I also wanted to grow up. I wanted to be normal. Or alternately, I could have dealt with being magical. But to be something in between... I couldn't cope, so I pretended that if I ignored it, it would go away," Syeha explains.

"I am abnormal to you?" Syura asks, wounded so easily in her exhaustion.

"No, Ma Ayah, you are wonderful! And you shine so brilliantly! You are something I could never hope to be..." her daughter trails off.

"Why could you not have come to me? Or to your father?" Syura asks finally. "We have never put any pressure on you to be like us..."

"Because, Ma Ayah," Syeha says in a low voice, as if it is a new discovery, and at least in part it is, "coming to you would have made it real." Once again, she repeats, "I am so sorry!" The girl is crying silently now but, then, her feelings have always fallen easily from her eyes.

"Oh, my baby, don't cry," soothes Syura, but her eyes are overflowing as well. It is a relief to be talking honestly at last with Syeha but a hardship not to be able to hug her child, between the savanna and the plains. After a while, the mother sniffs and asks, "So, what will you do now, since you can no longer ignore your magic?"

Syeha answers, "I will study diligently, and learn whatever I can from Moon Shadow. And then... these are lovely people, but I think I would like to come home. Maybe I could learn from you for a while?" Syeha firmly clasps her hands in her lap in order to avoid biting at her nails. "Or would that be too awkward?"

"Awkward? You're my Syeha, my breath. When it is safe for you, I would like that very much," Syura replies.

"If I can help... if Kanu and Summer Wind think I wouldn't be in the way... well, I can leave immediately and return for a while," the teenager offers.

"I will tell them," Syura concedes, "but I don't think they will be willing to put you in danger."

"I know, but... if there is ANYTHING I can do... Being here, I feel very helpless, very... useless," the girl does not quite complain.

"I don't feel that much more useful here," says her mother, and her voice is nearly back to normal.

Syeha smiles just because it is. "It is so frustrating!" mother and daughter both comment as one. And for the first time in a long while, the witch-woman laughs.

Moon Shadow knows that Syeha is upset but realizes, as well, that it is a release of pain that she has carried for some time. She is also aware that what she is able to teach the girl is coming to an end. In the past few days, her student has gone from mastery of one or two spells, to finally conquering all that she has been shown.

Like her magic was on-again, off-again until recently it blossomed forth, Syeha's capacity for conjuring and spell casting has suddenly sprung full blown. Moon Shadow was chosen as her first teacher because it was felt that the girl would absorb the lessons of patience and balance best from her, not because the northeastern Paleyit woman's powers are very strong. It is time for Syeha to make a choice: does she wish to continue her magical education, and if so, with whom? She has enough metaphysical control, now, to be trusted with this decision.

When Moon Shadow tells her this, however, Syeha is somewhat dismayed. She has grown quite fond of her teacher, and even though she was just talking with Syura about going home and receiving lessons there, the girl is torn. "So, what will I do now, if I decide that I would like to learn from my mother for a while, but it is not yet safe for me to leave the steppes?"

"You can always stay with us, you know, my dear. But perhaps you would like to explore beyond Rolling Thunder clan territory?" the older woman suggests.

"Yes, that would be great! But I can't ride a horse," Syeha responds. "Even if I could, I'd be afraid of just riding forever instead of reaching Sun Horse clan."

Moon Shadow laughs. "The plains are a bit deceptive in their flatness. Still, I think you should learn to ride. You never know; perhaps you may eventually want to visit here again, and the knowledge will be useful."

"I would love to come here again, some time," says the girl. "Thank you for the invitation, and for your... endless... patience."

Summer Wind makes an excellent actress, at least as far as pretending to be a jittery addict goes. She hangs off of Kanu, who is at the same time solicitous and a little bit mean. The combination works well and fools the man they have been able to seek out as Ahi'i the diminutive's supplier of drugs.

There is not much more that is useful that he can tell them, except the type of currency that the tiny girl paid him with. That is interesting. Because most people this far from the city to the west pay in common trade money, or very worn coins embossed with the ruler before the newest monarch to take the throne. But not Ahi'i. Her coins were bright and shiny, and featured the current king. The drug dealer is an addict of his own product, and keeps repeating, "Bright and shiny and new," delightedly.

