Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 17:42:44 EDT
From: MissColly@aol.com
Subject: The Firstwalker

The Firstwalker
by Colleen Thomas
Misscolly@aol.com

Tal'Marin stooped in the deep snow and carefully examined
the ground. There were drifts up to her eyes or higher in
places, but here under the firs the snow was not as deep.
She was surrounded by the huge boles of ancient fir trees in
a primordial forest that stretched away for leagues in any
direction. The snow here was fresh, which was usually a help
to her in exercising her craft. Tal was a ranger and
tracking wild beasts was as much a part of her daily life as
protecting the forest. Snow was usually her ally, but this
snow was very powdery and the whipping wind blew it around
so much that tracks were gone in minutes. This time she
could only make out the faintest outline of her prey's
track. The track was nearly filled with snow and only the
keen eyes of an elf enabled her to make out the indistinct
outline. She was at least a half hour behind the beast,
maybe a little less; it was so difficult to estimate because
of the uneven nature of the winds in this forest. It was
hard to see beyond the next tree because the wind was
whipping up now and gusting hard enough to dump snow from
the fir boughs. The sun was still shining and would be for
several hours even though she had been on the trail for over
thirteen this day. This far north there was never really a
night during winter, just a brief period of semi twilight.

"Soon Snowclaw," she said to the winter eagle that perched
restlessly on her gloved arm. He was one of the rare breed
of eagles that made their eryies in the inaccessible peaks
of the Spine of the World. They were small birds, but
extremely quick and sharp eyed. Kept as pets by many
aristocrats they were prized above almost all other breeds
for their intelligence and trainability. Snowclaw was not
tame, but he was her friend. She spoke his complex language
of shrills and whistles, another skill she had picked up
along the way and they had traveled together for many years.
Snowclaw knew her better than anyone alive save perhaps her
best friend, T'Larin.

She was in the Freyareth, the eternally snow covered land
that was the farthest north you could go on the continent of
Talor. Here the craggy mountains known as the Spine of the
World rose in unbroken majesty to dizzying heights and fell
to the icy sea in sheer cliffs no man could scale. No elf
had passed this way in many lives of men, for this was a
land of snow covered forests and dangerous creatures. Demon
haunted was the term men used to describe the cold wastes,
but the elves knew what monsters lay here and demons were
the least of the many perils.

Once her people had made their homes here, but that was
before the coming of the Shaggarath. The Shaggarath were a
race of semi intelligent barbarians related to, but
different from humans. They were dark eyed, light skinned,
and ate the flesh of their enemies. Tall and fierce in
battle they had driven the Northern clans completely out of
Freyareth in a time beyond reckoning to all but the most
ancient of her people. Their onslaught had been so swift and
brutal that only a handful of the snow elves had escaped.
Over time this remnant had joined and interbred with the
high elves until only a handful of pure bloodlines remained.
Now she dared venture into this icy domain seeking one of
the north's most fabled beasts, the Sha'logan.

The Sha'logan were almost mythical creatures and were feared
even by people who had never ventured into the snow. They
were large, typically weighing in at over thirty stone, but
some had been seen that reportedly weighed up to one hundred
stone or even more. They walked on four legs, but could
stand on their hind ones alone and could be as tall as
thirty hands. Their fur was thick enough to turn sword
blades and as white as the snow, providing excellent
camouflage. Each foot ended in five claws that could tear
through chain mail and their mouths were full of razor sharp
fangs. Enchanted shields and armor made from their hides
were among the prized heirlooms of her clan's noble houses.
They were not natural beasts, but some evil mage's
experiment gone awry and they were innately resistant to all
forms of magic save the very strongest. Rumor held that
arrows bounced off them and swords would not bite, but
Tal'Marin had yet to face a creature that could not be. She
took these rumors with more than a grain of salt and
relished this opportunity to return to Hoarfast in triumph
yet again.

Her best friend's brother, Dei' Nolan Aviandore was a mage
at the school in Hoarfast. Long ago he had won an ancient
tome in a wizard's duel and found a very old and powerful
incantation within. The spell would grant life everlasting
to one of the lesser races of Talor, but the components for
the spell were so rare and hard to obtain that it was
unlikely he would ever cast the spell. It was even more
unlikely that Dei, who hated most of the lesser races, would
ever grant such a boon even if the components were as
plentiful as the snow. It had been of little consequence to
him and he had forgotten about it soon afterwards, but he
had mentioned it to Tal when he was fresh from his victory
and in a bragging mood.

Tal had never forgotten it so when she received a letter
from her best friend T'Larin with strange tidings it
immediately came to her mind. T'Larin had fallen in love
with a human and even though they had been together but a
short while she was now afraid of loosing her love to the
ravages of time. She begged for any hope Tal might be able
to provide from her years of wandering. Remembering the
spell book and against her better judgment, Tal had gone to
T'Larin's brother with the news. Dei was appalled, but
mindful of the legend of Da'miel he had dug out the old book
and started a quest to find the components. Tal'Marin was
his sister's best friend and daughter to her protector Ral
Nir Thronin. She was also one of the greatest wanderers of
her age and was a natural that she should try to acquire the
most rare of the components, a Sha'logan's heart. She had
readily agreed, but had kept one secret of the letter she
had received from T'Larin. Only she knew the truth about
T'Larin's love. Dei would have been incensed to find his
sister had chosen a woman as her lover.

Tal'Marin found the news strange, but had not reacted with
the outrage most of her peers would have. While she found
humans repugnant she had never found the males of her tribe
attractive in the least. She was known as the ice maiden
among them, more for her steely rebuffs of any suitor than
for her obvious lineage from the snow elves of old. She was
short for an elf at only five foot six inches and delicately
built.  Her skin was a soft white, like the sun on new
fallen snow. Her long legs were trim and well formed, but
not bulky or heavily muscled. Slim hips and a narrow waist
made her full breasts seem larger than they were, an effect
not lost on the males she encountered. Her eyes were usually
blue, but turned to smoldering green when she was angry. Her
long blonde hair was worn down and nearly reached to the
small of her back.

She had set out from Hoarfast three months ago and now she
was less than a half an hour behind her prey. She stood and
hurried on through the snow, alert for any sign of the
beast. Alert and yet, too careless, for she failed to notice
beady red eyes following her every movement. She knew she
was closing the distance when she found fresh spoor in the
snow and the tracks became less indistinct. This one was a
monster; even for its kind and she started to draw her
longsword now that she knew the end of the chase was near.
She would have been well rewarded had she heeded the legends
of the Sha'logan. Not truly intelligent, but possessed of a
terrible cunning, the stories often told of hunter becoming
hunted.

She never realized that the creature knew it was being
followed. It never crossed her mind that the tracks she
followed doubled back not far from where she stood, or that
the act of drawing her sword would bring forth an attack.
She never had the chance to use her weapon for as she drew
something incredibly heavy smashed into her back, knocking
the sword from her hand.

If she had underestimated her opponent drastically it could
be said the beast had done the same. This small delicate
creature seemed only a tasty morsel and its initial attack
should have left the meal lying in the snow. Instead, Tal
rolled on her shoulder and came up facing the beast. She
could see nothing, in the swirling wind and snow; only the
creature's eyes gave it away and it was cunning enough to
know that. What followed was an hour of cat and mouse, with
the creature rushing suddenly from the snow and Tal'marin
dodging away. Several times she escaped only due to shrilled
warnings of Snow Claw. The little Eagle circled constantly
and to his eyes, even the snow was no deterrent. As time
wore on her strength began to ebb as the brutal cold,
constant vigilance, and hair's breadth escapes from flashing
claws and snapping fangs sapped her stamina.

Her cloak was ripped from her shoulders, her stout chain
armor hung in shreds over her shoulders and she was bleeding
from several wounds when the end came. A particularly heavy
gust dumped snow upon her from an over hanging limb. As the
falling snow knocked her off balance she realized with
despair that the beast had maneuvered her here, under the
tree line on purpose, with just such a result in mind. She
wondered fleetingly how many others had died in such a way
when she felt a great weight slam into her unprotected back,
driving her to the ground.

