(Portrait by Regina Carey)
 

*111 ADT*

The gently sloping rays of the after-noon sun let the trees and bushes lining the path cast ever changing patterns on the grass-flecked dirt.

Radiance and Lure were at horseplay, seeming younger than their years as they tousled together. Starfall was watching them with a disapproval self-evident on his noble face. He seemed distant and apparently unwilling to acknowledge to anyone his growing concerns about not having found a Bondmate yet. He'd even taken to hovering at the gates when new intakes were arriving, hoping to find among them one of noble standing that he might recognise as his future Bonded. But he spoke of this to no one.

{ I heard that Starfall beat you on the obstacle course this morning. } Lure's mindvoice was leaning toward tormenting.

Radiance laid one ear back in mock annoyance.

{ So what? } The brown stallion snorted. { It was just because I slipped. }

Lure laughed.

{ Yeah, sure! } The stallion tossed his gold-streaked mane and lashed out with a hoof - teasingly, not close enough to hit.

{ You don't believe me?} Radiance's tone was edged to provoke the white stallion. { At least I can take on such a flea as you anytime a day.}

Lure grinned an equine grin, soft lips pulled back to display long teeth. { I'm so scared. I shiver all the way to the tip of my tail. } Half-rearing, he added. { Come and get me then! } Mock-fighting the stallions tumbled just off the path out of the way of the others.

Skydancer and Jester were accepting samples of a new recipe that some students had been working on, making polite noises of encouragement to the humans and wry faces at each other when the two-legs weren't looking.

{By the Light - what *did* they put in this?} Skydancer's eyes bulged slightly at a particularly sharp flavour and oddly gritty texture.

{I really have no idea,} Jester responded resignedly. {But they do seem so eager to please and who know....perhaps it might be one of them....} He half met Skydancer's eye, almost as though afraid that to speak of the Bond might stop it from happening.

Skydancer put aside the vague suspicion he'd been harbouring that the other stallion might have had something to do with the odd recipe - he wouldn't have put it past him. But he was sobered by the thought of the Bond that had happened so close to him nearly a ten-day before - Crossfire's Bonding to the silver-eyed girl. The Light had come so close to him, but had chosen another. He saw something of the same feelings that beset him in Jester's face, even though the light-hearted 'corn did his best to conceal such things behind laughter. 'Dancer gave the other 'corn a reassuring nod. {A pity you can't get rid of items as well as bring them,} he noted drily.

Jester snorted, spraying bits of the food as he did so in amusement.

The twins stood debating together not far away in typical fashion, Player's mindvoice and body-gestures inviting all about them to take part in his denouncements and Shadow as usual keeping his mindtones soft, the shadows around him less than inviting to others.

{{Well, there are more ways to consider it aren't there?}} Shadow put forward. {{I'm not sure that you aren't being a little too hasty in making up your mind on the subject...}}

{{Hasty! When there are already crop shortages in central Uen! You heard the visitors when they came to the Graduation of the Lightnings. Prices rising out of the range of the common folk day by day! No no no brother! Something must be done - and soon!}} He cavotted in his earnestness and added with deep sincerity and a noble look, {{I only hope the Light will see me Bonded soon so that I can take my place in the Roug Forces and do more to aid the oppressed!}}

Shadow sighed inwardly as he regarded his enfired brother. Player was so keen to be Bonded and away on duty that he wasn't sure if he'd even considered what it would mean to them both to be parted from one another. ::Light don't let him Bond without me:: he thought to himself with a quiet but heartfelt plea, lifting his head as he noticed Player distracted by something else worth his notice. From the sudden glint in his eyes it could only be some of the fillies. Shadow glanced over his shoulder and saw that he was right. Three mares were approaching, and some human fillies - girls - following on behind.

He normally began to draw shadows around himself and withdraw as soon as Player's attention strayed to the fillies. He often watched unnoticed from a place hidden in the bushes or shadows as others passed. Fillies in particular. It was amazing to him how Player managed to exude such confidence around others. He never could himself.

Player was already unconsciously arching his proud neck, lifting his feathered feet high to turn to welcome the new arrivals. His mindvoice was sweet and yet altogether masculine in nature as he sent his greeting to the lovely mares. {{Greetings ladies! Ah....don't move.....let my eyes soak in this lovely sight....such magnificient flowers in bloom....I feel so sorry for the merrygolds and daisies there beside you....how can they compete with such rare and natural beauty as yours? Impossible I say! They are nothing more than weeds in comparison to such as you!}} His eyes sparkled as he spoke.

The fillies arched their necks in return but trotted off to the side of the path. Not very far off though. They stood conversing together, but flicking long glances over toward Player.

Shadow winced slightly, wishing there was some way of getting out of being an unwilling audience to this flirtation. He shifted his attention back to the path, seeking distraction. No one else seemed to listen to him except Player, with Player he could speak his mind without fear but around others he was only....shadow.