This suggests that she did not, in fact, come from any local tribal village, but rather much farther to the west, from the metropolis of Tlahzeos, its immediate surroundings, or at least the Fpaki’im Gateway Mountain trade outpost. It seems almost positive that, at her height, Ahi'i the short would be an outcast. Kanu is not sure, but he thinks the rule is that, if a child has not reached five feet by the time they are twelve, he or she is exiled to the wild. Just exactly how new were her coins? Had she been back to the capital city somehow in the past few years?

A thought is beginning to brew in Summer Wind's brain, but it is still very nebulous as yet. Besides, to confirm this ridiculous suspicion, she would need a portrait of Ahi'i, and even that might not prove anything. Still, it is always best to keep an open mind. The mage decides to ask Kanu to help her make sketches of the two women and one man in black that he saw the night before... just in case they might be familiar to someone: this drug dealer or one of the pack-running teens, perhaps.

Kanu cannot draw, but he has an excellent eye for detail, and Summer Wind is a gifted artist, although she rarely uses this particular talent. However, when they return to the shack of the drug supplier later that day, he has stopped saying, "Bright and shiny and new." The man will never tell anyone anything again, as unfortunately, he has died of an apparent overdose. Summer Wind now feels reluctant to show the likenesses to any of the young people; her plan was no secret in the village.

Therefore, with pessimism bordering on paranoia, or at least that's what she tells herself, Summer Wind cannot help wondering if the man’s sudden death, possibly so convenient to the figures in black, was truly an accident. If not, then she doesn't dare risk the life of a teen of Bowing Tree; the entire point in coming here was to save them! When she confesses her fears to Kanu, though, he does not make light of them. It is a strange coincidence, but who in the village might be an informant when awake?

"I do not think you are being overly cynical," is Syura's assessment. "But consider that, with any luck, it is your interest in the provider of drugs alone that resulted in his death. If he continued his chant about 'bright and shiny and new', Ahi'i, visiting later, might have been leery of that clue and become homicidal."

“Especially if she herself has become mildly to moderately addicted to the substance and opted to raid his stash instead of paying any longer with coins that were ‘bright and shiny and new’.” Taronyu, usually silent during these discussions, puts in.

"It is possible, of course, that one of our neighbors is in league with the black-clad villains, and that is why all of our publicized plans have gone awry," Syura frowns. "I would prefer to believe, however, that there is some form of listening station located somewhere in Bowing Tree Village, or that we have merely had a run of bad luck."

Kanu feels stupid. "I should have thought of that, maybe an echo charm variant. Probably near the well where folk gossip the most..."

Summer Wind runs a hand over his hair, and another through her own. "We're both too tired."

"If it were me, and I knew that I had been seen and pictures of me were being shown about, I would first eliminate those who had created those images. Be safe. Get some rest. Yet, I think since no attempt has been made on your lives so far, that perhaps our visit to the training center may remain a secret," Syura reasons; she has already had a nap. "I will pray for such an outcome."

"Thank you," reply both Kanu and Summer Wind sincerely, and go off to bed for a while, with many ward charms and incantations wrapped around them.

While the couple is sleeping, Syura performs a check on the more frequented areas of the village and finds no magical listening devices or remnants of eavesdropping spells. This does not prove that there are, or were, none anywhere, but it is reassuring. Nevertheless, they will take more precautions to always formulate plans behind closed doors from this point on, and share them with the rest of the Bowing Tree residents only at the last possible moment.

She conducts her search quietly, not merely to avoid implicating innocent villagers of spying and feeding that suspicion into the rumor mill, but also since the majority of Bowing Tree's young people have taken up napping during the day, as well. Almost all are affected now whereas at first it was only the pack-runners. None of their nights, obviously, are terribly restful anymore.

That evening in the witch-woman's dwelling, the strategy session, therefore, circles back to the same original problem: how to get the teens free without harm and yet ensure that all of the gliders in black, and any potential accomplices, are caught. "If we could generate a large enough distraction, like waking the full complement of sleepwalkers at once, every single evildoer would have to respond, wouldn't they?" Someone muses, and it is generally agreed that this is true.

"But would the young people be safe?" comes the counterargument.

"They would still be available as hostages, wouldn't they?" That is a point, unfortunately. Also, nothing has worked effectively to awaken the teenagers once bespelled other than a jar of water dashed in the face. This would be valuable information, if only the season for rainstorms were not so far away.

"I'm missing something," Summer Wind keeps saying, and it is a sentiment that everyone shares. Exchanging news with Blue Turtle, therefore, is not that encouraging, despite the minor progress.