She rolled over quickly, but not fast enough to regain her
feet before it was on her. She looked up only to find a face
of nightmare bearing down on her. Red, beady eyes stared at
her with hunger and cunning deeper than any animal had a
right to have. A maw filled with yellowed fangs and dripping
thick saliva was descending to her throat. She threw her
arms up desperately, but its strength was incredible. She
felt the jaw lock about her throat and the world faded into
darkness.

                    *********************

Her vision swam and she cried out in a strangled voice, but
there was no monster on top of her. There was no sky above
either, instead she found herself staring at a ceiling made
of cunningly cut and fitted, but unadorned beams. She sat up
and looked around, wondering fleetingly if this was the
afterlife she had heard philosophers debate so much about.
In the stone fireplace to her left a cheery fire popped and
sizzled. A simple table was set up in the middle of the room
with four sturdy chairs made of roughhewn logs.  A few
cabinets were placed against one wall with a small counter
and in the corner closest to the fire a simple rope bed had
been built into the wall.

She heard the unmistakable sound of a door opening and it
cleared the last of the cobwebs from her aching head. As she
turned her head to find the door and started to sit up, the
blanket slid down and her chest was exposed. It was only
then that she realized she was nude. She quickly snatched up
the blanket and pulled it tightly over her chest, but not
before the person at the door got a good look at her pert
breasts. The stranger was an elven female of indeterminate
age. Her hair was long and black as a raven's wing. She was
taller than Tal'Marin, perhaps five foot seven or eight and
more athletically built. Beneath her red hose the muscles of
her legs stood out in bold relief, especially those in her
thighs. She wore a white shirt that readily displayed her
plump breasts and trim waist. A broad girdle of red
encircled her tiny waist and from it a strange curved sword
hung, along with a dirk and several small pouches. She held
a long bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows rode at her
shoulder. Her skin, what little of it was exposed was a
queer red color, not the ruddy red of someone stepping in
from the cold, but an almost metallic red. All of these
things impressed themselves upon Tal's consciousness at
once, but they all paled in comparison to the woman's eyes.
They were incredibly intense and felt as if they were boring
into her body, dark red eyes which seemed like banked fires,
ready to explode into flame at a moment's notice. The
woman's stare seemed to reach out and grab her, holding her
pinioned on the points of those eyes.

Tal'Marin felt a shiver pass through her body. Not from the
cold that had come in with the stranger, but one of raw
excitement. She could get lost in those eyes, just trying to
plumb their unfathomable depths and her tiny nipples
hardened in response to that stare. It was elemental,
powerful and on some level highly erotic.

"I see you have awakened," the stranger said slowly. The
language was an archaic form of high elven. The high elven
tongue was only spoken among the noble houses now and
Tal'Marin had never learned it as child. She had picked up a
bit of it over the long years, but many of the words had
changed with time and she had to concentrate before she
spoke.

"Who are you? Where are my clothes!"?

"I'll ask the questions here," the woman said imperiously.
She leaned against the table, but Tal'Marin's practiced eye
saw that it was only lightly and the bow was still in her
hand. The woman could easily fit an arrow to that bow and
strike Tal down before she could close the distance, even if
she could avoid that arrow, she was naked and weaponless
while the woman had both sword and dirk.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was hunting a Sha'logan," Tal said. The woman burst out
laughing.

"You are either a fool, a liar, or recklessly brave. The
question is which. Hmmm? But I shall find out."

"I'm no fool, nor a liar, nor has anyone called me reckless
in many years" Tal said defensively. The woman chuckled but
said nothing else.

The woman's eyes traveled up and down her body and Tal felt
naked even with the blanket. She clutched it tighter and
searched the room for her clothes.

"At least let me have my clothes back."

"Why would I do that? I like you naked."

"You what!"

"I like you naked. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't, you
have a delightful body. I was hard pressed not to posses
myself of it before you awakened."

Tal'Marin was speechless. She was angry and humiliated, but
she also could not help but wonder how this woman thought to
posses her. Deep down she wondered if it was something she
would have enjoyed. For a long time now a feeling had been
creeping into her; it was a yearning for someone to share
with, someone to spend time with, someone to love. She had
never had any feelings for the men who approached her.
Tal'Marin had cultivated a reputation for being callous, but
in reality it was not dislike, just . indifference. That
wasn't to say she had ever had feelings deeper than
friendship for women either. She had always been a loner who
was more comfortable in the wilds than with people. This
train of thought brought her back to her friend Snowclaw and
she suddenly realized he was nowhere to be seen.

"My bird! Have you seen my bird?"

"Is that your animal? It has refused to be shooed away. I
considered killing it for dinner last night, but I was not
in the mood for it."

"If you had I would kill you."

"Brash words for a naked Snow Elf in my home," she observed
dryly.

Tal'marin blushed as she realized how hollow her words were.
She was at the mercy of this strange woman. She realized now
that it was not an elf, while the skin tone and stature were
right, the woman lacked the delicately pointed ears that
denoted one of the elven race. She felt that she should be
scared or at least nervous, but found she was neither.

"Why do you seek the Sha'logan?"

Tal saw no reason to lie so she explained everything. She
told the full story, even divulging that T'Larin's love was
a female. She seemed incapable of stopping once she opened
her mouth and also incapable of being prudent. When she had
finished the woman smiled at her and Tal realized for the
first time that she was a beautiful woman when she smiled.

"You are only half a fool, but definitely recklessly brave.
The Sha'logan cannot be killed by your weapons. Only flame
can damage them. It is apparent to me that much of our lore
has been lost over time, truly the elves have entered a dark
age. The Sha'Logan are magical beasts and the heart of one
would decay into a foul black smoke long before you could
return to Hoarfast even if you managed to defeat one."

Tal'marin started to say that she did not know these things,
but the words that left her mouth were a shock to her, "Your
so beautiful."

At first she did not believe she had said those words, and
then she blushed deeply when she realized she had. The elf
looked at her quizzically and then a smile tugged at her
lips.

"There is a clear stone beneath you. Place it on the hearth
and you will find you have better control of your tongue."

Tal reached under the blankets and found the gemstone, it
was about the size of her thumb nail and clear as the finest
quartz. She placed it on the hearth and then looked at the
woman questioningly.

"It's a truth stone. A minor trinket with a simple glamour
on it. Anyone in contact with the stone must answer
questions truthfully. A hedge mage's bauble but, useful for
determining the intentions of uninvited guests."

"Why did it make me say that?"

"It didn't make you say it, not really. I did not ask you a
specific question so when you spoke it simply allowed you to
say what you were really thinking. Thank you by the way,"
she said and winked. Tal blushed deep crimson and stared
down at the floor a few moments, unwilling to meet the
woman's bold gaze.

"Who are you?" Tal asked to cover her discomfort.

"My name is Da'Rithnial Chalandor, but most call me Rith,"

"What are you doing here?"

"Hmmm. That's a long story. I am one of the Firstwalkers."

"Firstwalkers?"

"Truly your knowledge has fallen if children are no longer
taught of the Firstwalkers?" she said. When Tal stared at
her blankly she sighed and continued, "In the beginning time
when the world was newly formed and the powers of the maker
were still upon the land the Firstwalkers were created. I
say created, not born, because we sprang to life from
nothingness, knowing neither mother nor father.  Each of us
was formed to be the embodiment of one of the principal
elements of magic. Fire, water, earth, air, light, darkness,
life, and death. For ages we walked the earth and watched as
the elves were born and grew to a strong people. We walked
among you and where ever we went we subtly changed you. The
various races of your kind all show the touch of one of us.
We were one with you and on occasion mated with your kind to
keep the bloodlines strong. Many of your greatest hero's are
the offspring of one of us and one of your own.  Over the
ages some of us became weary of the world and ceased to do
our appointed task. Those who tired sought the element they
were associated with and fell into a deep slumber from which
they cannot be awakened. Only four of us still walk the
world."

"Then you are fire?"

"Yes, that is my element."

"What do you do here?" Tal asked, not bothering to doubt the
woman.

"I fight the forces of my brother Irgonte. His sister Tala
was a delicate creature who loved light, but she wearied
first and has slept the longest. Like the elements in magic
we were formed to counter each other. Without her light, his
darkness has grown and now is mingled with an even more
ancient power. It has become evil and threatens to overwhelm
the light altogether. This is not the time for a lesson in
history however. You were grievously injured and while I
have some skill, you must rest."