As he gazed forward beyond the mares however, he froze, his body going into a sudden shock. A tremendous heat had enveloped him! Wild thumping began in his heart, sending an answering drumming to his ears. His eyes had met two still pools of gray sprinkled with blue and he was instantly mesmerized. Shadows began to spin and dance around the young black stallion. The wild, joyful abandon in the madly dancing shadows, made the scene seem like a world gone crazy!

Shadow wanted to pull back, that was his way...he fought the pull on him. Surely this must be for Player! Not him....but the force was gaining strength and he felt himself sweating, the more he fought the more it felt as if his blood would turn to ice! How could he have been so blind? Shadows needed light to move and have their being, just as HE needed HER! With that thought the black stallion gave in to the mental whirlwind.

Shadow felt his heart breaking as he stood by the graveside of Annie. Annie who had given his life meaning..Annie whom he knew and loved, yet he had never met. The strength of loving family ties wrapped around Shadows thoughts with a gentle, embracing caress. That these were human family ties rather than unicorn didn't seem to have any meaning to him as he gazed into the face of the gray eyed girl. He was no longer aware of his own body, or of hers, only of a wish to be closer to her in a way that didn't involve their outward shapes but their very souls. His own soul reached out for hers with a yearning that surpassed anything he had ever experienced. It reached out and found her spirit, wrapped around hers, exploring the other loves she held in her heart, seeking to place himself in the very centre of it.

The white chianta, underdog of the litter was there, just the sort Player was always trying to champion in debates. Shadow's thoughts were instantly protective of Noble and would be from that moment forward. The young woman's very heart beat with the same rhythm as his! Shadow was no longer *alone*. His soul flowed once more through hers like light through falling water and then he became aware once more of his body and his eyes and of the distance between him and his love - a distance that could no longer be tolerated.

Honour and loyalty had suddenly taken form before him, pure of heart and true. A breath-taking mane of dark hair flowed about her human shoulders. Such beautiful, honest gray eyes... Shadow had never known such serenity and joy! LOVE had sought him out..her name was Lana, a name of supreme beauty and grace. {Lana.my Lana.heart of my own heart! Apart we wept.together we will prevail!!!} The dancing shadows slowed. They suddenly came together and folded the two newly-bondeds into a gentle embrace.

A feeling, a hope, a wish... Something made Lana raise her gaze to the other side of the path, to see in between the branches what no one else seemed to notice. She had thought she knew the beauty of the world, but she had never known that all of it could be found in someone's eyes.

The Light flowed towards her, around her, and she welcomed it, but something was wrong. She felt the flood of the Light draw back and almost cried out her disappointment. For a second, she catched a glimpse of light and shadow in a lunatic dance. Then, like the waves of the sea that forever pull back, forever return, the wave of Light surged around her again, lifted her, enveloped her in a whirlwind of emotion.

It was more than she ever had dreamt about, it was the clear blue of an autumn sky, it was the white bird cherry blossoms of the spring, it was summer wind and winter sunset and life. Perhaps she would have been frightened, but he was with her. He whom she had been dreaming of all her life, although she had not known it.

Her memories, her heart - for the parcel of a second she hesitated, then willingly gave him the key. His memories, his heart... A loved brother, alike in apparence, so different spirit. She felt the pain of shyness, of wanting but not daring. Valour, intelligence, love.

Heart to heart and soul to soul. Light and falling water... She was herself again, more herself than ever before. And he came to her and she to him.

{Lana.my Lana.heart of my own heart! Apart we wept.together we will prevail!!!}

Triumph and love. Her heart swelled with the feeling, too much to hold. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and she raised a hand to brush them away, then knew that it was of no importance. She flung her arms around his neck and hid her face in his mane, breathing in that scent of winter mornings and flowers from wild lands. And silently the shadows sheltered the first-bonded pair with blue twilight.

Unicorn mane and human hair of the same midnight shade mingled together. Lana smiled, her face wet with tears, her mind alight with the sensation of love and being loved.

She saw him, really him. Not Player's brother, not 'that stallion' but him, Shadow. Lana, she smelled of clover and sun, mist and rain. Who had thought that humans could smell that good? Like through some long-forgotten instinct from the days of yore, Shadow almost longed for a dragon. A thousand dragons, he would protect her.

The young stallion breathed warm, grass-scented air over her face in unicorn greeting. He was hers, lungs and bone, heart and hooves, just as she was his. He wished this moment would last forever, but still… << Shall I? >> Her smile was answer enough. The shadows around them unfolded like the petals of a bud, leaving the new pair standing in the sunlight. The triumph of bonding still burned madly in Shadow's blood. He stood tall and proud next to his first-bonded. Perhaps for the first time of his life welcoming the attention of other people. To Lana, this was only right, they were together. A rainbow of love flowing between their hearts.

Tillbaka.

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