Nothing has ever been kept from Syeha during these sessions, and she asks Summer Wind directly what it is that she suspects. The mage tries to demur, begging overtiredness, but the girl is insistent. "I think Ahi'i is one of the tall figures in black, floating well above the ground," she admits.

"That would explain the gliding, and the seeming to have an extra joint above where the elbow of the robe should be," agrees Kanu.

"As well as the new money, if Ahi’i comes from the capital city, banished for her small size, rather than a neighboring tribe out in the hinterlands, as she told us. It would make sense that she might still have contacts in Tlahzeos providing her with funds or have potentially hoarded cash before she turned 12" Syura concurs. "I think you may be right, and not just imagining things."

Syeha tries to think back; when did the trouble start in relation to Ahi'i the mean-spirited joining the group? And the timing seems to coincide fairly well. At the very most, Ahi'i preceded the problem by a week or two, perhaps allowing a while to get settled in and establish trust.

The next day, wearing a plains vest and slit skirt, and feeling very exposed since she doesn't quite have the hang of it yet, Syeha has her second lesson in horses, and this time she is allowed to actually get on one. "This is the horse you will ride to my sister's clan," Springing Doe tells her. "Song the Wolf Calling has volunteered to teach you, since it is understood that a desire to visit there was part of your motivation to learn."

The girl is alarmed. "I'm going by myself?" she says.

Springing Doe laughs warmly. "No, Ifrit and Jí´, who have just stayed with me for a while, will return with you. It will be all right."

Syeha remembers the tall desert woman and the pale... Seo Hán Nì?... man. She is among the few who know that they are really djinn, but that doesn't help her see them as they truly are. The girl is surprised when they propose to walk back alongside her horse. "You will be going very slowly. We will have no problem keeping up," Jí´ promises with a broad grin.

Indeed, they help her remount a number of times and are not bothered by the sedate walk that is the only gait Syeha dares to try. "Listen to the animal with your body," they tell her.

"You can ride?" she asks, unsure if this is insulting or not.

"We Ethereal Entities do not usually ride... regular horses," Jí´ says. She has the feeling that they could keep up if she were to gallop, but the girl wouldn't want to test it even if she could; somehow that would be rude. Eventually the trio arrives at Sun Horse.

When she is finally able to get down off of her loaned horse one last time, Syeha is thoroughly ready to fall into the arms of anyone who offers. Her best guess, before she speaks, is that this is Wolf Calling, and she is correct. Introductions to the rest of Summer Wind's extended family follow.

Song has a confession to make. "It is really the horse who does most of the teaching. I was just curious and wanted to meet you." Syeha grins. Smoke Cat is easy to identify as shaman; something about the way she holds herself speaks of power and authority.

Jonas, her husband, is equally simple, being the only husband not from the steppes. "Tell me everything," he says. "Don't leave out even the tiniest detail; this is a tale worth collecting! Although, of course, I'll need the end, too."

Syeha is sure he's heard at least a synopsis of the troubles in her village by now, but, being an obliging girl, she recounts everything she is able to remember. She ends with the meeting of the night before, and the still puzzling conundrum: how to evacuate dozens of young people, especially without allowing the miscreants to escape.

"Well, first, I think, you need an accurate count of just how many of these gliders in black there are," says Smoke Cat Watching. "When would they all appear?"

"To refresh the sleepwalker spell, maybe," hypothesizes Jonas.

"Quite possibly; it would be a lot of work," his wife agrees.

"And second, you need that big distraction you mentioned," confirms Star Hawk, Wolf Calling's husband.

All this time, Song has been trying to keep the small children amused so that they would not interrupt too much. "Divert the river," she says. "Flood the ravine." Everyone stares, and she shrugs. "You mentioned they go downstream along a river, not crossing it." Wolf Calling extracts one of her braids from her niece’s mouth. "Presumably that's so there's no chance of them getting wet and waking themselves up. So, build a temporary dam. Water builds up, it runs downhill, and a wave swamps the valley."

Song, just recently having been a semi-genie in a ring, is still thinking in terms of large and dramatic spells, but she's right; it should work. All the teens would wake at once, and all of the tall, or possibly short, people in black would be forced to come out of hiding and try to regain control of the situation.