Tal did feel tried and sank back onto her pallet. Rith blew
out the candles and moved silently towards her bed.
Tal'marin was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling,
but she found herself fighting the urge to peek at the proud
Firstwalker as she disrobed. The quiet rustle of her
clothing was unnaturally loud and the temptation became
almost unbearable. Tal found her self becoming as tight as a
bowstring and sweating as she fought the impulse that seemed
to be becoming an over riding compunction. She breathed a
heavy sigh of relief when she heard the blankets being
pulled up and her body sagged, totally limp. In moments
sleep claimed her.

                         **********

She awoke to the sound of the wind howling like a living
thing. The fire had burned low and the room was still
cloaked in shadows. Rith sat at the small table without a
stitch of clothing on. Her hands were clenched and sweat
coated her body. Tal'marin rose painfully and moved
hesitantly towards the table. Outside the wind howled even
more fiercely and she became aware of strange noises that
before she thought were just the wind. A queer scratching at
the shuttered and barred windows which now sounded like
clawed hands searching for an opening.  A heavy banging
against the stout door that moments earlier had seemed no
more threatening than the wind, but now she had the
impression of something monstrous trying to get in. The
shadows in the corners of the room seemed to hold a menace
now that was absent moments before and Tal shivered. For the
first time in her life she felt fear and it was growing
stronger by the moment.

Rith's face was blank and her eyes had rolled back in her
head, so that only the whites showed. It was extremely eerie
and Tal'marin felt the nameless fear clutching at her heart
become stronger. On the table before the oblivious
Firstwalker was a white gemstone. It seemed to glow and
pulse with a light of its own, but that light was growing
steadily dimmer. The shadows in the room seemed to take the
shapes of evil creatures, their eyes glowing red with
malice. They slowly closed in on her and Tal'Marin began to
panic as a deathly dread stole upon her.

Shadows! her rational mind said. You have faced death a
million times and never felt fear and now you cower from
shadows? Yet her rational mind was only a small voice in a
gale compared to the fear that welled within her soul. This
fear was a living, breathing thing that threatened to freeze
her heart and seemed to choke the very air from her lungs.
She whimpered and fell back to the table her hand
involuntarily clutching at the gemstone, which suddenly went
dark. With the fading of its light all hope fled and she
screamed in a choked voice as the world spun away from her.

                    *****************

Tal'marin found herself in a nightmare world of horror. The
very ground was bloody living flesh that writhed beneath her
bare feet. Grotesque creatures that were only vaguely
humanoid reached out to her with blood stained claws. She
ran from them, but they followed. She entered a dark forest
of decaying trees and deep shadow, behind her she could hear
the feet of the creatures but she dared not look back. Limbs
clutched at her face and stung her cheeks as she raced
heedlessly past. She could hear them, so close behind now
that they must surely pounce at her next step.

With a frenzied burst of energy she lunged into an opening
between two obscenely twisted trees and found herself in a
dale. The many men who had tried to seduce her stood in a
circle around her. No longer the beautiful elves they had
been in life, they were now gross caricatures. Faces
distorted with lust they wore no clothes and their bloated
organs pulsed obscenely. They slowly closed in on her and
every move to escape was blocked as the circle slowly
tightened around her. They clutched at her and she was
suddenly enveloped in a sea of hands, mouths and other body
parts. She felt as if she would go insane under the mass of
unwanted caresses, yet she could not even move her limbs in
the press of bodies, nor hope to escape. She was about to
give up hope when she first heard the voice.

A delightfully melodious voice was singing very softly, the
melody was familiar, but the words escaped her. She tried to
find the source of that calming sound, but it was nowhere to
be seen. It called to her and she tried with the last of her
strength to break the grip that held her so tightly. She
nearly fell when her lunge met with no resistance at all,
the trees, the men, the creatures were all gone. Before her
lay a stair that ascended in unbroken spiral far beyond the
range of even her eyes. The voice seemed to come from the
top of that endless stair and she despaired, but the song
subtly changed, bringing with it renewed hope and energy.
She started up the stair and for a timeless period she
trudged ever upward. Light grew steadily brighter as she
ascended and at last she reached a doorway from which it
streamed. She hesitated, but the song urged her on and she
stepped into the light, closing her eyes as she did so.

                    ***************

The song was still there, but it was closer now and less
ethereal. A gentle hand caressed her face and Tal'Marin
hesitantly opened her eyes. She was sitting up in Rith's bed
in the small comfortable cabin. The shadows were gone and
the bright red light of a roaring fire filled the room. She
was seated between the Firstwalker's legs and leaning back
against her body. She could feel the soft pillows of the
strange woman's breasts on her back and the velvety softness
of her skin where it was touching her own. She also felt the
hard points of the woman's erect nipples.

"Wha.??" she managed, but her voice was a croak, like that
of a frog.

"Shhhh," Rith whispered in her ear as the song stopped. A
sudden panic seized Tal' and she tried to escape Rith's
embrace. Those wonderfully soft gentle hands clamped down
with the strength of a steel vice.

"Relax," the soft voice cooed in her ear, "You are safe,
nothing will harm you,"

As the sudden panic subsided Tal'Marin let go and slumped in
Rith's arms. She relaxed against the Firstwalker and felt
the arms that held her so powerfully change back to the most
gentle of things, holding her as a mother would a newborn.
The fire crackled and the wind still howled, but the air of
menace was completely gone. As her heart slowed down she
became aware of other things. The soft, but pleasant feel of
Rith's skin against her own, the comfortable feeling of
having her strong body so near, the gentleness of her
embrace all became apparent. She had walked so often alone
that she had forgotten how good it could feel to be with
another. She found herself relaxing, really relaxing,
letting down her defenses totally. She was over matched by
this woman and had been since they met. If the Firstwalker
had intended any harm to her she could have done so long
before now. Rith's arms were about her waist and she could
feel the even rise and fall of her chest. Tal'marin pressed
back into the comfort of the embrace and sighed softly.

Tal'marin would never know if that sigh was taken as an
invitation or if something else triggered what happened
next. She felt Rith's body shift slightly and then her soft
lips on the point of Tal's shoulder. Rith just held them
there a moment, but when Tal did not protest she seemed to
take it as assent and they parted to tenderly kiss her.
Rith's lips were soft, warm, and felt incredibly sensuous
against Tal's skin. The next kiss was only millimeters
closer to her neck and this time Rith's soft tongue played
over Tal's satiny skin. The intimate caress sent a shiver
through her body. Another followed and another each moving
slowly towards her neck. It was a languid, unhurried
progression that slowly awakened desire in the small elf.

She was confused by the flood of feelings and the welter of
emotions. She felt she should put a stop to it, but could
not fathom why when it felt so good. Her head told her that
it was wrong, but her body told her nothing had ever been so
right. While her mind fought with her body those soft lips
continued to move closer and closer to her neck. Suddenly
they were there, kissing the delicate juncture of her neck
and shoulder and the shockwaves it sent through Tal's system
were intense. Those lips pressed against her sensitive skin
and parted, drawing some into the warm mouth. Rith's teeth
gently bit down and her tongue grazed along the trapped
flesh. Tal'marin felt as if that skin were connected
directly to her spine and her whole body tensed as a spasm
of pleasure ran through her.

Rith's teeth released their hold and her mouth moved
upwards, each contact sent shivers through Tal's body and
began to awaken feelings that were unfamiliar to her. The
muscles in her stomach tightened perceptibly and it seemed
like it was harder to breath. She opened her mouth to ask
Rith to stop, but at that instant the Firstwalker's lips
made contact with the small space behind Tal's delicately
pointed ear. Instead of words a soft moan escaped her parted
lips. Rith's tongue slowly swirled over the skin and Tal's
mind became fuzzy. It felt so good, too impossibly good,
nothing was supposed to feel like this. Was it?

Her nipples hardened as they often did when it was cold, but
she did not feel cold at all. If anything she felt as if she
were on fire from the inside out. Rith's hand slid up her
body and cupped her face, turning it aside to pull her ear
within easier reach of the Firstwalker's lips. Tal's own
hands fluttered at her side, seemingly unsure of what to do.
If she was unsure, Rith seemed totally confident, the tip of
her pink tongue traced along the very outer edge of Tal's
earlobe. When the Firstwalker expelled a single warm breath
into her ear Tal's body spasmed and she felt herself get
weak. Her hands went to the arm imprisoning her waist, but
they simply closed on the warm soft flesh, not even
attempting to remove it.

"You like that don't you?" Rith's voice purred in her ear.
Tal tried to think, to put together something close to a
coherent thought, but the soft tongue continued to worry her
earlobe and she could not concentrate.

The hand cupping her face moved to her lips and the long
delicate index finger pressed against them. Sharp little
teeth nipped her ear and when her mouth opened to gasp the
finger slipped in. Her lips closed over it involuntarily and
the voice in her ear purred.

"That's it little one, now suck on it."

Tal was frozen. It was one thing to receive another woman's
caresses; it was something entirely different to return
them. Another soft breath in her ear and that amazing tongue
returned to gently exploring her ear. She felt a tiny tremor
run through her body, but this one seemed to emanate from
her groin rather than her neck. The thrill was sharply in
contrast to shocks of Rith's tongue; it was a warm, tingly
sensation and her mind focused suddenly on her pussy. Her
attention was jerked back to her earlobe when Rith's tongue
darted into it for just the briefest of seconds.

"Mmm, yes darling, like that," Rith whispered. It was only
then that Tal realized she was sucking hungrily on the
finger in her mouth.

Rith's legs wrapped around her waist and she returned her
lips to Tal's shoulder. The hand around Tal's waist drifted
up across her flat tummy. The finger in her mouth
disappeared and slid downward, tracing the rise of her
breast. They met at her ribcage, just below her breasts and
began to lightly stroke her sides. Tal was caught between a
moan and a giggle. She had always been extremely ticklish,
but this wasn't a tickle. Well, not exactly a tickle she
thought. It felt good and at the same time made her want to
laugh. Rith's spread her fingers wide and gently dragged
them up Tal's tummy until they were each cupping a breast.

Rith bit her neck, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard
enough to make her gasp and before she could assimilate the
sensation the Firstwalker's hands gently squeezed her
breasts. Tal'Marin's sharp intake of breath sounded
unnaturally loud in the quiet room. Rith's hands continued
to fondle and stroke her breasts while she continued to kiss
and suck on Tal's neck. Tal arched her back and moaned as
the gentle ministrations of the Firstwalker began to have
the desired effect. Tal felt a tension that began to build
in her chest and slowly moved into her breasts. As the
stimulation continued it finally felt so strong she was sure
it would burst out of her body from the inside.

While her breasts were full, Tal'Marin's nipples were very
small and the pale aureoles barely the size of Rith's
thumbnail. Now they were so hard they were drawn up into
tiny points and the aureoles were puckered. As the stroking
continued the pressure inside her body built and seemed to
center in her aching nipples. Each stroke became a torture,
each caress sent waves of pleasure into her system that had
nowhere to go. Tal'marin gasped like a fish out of water,
she could not control her wildly beating heart or ragged
breathing. Rith seemed to know exactly what she was feeling
and she kept it up, working the elf girl into a state
bordering on hysteria. When Tal's hips began to buck the
Firstwalker took the hard pebbles of Tal's nipples between
her thumb and forefinger and began to rhythmically squeeze
them. It was too much for Tal'marin. An indescribable wail
was torn from her throat and she arched her back so
violently that Rith almost lost her hold.

Fire! Fire flowing through her veins, burning out all other
feelings save the quivering in her pussy. When the first
contraction hit her Tal shrieked. Raw pleasure, undiluted by
any dampening force tore through her body and threatened her
sanity. Another hit her and another, an endless rolling
wave. Like breakers smashing against the rocks each wave
seemed to be stronger and more unbearably pleasurable.
Nothing in her experience had prepared her for it and her
mind seemed unable to assimilate all that was happening. She
was powerless to fight it and rode the crashing waves until
they became only ripples in a still pond.

Tal's head had fallen on her chest and she was still
breathing hard. She could not seem to get enough air and her
whole body was limp. Her legs quivered and she couldn't even
raise her arms. Rith's hands had never left her nipples and
continued to roll them between her fingers. Her lips
continued to nibble on her neck, sending ripples through her
body that seemed to be echoes of the pleasure she had just
experienced. The Firstwalker unwound her legs from around
Tal's waist and gently laid her down on her back. Tal was
still not totally sure of her surroundings as the
Firstwalker moved to her feet.

The next thing she became aware of was Rith's soft lips on
the bone in her left ankle. The Firstwalker's tongue swirled
around the bone while her hands gently stroked Tal's calf.
Tal lifted her head and looked down her body. A light
coating of sweat covered her skin, her nipples were still
taut and the breasts seemed to be standing out more than
normal. She could feel wetness between her legs and at her
feet she could see only Rith's raven hair.

Rith seemed unhurried as her fingertips blazed a trail from
Tal's ankle towards her knee that the Firstwalker's soft
tongue followed. It seemed to Tal that every inch of her
skin was receiving that soft tongue's attention and she
groaned when contact was broken off just short of her knee.
Rith returned to her right ankle and the slow progression
began again. Feathery caresses, soft but firm massaging and
always a trail of fire where Rith's warm tongue made contact
with her sensitive skin. This time she did not stop at the
knee, but continued upwards, kissing all around Tal's knee,
paying particular attention to the crease at the back before
moving to the skin of her thigh. It was sweet torture and
Tal chewed fiercely on her bottom lip to keep from moaning.

As the Firstwalker's tongue inched upwards Tal unconsciously
opened her legs more, allowing the raven haired seductress
better access. The fingertips reached her smooth mound and
gently toyed with her slick lips causing Tal to shudder, but
the tongue stopped at the juncture of her leg and body and
after a few swirling caresses dropped back to her left knee.
Tal groaned in frustration, barely even conscious of the
fact that her hands had stolen to her breasts and were now
squeezing the soft globes.

Now came an eternity of torture. It seemed the Firstwalker's
tongue would never complete the trip up her thigh to her now
soaked pussy. Her whole being seemed to be drawn downwards,
down into the bubbling cauldron between her widely splayed
thighs. Minute contractions from muscles deep within wrung
little whimpers and squeaks from her lips despite her best
efforts to staunch them. She was squeezing her nipples now
in sync with those contractions and her head was tossing
from side to side.

Rith's tongue had reached the crease where her leg joined
her body and made several soft exploratory trips up and down
it. Her fingertips traced over Tal's slick lips and slowly
up to her navel. With a suddenness that took her breath away
all stimulation ceased. Tal opened her eyes and looked down
her straining body to see those red eyes, no longer banked
fires, but blazing majestically and powerfully. Rith's
aquiline nose rested at the top of Tal's pouting nether
lips, almost but not quite in contact. A softly exhaled
breath caused Tal to arch her back and a long hiss escaped
her lips.

The need was so strong within her and she desperately wanted
to feel the Firstwalker's lips upon her own. Rith did not
move, merely watched her with those blazingly intense eyes.
It dawned on Tal then, what the Firstwalker was waiting for.

"P..please?" Tal stammered, her voice thick with lust.

No more was needed as Rith's long soft tongue immediately
began to lap at Tal's swollen sex. Her nose was pressed
tightly to Tal's body and with each movement bumped her now
straining clit. The pleasure was unimaginable, the intimate
caress so powerful and the shocks flooding her body so
undeniable it could not last long. Tal's head tossed from
side to side, her face becoming lost in a sea of blonde
tresses. Her body arched upwards, trying to make the contact
with Rith's lips and tongue permanently and her hands
convulsed upon her small breasts.

Rith's finger slipped almost effortlessly into her tight
channel and Tal felt her muscles clamp down upon it. That
reflexive contraction was followed by something so all
encompassing that it blocked all else from her mind. A
single jolt, centered in her pussy but quickly running the
length of her small frame. It was followed by another and
another, each less powerful, but all beyond anything she
could have ever imagined. Nothing should feel this good. How
could she have gone so long without discovering this bliss?
Could she ever go another day without it?

Her mind seemed divided, such serious questions juxtaposed
upon waves of mindless pleasure. Like a marionette upon a
string she jerked and convulsed. Her string was Rith's
tongue, and until the puppet master finally ceased her
ministrations Tal could not stop. Bathed in sweat and
panting heavily she found herself in Rith's arms. The
screaming pleasure was followed by a relaxed contentment
that kept even the questions at bay for a long time.