Smoke Cat contacts Summer Wind immediately. "It would require conjuring a lot of earth, in the form of stone, at one time. A LOT of rock. Or else the valley would get waterlogged too slowly to be of any use. But it's an excellent plan; I like it! I knew I was missing something," says the younger sister.

"Do you have enough people to do it?" asks the shaman.

"We should have, yes, just barely." The mage sighs. "And you can tell Syeha that she can come and make sure the water stays in its channel."

Summer Wind's main role in the plan will be to bring into being, quite suddenly, a fully constructed dam with overflow gates in the direction of the nocturnal training camp. After she is done with that, the mage will be free to help with rounding up the bad guys, if necessary, or whatever else needs doing.

Kanu will once again sneak into the center of the site, early, as the young people filter in, and count how many villains they are looking for, so that none are missed later. Then, once the teens are wet and confused, but still armed and presumably able to take care of themselves, the invisible man will dispatch as many of the black-clad figures as possible before they are able to regroup and reassert order. Guessing that these are levitating small people will be invaluable in knowing where to aim blows.

Syura will have a similar purpose, only by using mainly magic to prevent the malefactors from either sneaking away during the chaos or retaliating against teenagers or adults. She cannot, unfortunately, lay down a null-magic field without tipping off the black gliders, but the witch-woman is very good at suppressing spells before they are fully formed and can come to fruition. Also, it will be her job to coordinate action during the mission, and let the worried parents know when it is safe.

Syeha will stay clearly out of harm's way. She is to alert Summer Wind if the water is not flowing through the path that it is supposed to, but no more. Definitely, the girl is forbidden to eat, drink anything but water, or especially sleep, while she is in the southlands, and she will return to the steppes as soon as someone is available to send her there. This is felt to be a remarkably generous bargain, and she might not be included at all if she were not so eager to identify Ahi'i as a killer.

And Summer Wind's part of the plan goes superbly. The stone manifests at her command and organizes itself according to her will. It may not be the prettiest dam ever, but it is functional, and it is instant. After this feat, of course, the mage must rest for a good while before tackling anything else magical. She takes a long and leisurely walk in the direction of the training camp. When she is about a third of the way there, the water pressure is too great, and a giant amount leaps ahead.

Kanu is in place, invisibly, even before the dam, to account for all the young people, and to establish the number of villains in black. As it happens, there are five: two men and three women. In a way, he is surprised that there are not more, but perhaps these are the most powerful magically.

The warrior shifts periodically to keep his legs from going numb and does his best to keep track of the robed gliders. Two retire to a concealed grotto, probably to sleep and be called on later during the night or at need. The stars barely have time to wheel before he becomes uncannily aware that his mother has taken up her position on the valley's lip, though she dares not come closer until the sleepers are wakened. Several responsible adults have been selected to direct traffic flow later.

As a guardsman, he was trained in pursuing a malefactor through a crowd of civilians, but Kanu would still prefer not to have a group of befuddled and milling young people to have to deal with. It is much better to get them out of the way and safely back to the village in as quick and orderly a fashion as possible. And, as though on cue, here comes the water! It has calmed from its initial burst of roiling and churning, but it still carries leaves and twigs and mud. However, it is quite effective!

The two figures in black who were in the grotto slosh out into the open, spluttering and angry. They don't even bother with floating. Kanu conks one on the head and gags and ties the other so fast that the enemy barely even knows what happened. Then he throws the two of them up on top of a little rise so that they don't end up face down in even the shallowest water. Syura has waded into the fray, and is taking on two of them at once, batting away their spells like biting flies. Where is the third?

There she is! She's shed her black robes and is trying to mingle with the other girls. But she is only about 4'8", so she's easy to spot if you're alert and focused, which some of the hysterical teens, admittedly, are not. Wondering idly if this is Ahi'i herself, Kanu, visible now, bounds after her. And he discovers that, although her legs may be short, she's as fleet as an antelope and delights in tripping other young people and shoving them into his path. Syura is finishing her combat.

However, his lovely wife is arriving, too. She looks paler than normal and tired. "Hey, Ahi'i," she calls to the tiny girl, and flips her one of the shiny coins left behind by the murdered drug provider. Automatically, she pauses and raises her hand to catch it; then, Kanu has her, twisting and writhing, trying to spell-cast, claw, bite, or whatever. Syura, the witch-woman, coming up from behind, binds the vicious... teenager?...just how old is she, really? Not that it matters, especially not at the moment.