Tal'marin lay basking in the afterglow. The small cabin no
longer looked Spartan, it was beautiful. She realized that
the world might never look the same to her again. A sudden
loud thump on the roof caused her to jump, but the
Firstwalker's strong arms pulled her close and in those arms
she just could not be afraid.

"It's only snow," Rith whispered.

"I know. I am not like this normally. I have never been
afraid before."

"You have walked in the shadow realm, while I called you
back, forever will a piece of you be darkened."

"What happened? Truly?"

The Firstwalker was silent for a long time and Tal was
beginning to suspect she would never get an answer to
anything from this enigmatic woman when she began to speak.

"Irgonte is the embodiment of darkness. Centuries ago he
entered a dark cave at the base of Tremlos, the king of
peaks. Why did he go there? None can say now, but I suspect
he had become tired of the world and was searching only for
a place to sleep away the long ages until the world is
unmade. Whatever his purpose something else already slept
under the mountain. It awoke and they fought in a battle
that must have been epic for he was a cunning warrior. Their
battle brought Tremlos down around them and the cave was
forever sealed. Yet within that tomb Irgonte still lived.
That which fought him must be terrible indeed, for it has
captured his mind and bent it towards evil.

That which you experienced is what my brother plans for all
of Talor. He sends the ill wind that brings shadows at me
now, for alone of the Firstwalkers I oppose him. As long a I
stand between him and the greater world he cannot prevail."

"How do you know?" Tal asked. She snuggled unconsciously
deeper into the embrace. Rith chuckled and kissed her neck,
causing her to wiggle in delight.

"It is ordained little one. Shadow can never defeat fire. In
the world of magic and mages it is called a natural law. The
weakest spell invoking fire will defeat shadow."

"You are opposites then?"

"Nay, the opposite of shadow is light. Those spells do not
loose one to another but cancel each other out. Even the
most black hearted of evil mages will learn some spells of
light. Not to cast them for their purpose, but use them as a
foil to the dark spells of his enemies."

"You know so much about magic, are you a mage?"

"Yes and no. I have mastered the mystic arts, but I do not
follow any school of magic, nor do I make a living as a
spellcaster. I am the embodiment of fire little one. All
spells that draw upon my element are mine to command with
only a thought. Spellbooks, components, intricate movements,
these are all comical to me. I need only wish it and the
power of the spell is unleashed. "

"Was that a magic crystal then?"

"Magic Crystal? Oh, the light stone. No, the stone isn't
magic."

"But I saw it pulsing with light," Tal said twisting in her
lover's embrace. A look of pain so deep that it moved her
passed over Rith's face.

"Tala's stone isn't magic. It's what mages call a focus. The
stone meant a great deal to Tala when she walked the earth
and that emotional bond links it to her. A good mage can use
that link to draw some of her power into the stone for short
periods of time."

"How did you come to posses it?"

"My, you are full of questions."

"I'm sorry,"

"No, you have a right to know. You would not have been here
and in harm's way if I had not brought you here. I took on
the responsibility to protect you and I failed. Tala was my
first lover. My only lover. We were inseparable and I loved
her as desperately as any wild-eyed young human when he
first realizes what love is. When she chose to sleep and
leave this world I was devastated. I wandered for years
alone and bereft of hope. Of all the Firstwalkers I and I
alone have never taken a mortal lover, until now."

"Why me?" Tal'marin asked. Her voice sounded small and
confused and she regretted the question before she was
finished asking it. Rith looked at her with a measured gaze.
Tal could almost see the Firstwalker's mind going over
wording, thoughts, what could be safely revealed and what
must remain hidden.

"When you touched Tala's stone you broke the link I had
established with her. I found you lying on the floor with
your face deathly pale and your skin cold. I picked you up
and carried you to my bed. When I realized what had happened
I called you back from that world. Yet, when you returned
the shadows lay heavily upon you. Were you human I could
have simply touched you, for fire has great sway over the
hearts and minds of men. Over elves fire holds less
dominion, for you are creatures of air and your inner fires
are cool, not hot. I knew of only one way to rouse in you
the fire that burns away shadow and brings healing. There
were other reasons, but of those I will not speak."


Tal'Marin nodded and curled back up in Rith's arms. She had
so many questions, but something told her she was intruding
into areas that Rith had closed off and she did not want to
anger the Firstwalker. There would be time for questions
later she though as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

                    *************

It turned out that there was time, but no more discussion.
For the next week she languished in the cabin. Rith was gone
more often than not and took to sleeping out. The stated
reason was so Tal'Marin could have the bed, but she did not
believe it. In the first place she would have gladly
welcomed the beautiful woman to share the bed. Since that
first encounter she had begun to hunger for Rith's touch,
for her attention, even just for her company. The proud
Firstwalker seemed to be avoiding her however and Tal'Marin
had to admit it was beginning to hurt. She hadn't done
anything wrong and did not deserve the cold shoulder she was
getting.

Tal'marin tried to re establish the intimacy of that night,
but it only made matters worse. Rith seemed to have decided
that she wanted nothing to do with her. The loneliness of
the small cabin increased daily and Tal found herself
loosing hope. She became lethargic and melancholy and this
seemed to further drive Rith away.

One morning she rose early and dressed. Her chain shirt was
ruined, but the jerkin that she wore underneath it was still
serviceable. Her cloak she had mended over several nights
alone in the little cabin. She was no seamstress, but stitch
work was one of the many skills one acquired when you lived
alone and far from people. She had just buckled on her sword
belt and was stringing her bow when Rith walked in.

"Where are you going?" she asked. The words were harsh, not
a question so much as a demand.

"To seek a Sha'logan," Tal said quietly.

"You foolish slip of a girl, I have already told you your
weapons cannot harm them,"

"Perhaps, but I did not come here to spend nights alone in
your bed and days alone in this cabin!" Tal burst out, her
anger finally overcoming her.

"Get out! Let the snow demons take you for all I care," Rith
spat and threw her bow down on the floor. Tal finished her
preparations and started out the door, but she could not
help herself and stopped to look back. Rith stood before the
fireplace, literally shaking with some emotion Tal took to
be anger.

"Thank you," she said in a whisper and turned quickly to
leave. It would have surprised and perhaps unnerved the snow
elf if she had looked back again. Da'Rithnial Chalandor,
proud Firstwalker, buried her face in her hands and began to
cry. Tears flowed down her cheeks as shuddering sobs wracked
her frame.

                         ****************

How many times Da'Rithnial Chalandor? Will you never learn?
No one will ever return your love. Those you care most about
are destined to hate you, it matters not if you show it or
conceal it. Now you have sent that little one to certain
doom in the cold wastes.

Rith collapsed before the fire. Always it was like this, her
brother's words and taunts invading her mind when her
defenses were weakest. Always he sought to strike where she
was most vulnerable and that ever came back to Tala.

She had buried the memories deep and had managed to keep
them under lock and key for so long, but the petite snow elf
had broken the locks and now they flooded back. Tala dancing
naked in the moon light, so fragile and ethereal. The first
time they made love and all of the false starts and
hesitancy. The laughter, companionship and eventual love
that grew between them. That night, beneath the swaying
pines where she had professed her love and Tala had returned
it. The exchange of gemstones, which had sealed their bond.

The happy memories gave way to those she truly wished to
forget. The first meeting with the dashing elf that would
steal Tala away from her. The deterioration of their
relationship that had ended on a cold night when Tala threw
her stone back, in a fit of rage at Rith's pleadings and
left to join her new love. Watching them together from afar
and in secret, forever the outsider now.

The final memory, the one she could least bear and yet the
last she had of her love. Returning from a long journey she
had been confronted by an enraged Tala. The horrible
accusations still cut her to her very core. Murderer! Vilest
of all creatures! How many others? Too many. She had not
even been told of what she was being accused before Tala
cursed her name. She had been found guilty without even
being allowed to know what charges she was expected to
defend herself from. Her stunned silence was taken as proof
of her guilt and Rith had fled when her once love actually
drew her sword and prepared to attack.

Years later on a cold morning she had awakened to the
certain knowledge that Tala no longer lived. She knew not
how she knew, but she did. As the other Firstwalkers took to
sleep she would know they were gone too, but Tala was the
first and so none of them had been prepared for it. Such
pain and emptiness were unbearable and for a while she
considered killing herself. She had hidden from these
memories, hidden from the sight of men and elves.