Immobilized with restraints that nullify magic, the former gliders in black stare defiantly at the villagers who have captured them. The tallest is about 5'2". Ahi'i appears to be both their leader and the most diminutive. "We will escape, and my brothers and sisters will fight you to the death."

"Actually, I'm only a cousin," mumbles one of the men, not so eager now to share the fate of Ahi'i, whatever that may be.

"We are royalty," says one of the women with pride and disdain.

"We shall gather support from other outcasts as we take power, and conquer the city," crows the man who is not merely a cousin.

The third woman stays silent, as she is apparently on the verge of throwing some form of temper tantrum. Ahi'i glares and her, and she hiccups in an effort to pull herself together.

"Why did you choose Bowing Tree Village?" asks the mother of Makto, the erstwhile boyfriend of Ahi'i.

"You deserved it," the leader of the miscreants can't stop herself from sneering. She glances up at Summer Wind with disgust. "You accepted this... pallid foreigner, yet you wouldn't take us in."

Syura is infuriated, however her voice is deadly calm when she says, "You never asked for acceptance. Indeed, we had no idea you were in the area until you attacked us through our young people."

"We shouldn't have to beg like dogs! We are royalty!" snaps the first woman, who seems to have a one-track mind.

The third woman has lost her battle for self-control and begins howling and kicking her heels as well as her bonds allow. "Yola! Be still!" commands Ahi'i, but apparently her absolute authority is crumbling.

Syeha, who has not yet been sent back, pours a jug of water over the hysterical woman, who regains sense enough to declare, "We are NOT cute!" as if she'd been accused of it.

"So, what do we do with them?" becomes the question of the hour. Many are in favor of executing them outright; there is no doubt, after all, that they were planning the wholesale slaughter of the village's adults. The villains do not even bother to deny it. Yet there is no evidence that they have actually killed anyone, since the drug dealer's overdose could have been accidental, and by the customs of Bowing Tree, it is difficult to condemn a person to death who only prepared to do murder.

For some, it is uncomfortably like lowering oneself to their level to kill even such evil people as these in cold blood. Still, they cannot be turned loose either, obviously, and the tribe has no desire to support them in perpetuity. "Let the folk of the Imperium’s capital city deal with the criminals their society has indirectly produced," is suggested by someone, and this plan becomes widely popular.

"Yes, send them back to the Dzubah metropolis in the Oribirri Tanglewood Jungle where they came from," is the prevailing sentiment, irresponsible or not.

Despite the fact that the short malefactors loudly and emphatically protest that they would rather die than be cast once again into the hands of their tall kin, as witch-woman, Syura must at least explore this avenue that the villagers so heartily embrace. Kanu and Summer Wind also make the journey to the Fpaki’im Mountains’ trading and administrative outpost to see Utral, whose district tour has finished.

The city government official, however, feels no such constraint to be dutiful. "They are not our problem. They ceased to be citizens of ours at the age of twelve. As far as we are concerned, they no longer exist," she says with cool disregard.

"What would you have done had they succeeded in their dastardly plan and taken over a village under your protection? Or worse yet, what would you have done had they gotten far enough to threaten your beloved lush, Imperium lands?" Summer Wind argues, trying a different tactic.

"What we do with all foreign terrorists and agents who attempt to overthrow our regime: we would have destroyed them utterly. That, however, did not happen. Since you stopped them, it remains a strictly parochial affair, and you must deal with them yourselves," Utral states grandly.

Now it is Kanu's turn to try to reason with the elongated woman. "Consider that there are, apparently, many of your exiles who feel this way. Perhaps you might be wise to make an example of these five radicals.”

"Nonsense!" is all the reply that Kanu receives. Utral is growing clearly impatient and wishes to end this interview as soon as possible.

Syura, though, has one more question. "How much magic does the standard capital city citizen, or even the average member of your royal family possess? All five of the villains that we have in custody have quite strong magic. Perhaps they are not the exception, but rather the norm; if I were you, I would investigate potential sorcerers before I threw them out."

So, the ultimate disposition of Ahi'i and her gang is once again the problem of Bowing Tree’s residents. Syura sighs and says that she will dance on the dilemma. Summer Wind doesn't recall ever having seen her do this, although Kanu, of course, has spoken of it many times and the mage is curious.

The trees surrounding the witch-woman, according to the name of the tribe, literally seem to lean a bit toward her as she dances, and the branches sway to her rhythm. No spirit animals flock to her; that is a shamanic phenomenon of the steppes. Yet there is a sense that nature itself is aware and in contact with Syura. She dances for what feels like a long time and then, out of breath, she sits in the shade of one of the trees to rest. Presently, the witch-woman beckons to Kanu and his wife.

"I don't think we should execute them, no matter how evil they have been and still are. Somehow that diminishes the value of life. And yet the nebulous instructions I received seem to be in conflict with that. We are to take them deep into the desert to the east and abandon them there, not disclosing the location to anyone so that no secret supporters can bring them aid," Syura pronounces between sips of water.

Summer Wind is impressed. "That's so specific; my messages aren't half that clear."

"I summarize well," says Syura, dumping the remaining water over her brow.

This solution, strangely enough, makes everyone happy, both the villagers in favor of killing the tiny miscreants and their neighbors who find that to be inhumane; releasing them in the desert will give them a chance of finding an oasis that can support them, however unlikely that might be. The witch-woman Syura said that they were not to be put to death, so surely such a habitat will be found in spite of the odds. There is a definite feeling of "believe whatever you need to" on each side.

Therefore, Summer Wind and Kanu prepare for a journey into the no man’s land of the Rao Desert. Syura cannot come because her village needs her; many of the young people feel traumatized and are now afraid to go to sleep. The short, former royalty are also, amazingly, ready to go. They have been spending the time waiting for a verdict on their punishment by enforced cleaning up of the mess produced by temporarily diverting the river. "You treat us like slaves," says one woman melodramatically. "We would rather die!"

Crossing the savanna is very pleasant, or at least it might be if the five prisoners could refrain from complaining for more than half an hour at a time. Kanu and Summer Wind, combined with the magic-banning bonds, are enough of a guard to keep Ahi'i's group out of trouble and prevent escape. Nobody is looking forward, however, to purchasing camels, water skins, and desert robes. Yet this, too, is accomplished without mishap in a small town outside of Jailuha. Since they have no particular destination, they will not hurry.

On the night before they begin their trek into the desert, hoping for some sort of sign as to where they should head, at least, Summer Wind dances. "Ask the desert nomad," is the basic gist of what she is told. For a few moments, the sense of this eludes her, but Kanu, for once, interprets easily.

Kanu has never seen Ifrit as a blue woman with red eyes and pointed ears. To him, she has always appeared to be a nomad of the deep desert, although extraordinarily tall for one of the women of that ethnicity. None of the men of the family, in fact, have ever perceived anything other than the djinn female's customary disguise, and must ask their wives for a description. It is simple for Ifrit to maintain this appearance as it has a basis in truth: she is from the desert, and she is a wanderer by nature.

When the young couple contacts Ifrit, she is with Jí´, as usual. Ironically, Kanu can see Jí´'s purple eyes and hair plainly, since his disguise is selective, and he doesn't bother hiding his true form with people who know he is a supernatural entity anyway. The djinn bounty hunter is somewhat surprised that the humans of Bowing Tree would go to so much trouble to relocate criminals who wanted to kill them. "Several of your kind wanted to hide the wand someplace inaccessible and forget it," replies Summer Wind.

"You do have a point," concedes Ifrit. "Well, if it is an inaccessible oasis that you are seeking for these people, I know of one that will support a few dozen, but that can't be reached without camels bearing water skins. There is even a building there since once, long ago, a religious group tried to establish a monastery on that site. It is probably mainly in ruins by now, but some of it may still stand."

"That sounds perfect!" says Summer Wind. "Thank you! Can you draw us a map to it?"

Ifrit looks at her djinn companion. "The length of our visit here in the plains was never specified, but it has been a long while, staying with first one and then another. Perhaps it is time that, as good guests, we should leave," says Jí´, the perfect host.

"In that case, I will be able to guide you myself if you are willing to wait for my arrival a few days," the blue woman volunteers.

"I could take you faster, if you would like," Jí´ offers. Ifrit is obviously torn between independence and camaraderie.

"I would rather go under my own power, I think... but the oasis is beautiful. Would you like to see it?" Ifrit compromises. Accordingly, it is done, and happily the desert woman has a quelling effect on the five criminals. Summer Wind, as a thank you gift, sketches Ifrit looking up at Jí´ on the stair above her, at the ancient temple. After that, they go their own ways.

"So," Kanu says as they recross the desert, "where to now?"

"I believe," his wife replies, "this time I will dance on it."