 Now a small snow elf on an insane quest had wakened them.
Wakened within her something she thought long dead. Never
had she thought to love again. Now she was repeating past
mistakes, allowing the small ranger to go to her death. It
was so hopeless.

The stone she wore round her neck pulsed with light and
pulled Rith from the horrible memories. There was no hope
for her love, but she could make some small amends for her
past. Perhaps. She stood suddenly and snatched up her bow.
It was twilight outside, but she did not dare wait for
morning. She set out into the semidarkness, leaving the
cabin a shambles, unaware of the damage she had caused in
her fit of remorse.


******************

Two days in the snow and cold had sapped her vitality more
than they would have before meeting Rith. Tal could not say
if that was because of her wounds, the long days of
inactivity or the crushing loneliness. With only the eyes of
Snowclaw to guide her she had finally found a set of tracks.
They were fresh and led off into a deep grove of fir trees.
The little eagle fluttered to her wrist and began to speak.
Tal listened and smiled. He could see nothing through the
tightly laced boughs and was against her going in after the
beast. Tal and the eagle had a short argument, but he seemed
to understand her urgency and relented, returning to the
skies to watch over her and hopefully alert her of danger.

Tal drew her sword and plunged into the darkness beneath the
trees. It was eerily silent, the snow and needles on the
ground muffled even her footfalls. The trees grew closer
together as she approached the heart of the grove and the
tracks became so fresh that she could make an estimation of
the creature's size. This one was not as big as the first
she followed, but it was still enormous. Tal stepped into a
small clearing and froze in place. Her prey stood before
her. It seemed to sense her and reared up on its hind legs
and snarled.

The Sha'logan charged and Tal set her feet to meet it. Even
though she knew it was coming, the beast's speed surprised
her and it was upon her before she was ready. Her blade
descended in a deadly arc, but the Sha'logan was inside her
guard and the blow merely glanced from its shoulder rather
than splitting its skull. Tal was spun around by the impetus
of the creatures charge and barely kept her feet. She could
feel blood on her side and knew she had not totally evaded
the claws, but she could not take the time to examine her
wounds because the creature turned and charged again.

This time Tal was set, with her back to a large fir tree.
She waited until the last possible second and threw herself
out of the creature's path. Unable to cut that sharply he
barreled on, striking his head against the tree with such
force she heard it splinter under the impact. Tal leapt
towards the stunned creature and brought her blade down two
handed, with all the force in her small frame. The longsword
whistled through the crisp air, the sun rippled on the
polished bladed like fire, but it shattered like an icicle
when it smote the beast's head.

Tal had only moments to register what had happened before a
backwards blow of the creature's huge paw sent her sprawling
into the snow. Lights danced in her head and time seemed to
slow. The monster loomed over her now, blotting out the sun
and she heard Snowclaw's warning scream. She knew she needed
to move, to escape, but suddenly the melancholy that had
seized her in the cabin crystallized into a certain
knowledge that she no longer wanted to live. Best to pass
here than to go on for ages alone and miserable. She sighed
and closed her eyes and a soft smile graced her lips.

The monsters triumphant growl turned to a feral scream of
pain in an instant. Tal opened her eyes to find it jumping
madly around the clearing swatting at a smoldering arrow
buried in its shoulder. Across the clearing Rith stood, bow
in hand. She calmly drew another arrow and called out a
single word before she released, the arrow burst into flame
before striking the beast. It howled in animalistic rage and
charged the tall woman, totally forgetting Tal in its blind
need to reach its tormentor.

Rith dropped her bow and drew the strange curved sword. She
spoke again in a commanding voice and the blade came alive
with fire. The creature saw the flames and tried to halt its
mad rush, but it was too late. The Firstwalker pirouetted
out of its path and brought the blade down in a whistling
arch that neatly sheared the creature's head from its neck.

"Are you all right?" Rith called as she ran to Tal.

"Yes, I am fine," the small elf said weakly.

"Fine my arse, you're a bloody mess," Rith groused, but Tal
could see the relief flood her features as she examined the
wounds. Rith dressed them quickly and expertly with
dressings from the pouch she wore over her shoulder. Once
done she stood and moved to the carcass of the Sha'logan.

Tal watched as Rith removed a strange crystal globe from her
pouch and set it carefully upon the snow. It was perfectly
round and so clear Tal had to look several times to make
sure it was still there. The dark haired woman stood and
then plunged the flaming sword into the creature's body. She
seemed to be opening its chest cavity and after some work
removed its black heart. A disgusting greenish black ichor
dripped from the steaming organ. Rith's face showed disgust,
but she placed the heart atop the orb and began to chant in
a language that was unfamiliar to Tal. As the elf watched
fascinated the organ slowly sank into the orb until it was
totally encased in the clear crystal. Rith stopped chanting
and wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve. She placed
the orb back in her pouch and returned to Tal's side.

The Firstwalker gently brushed Tal's hair back and seemed on
the verge of speaking, but her face hardened. She placed the
pouch on the ground next to the elf and then sheathed her
sword.

"Here is your prize. Your wounds are not deep, leave now and
do not return," she said. Tal was speechless and could only
watch mutely as the woman walked away and disappeared into
the gloom under the trees.

                    ****************

Dei' Nolan Aviandore was excited to see her and had many
questions about all she had seen and done when she returned
to Hoarfast. Tal'Marin gave him an accurate account, but
omitted the cabin and the Firstwalker. For some reason she
could not bring herself to think of Rith without great pain
and tears. Her anger had passed long before she left the
cold forests and high plateaus of Freyareth. It had been
replaced by a sense of emptiness and loss that seemed
unplumbable and left her feeling like a shell of her former
self with a great empty black void in her center. When she
had finished her narrative Dei had the servants bring in
wine and sat back.

"You have done well, better than any could have expected. I
know you would have done this for T'Larin without any
hesitation, but I have offered a fine reward for each of the
components. You have but to name what you desire and if it
is in my power I will have it for you,"

"Dei, what do you know of the Firstwalkers?

"Where did you hear of them?" he asked, suddenly he seemed
very intense, his stare boring into her, but he relaxed and
went on before she could answer.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you are well traveled
and have had dealings with many queer folk. Only a few of
us, those in the very highest circles of the Schools of
Magic know their tale. It is forbidden to discuss them with
laymen, but in your case I will make an exception," he said.

"Thank you."

"The Firstwalkers are the living embodiment of the elements
of the planet. Their origins are unknown, but some say they
are gods, others, that they do not exist at all, and some
few that they are the source stone of magic and when the
last ceases to be, magic and all that has been created with
it will crumble. There were eight of them, one for each
element of the universe. That is the general knowledge,"

"Tell me of Da'Rithnial Chalandor," she asked. Dei started
as if a bee had stung him.

"Speak not that name aloud!" He shouted. Guards rushed into
the room, scanning for some hidden assassin. Dei's face was
ashen and he seemed to be fighting some terrible battle of
wills, but at last he sighed heavily and dismissed the
guards. His eyes returned to Tal, no longer did he look at
her with just the brotherly love she had come to expect, his
eyes now held respect that they never had before.

"You have authentic knowledge, be very careful with it. The
true names of the first walkers are known only to a handful
of the most powerful mages. Calling upon one by name can
grant extreme power, but there is a price to pay for it. I
will use the shortened forms which hold no power, for me to
call them by their true names or to even hear them invoked
in my presence invites disaster.

What I tell you now must not go beyond the walls of this
room. A strange request, considering what I tell you is not
even known to be factual. Actual contemporary writings about
the Firstwalkers are prizes that wizards fight deadly duels
over. It is a branch of lore that interests me, but not one
I am willing to risk my life over, so what I know can best
be described as educated conjecture. Do I have your word
that nothing said here leaves this room?"

When Tal nodded he sat back, sipped his wine and then
started speaking again.

"The story of Rith is long and tragic. She is the embodiment
of Fire in all its forms. Hot blooded, fiery tempered, and a
temptress as well as guardian of the hearth and keeper of
the flame that burns within each of us. She fell in love
with her sister Tala whose element is light. For ages they
were inseparable but eventually Tala saw the error of her
ways and fell in love with an elf. So long ago was this that
his name is unrecorded and even his tribe is disputed hotly.
My personal opinion is that he was a sylvan elf. Tala was
the patron spirit of the fearie folk and the sylvan elves
have many of their characteristics. Tala and this Elf had
many children and Rith, true to her nature was insanely
jealous. One night while Tala was away with the children
their house caught fire and her husband was consumed. Tala
accused Rith and she of course denied any involvement. Tala
refused to believe it and cursed her name. Rith was crushed,
she wandered away on long lonely paths that none have
trodden since.

Tala repented of her words and deeds when it was discovered
that her lover had been performing a summoning of a fire
elemental and apparently he failed to take all the necessary
precautions. By this time Rith was gone and Tala realized
what she had done. She tried desperately to find Rith and
apologize, but she never succeeded. Her grief and regret
overwhelmed her and on a sunny day she ascended to the top
of Tiargas. This peak is the tallest in the Spine of the
World chain and the sun never wholly sets on it. There she
lay down and slept, returning to the light that she was made
of. Since that time light has been a weaker force in the
world.

Rith has not been seen since, unless you accept the tales of
some travelers lost in the cold wastes of being rescued from
freezing by a beautiful elfin woman with red skin. That is
all of her story I know. I can tell you she is still awake
and walking the earth somewhere, for the power of fire magic
still waxes strong. When the Firstwalker for a form sleeps
that form becomes less potent unless you have a focus. But
now I have left history lessons and begun on practical
application. I know you have no interest in that,"

"She loved and was abandoned then betrayed," Tal said
quietly. The words were for herself but Dei heard them and
went on.

"Yes, but she is the embodiment of fire, and that inner fire
kept her from choosing to abandon the world."

"I will name as my reward a sitting with Glendica," Tal
said.

"Gods help me, my pockets are not that deep!" Dei protested
with a hearty laugh. Glendica was the most sought after and
thus the most expensive seamstress in all of Hoarfast. Her
designs were lovely, but also intended to catch the eye of
men. Tal was sure Dei' was wondering what elf had finally
caught the eye of the ice maiden, but he was far too polite
to ask.

                    *****************

Tal'marin set out from Hoarfast two months later on the
first day of spring. She rode a black mare named Heidle and
lead two pack ponies. All of her worldly possessions were on
those ponies. She was taking a big risk, but she hoped
against hope that the reward would be worth it. Even if she
knew for certain she would fail she would have tried. Her
heart had given her no peace since the day she walked away
from Rith's cabin. Long nights of self-pleasure while
dreaming of the Firstwalker had only increased her hunger
and loneliness. Orgasms she could achieve quite easily, but
they were so weak and pale compared to the explosions Rith
had given her. Even worse was the lack of someone to curl up
with and talk to in the afterglow. That she missed far more
than the intensity.

The weeks alone gave her more time to think, more time to
realize she was hopelessly in love. As she came closer she
began to doubt herself and her purpose. Nothing seemed
familiar to her and were it not for the unerring guidance of
Snowclaw she would have never found the cozy cabin again.
She was so scared of what she was doing she wondered if her
subconscious were not leading her astray in an effort to
avoid the terrible exposure of her inner feelings. She knew
that she risked more than she would have ever admitted to
anyone in this.

She reached the cabin in the early morning. As she had
expected there was no sign of life, Rith was an early riser
and while it was her home, Tal'Marin suspected it was also
her prison. Tal stripped off her travel stained garments and
carefully washed in the bitterly cold mountain stream near
the cabin. Once she had washed the grime and stench of
travel from her body she rose from the stream to quickly and
thoroughly dry herself. From the carefully wrapped packages
she removed her reward and dressed. More than anything she
wished she had a mirror. No, that wasn't true, what she
really wanted was to have this over with, hopefully to the
good, but the suspense was killing her.

She made her way to the cabin and knocked hesitantly. No
response. She breathed a sigh of relief and let herself in.
Tal'marin was shocked. The place was a wreck, rotting food,
buzzing flies, broken knick knacks. The bed had not been
made or slept in as far as she could tell from the day she
left. Tal sighed and went back to her horse. She got out her
stockings and an old shirt and stripped right there. Once
dressed for work she walked back in and grabbed the broom.

The labor was backbreaking and tiresome. She began by
dragging out everything in the cabin. She opened the windows
and door to let the chill air clear out the noisome stench
that clung to every corner. Next she built a fire and added
fir boughs to it, for their pleasant aroma. Often times she
was sick from the smells of rotted food and other things. By
evening she pulled the furniture back in and started setting
the place up again. Tal wiped her brow and collected her bow
from the saddle horn. She killed a deer and by the time
darkness fell the cabin smelled of fir trees and freshly
cooked venison. Tal sat quietly in her new gown. Time seemed
to drag on into the endless twilight.

The door crashed inwards and Tal's head shot up from the
table where she had fallen asleep. She found herself looking
down the shaft of a drawn arrow into angry red eyes. Those
eyes registered shock, then confusion. Rith relaxed her grip
and the bowstring slowly returned to normal, the arrow
hanging limply in her fingers.

"Tal?" she asked. The tone of her voice was so lost, so
lonely and confused that Tal rose and moved towards her. She
wished only to hug the Firstwalker and comfort her at that
moment.

"Stop!" the Firstwalker commanded drawing the arrow again.
Tal froze in mid step.

"Why are you here?" Rith asked. Her voice seemed to be
trying to hold menace, but to Tal it sounded lonely and
afraid.

"I...I don't know. I missed you, couldn't get you out of my
mind. I feel like a part of me never left here and I am
incomplete without it."

"What part of you?" Rith asked suspiciously.

"My heart," Tal'Marin said as tears began to flow down her
cheeks.

Rith lowered her weapon again. She seemed to desperately
want to believe it, but at the same time she seemed torn by
doubt. With her anger abating she noticed Tal'Marin's
clothes for the first time.

Tal'Marin wore a gown of purest silk. The skirt was a sky
blue with tiny gemstones worked into the fabric that shone
like stars. The underskirt was a violet satin and where it
showed at her ankles it seemed like the twilight overtaking
the sky as night fell. Beneath the skirt several petticoats
stiffened the skirt so it fell in a semi bell shape. The
bodice was of purest white and barely covered her chest. The
gown was strapless and left her shoulders bare. Her long
blonde hair was twined into a double braid and hung over her
shoulder. Around her neck was a satin choker of azure blue.
All of the colors set off her naturally pale skin and eyes
which now sparkled with tears.

She was a vision of loveliness and it did not fail to send
the Firstwalker's heart racing. Without a word the proud
Firstwalker turned and stalked out into the night. Tal'Marin
sat down and cried. Everything had been for naught. In her
heart she knew this would happen, she was not destined to
have anyone. Yet, she bemoaned her cruel fate, for now she
had found the woman who she loved and that woman did not
even wish to be in the same room with her. Crying was
cathartic and once the tears ceased she made up her mind to
leave at once.  If she could not be a part of Rith's life
then she knew she had to get away, get far away. She would
go south, so far south that there would be no ice, no snow,
no firs, nothing to remind her of Rith. Even as the decision
crystallized into action the door opened and her head
lifted.

Rith stood there in a simple dress of white doeskin. It fell
to just below her knees with a scoop neck and long sleeves.
Her boots were also of soft leather and her red skin stood
out in relief. Her long black tresses were piled high on her
head and held there by a comb of ivory. Tal'Marin had never
seen anything as breathtakingly lovely in all her life.

"I'm sorry I left so abruptly, I guess I haven't been taking
care of myself lately and.well I needed a bath," she said
with a sheepish smile.

Tal felt hope rise again in her breast, but she fought it.
Now that she had decided to close her heart she feared
opening it again.

"Dinner smells good, can we eat now?" Rith asked. She seemed
embarrassed or at least nervous, but Tal could not tell
exactly what emotions she saw in the woman's beautiful face.

Tal nodded, still not trusting her voice. Rith closed the
door behind herself and Tal served the venison steaks she
had prepared. They ate in silence, many times it seemed Rith
started to speak and stopped herself. Tal started to say
something on several occasions too, but in the end neither
managed to say a word. When they were done eating Tal put
the plates into the bucket by the counter and joined Rith on
the rug before the fireplace.

The fire crackled and popped and for a long time they sat in
silence. Tal stole peeks at the Firstwalker, admiring the
way the firelight seemed to play on her supple skin. She
occasionally caught Rith stealing glances as well. At last
Rith seemed to reach some inner decision and spoke.

"Why have you come back?"

"I told you,"

"No, you did not. Tell me now, in simple words. Why have you
returned?"

"Rith, don't make me say it," Tal said coloring furiously.

"Tell me, little one," she said in a voice barely above a
whisper.

"I love you," Tal said. Her heart was hammering in her chest
and she waited for the rejection she knew was coming.

"No one can love me," Rith said bitterly.

"Oh Rith, please. I am not Tala, I am myself and I can love
you and do, desperately. Will you send me away again? If you
do I will never trouble you again," Tal said as tears flowed
again.

"Tears? From an Elf? Tis indeed strange. Perhaps you really
do love me, perhaps even as much as I love you."

"You? Love me?" Tal whispered, scarcely daring to believe
the words.

"Yes little one, I have loved you. From the day I tore that
monster off you and carried you here I have lusted after
you. Your body is so soft, so beautiful. I told myself I
could make love to you once, that I needed it and so did
you, but. the more you were near, the more I realized I had
not just loved you, I had given my heart to you. Your
gentleness, kindness, all about you is wonderful to me. I
had to make you go, make you leave before I gave in
completely to the desire to have you for my own. I have no
right to that, I must ever stay here, in this frozen hell,
until my brother is vanquished."

"We will free you together," Tal said as she slipped her
hand into the Firstwalker's.

The Firstwalker smiled and brought Tal's hand to her lips.
She kissed the palm and then sucked a finger into her mouth,
sucking hard she swirled her tongue around the digit. Tal
gasped; she had waited so long for that caress.

"And what else do you want?"

"Rith, please, I'm on fire," Tal pleaded

"On fire? Listen to yourself, you sound like a strumpet. Is
that what you are? Are you my little strumpet?" Rith asked
teasingly. Her lips returned to Tal's palm and as her tongue
caressed her as those smoldering eyes held the elf's.

"Yesssssssss, I am your strumpet. take me please, I have
missed you so much!"

Rith stood fluidly and caught the hem of her dress with both
hands. The Firstwalker slowly pulled it over her head and
tossed the dress aside with a flourish. Beneath it she was
totally nude and Tal's eyes drank in her beauty like a man
lost in the desert drinks in the cool water of an unexpected
oasis. Her red skin seemed to dance in the firelight,
capturing the flickering light and transposing its movement
onto her very skin. Her breasts were impossibly lovely,
beautifully sculpted and proud. They drooped slightly, not
from any lack of firmness, but simply because of their
weight. The nipples stood out, fiery red and thick. Rith's
mound was covered in a forest of fine black curls. Tal
wondered how she could have failed to notice it before, it
was utterly strange to her, but fascinating. The lips that
peeked out were also red, a deep red that she could not
equate to anything she had ever seen before.

Rith smiled down on her and then laughed. She extended her
hands and when Tal took them she pulled the elf to her feet.
Rith's soft lips pressed against her own, the Firstwalker's
tongue gently teasing, begging entrance to her sweet mouth,
but not forcing itself in. Tal's lips parted and Rith's
tongue explored her mouth, searching her teeth, her tongue,
the roof and walls, gently ravishing her mouth until Tal's
breath was coming in gasps.

When the kiss broke Tal stood there with her eyes closed and
her lips still parted. Rith stood back and shook her head,
almost like she needed to clear it after a blow. Rith moved
silently to her bed and returned with a necklace in her
hand. It was a simple leather band, but gleaming in the
center was Tala's stone. Rith nodded towards her head and
Tal lifted her hair up with her eyes wide. Rith fastened the
necklace around the elf's long neck. The jewel settled at
the nape of her neck and it seemed to Rith that a soft light
emanated from it, casting the elf's features in soft white
light.

"Gods, you are exquisite," Rith said shaking her head again.
With a single fluid motion she scooped Tal up into her arms
and carried her to the bed. She gently laid the petite elf
down and fell on top of her. Soon their lips were locked
again and Tal was kissing back passionately, her own tongue
darting into Rith's mouth. The Firstwalker's mouth was hot
and tasted of cinnamon; a kind of warmth that soon had her
tongue tingling. The sensation was strange to her but
vaguely familiar, it was almost like her mouth felt when she
tasted strong drink. Rith's hands slid down her sides to her
hips and back up, the caresses even more sensuous through
the light material than Tal could have dreamed.

Rith broke the kiss and stared down at her. For a long time
no words were exchanged, but so much was said in that long
interval. Tal could almost see the depth of Rith's feelings
in her eyes and she felt certain Rith could see those
feelings mirrored in her own. There was so much love in
those eyes, and yet also a powerful hunger. Tal felt the
same hunger, the same driving need. More acutely than she
could have ever described with words, she needed Rith's
caress.

Rith rolled off her suddenly and pulled a pillow behind her
head. She then pulled Tal on top of her and the kissing
began again, there was a new tenor to it now, an
aggressiveness and urgency that had been lacking before. Tal
felt Rith's hands move to the back of her bodice and begin
to undo the many ties that held it in place. Eventually she
felt a lessening of the pressure on her sides and the warmth
of the cabin on her back. Tal knew that there were only a
couple of ties left and even as she thought it Rith's nimble
hands undid them.

The sides of the bodice fell and lay trapped between their
bodies. Rith caught it with one hand and pulled it from
between them. Tal raised her self slightly and when she
settled back her skin was touching that of her lover. Rith's
skin was soft, smooth and warm, warmer than she could
rationally explain. The elf's hard little nipples were
pressed into the fleshy undersides of Rith's breasts and
every time the Firstwalker moved that delightful skin
dragged over her nipples sending waves of pleasure into
Tal's body. Rith's hands moved to her hips, but the complex
ties, and the surprise she wore underneath the stiff
petticoats frustrated the Firstwalker.

"Take those damned skirts off," Rith finally grunted in
frustration. Tal had to smile as she forced herself up and
stood before her lover. Knowing the secret to the skirts
allowed her to quickly remove them, but she decided to tease
her lover a little. First she released the silk over skirt
and wiggled out of it. The dark indigo of her under skirt
shown in the subdued light and Tal felt a quiver of
happiness when Rith licked her lips.

As the underskirt skid down the layers of stiff linen
petticoats were revealed. These came off one by one until
only the final underskirt remained. Tal undid it, but held
it up for a few moments before she let it drop. She stood
now wearing only the garment Glendica had created for her.
It was much like a pair of pantaloons. They were trimmed in
ruffled lace they hugged her hips, stopping just short of
her knees in another forest of lace ruffles. The fabric was
satin and colored in a rich vibrant blue that seemed to
bring out the slightly blue coloring in her nipples and sex.
The crotch was open to allow her lover to view her charms,
but framed by more pale blue ruffles. Glendica was famous
for her clothing designed to entice males to lust, Tal held
her breath and hoped the effect on Rith would be similar.

The Firstwalker was staring at her, the red eyes luminous in
the firelight. Her nostrils flared and her tongue again made
a slow circuit of her lips causing Tal to shiver. With a
sudden lunge Rith grabbed Tal and pulled her back to the bed
on top of her. They both broke into laughter as Tal situated
herself and sat up. Her legs were astride the Firstwalker's
thighs, allowing for an unobstructed view of her charms.

"Where on earth did you get this?" Rith asked, as her hands
gently fingered the smooth material that covered Tal's hips
like a second skin.

"I had it made, just for you, my reward for returning with
the heart. I had hoped you would like them," Tal said. She
found herself blushing and suddenly shy.

"Like? I love them. You used your reward for this? Just to
please me?" Rith asked, her voice filled with wonder.

"Yes," Tal said simply.

Rith's hands slipped into the opening at her crotch to
gently caress Tal's already damp lips. The sensation sent
shockwaves through her body, she had wanted this for so long
now it seemed. Rith smiled up at her.

"Are you sure this is what you want Tal'Marin? I must stay
here, you have seen what would be unleashed upon the world
were I to leave."

"I know only that I love you Rith. Nowhere in the world can
ever be beautiful to me if you are not there."

"Then I shall love you, with all that is me," Rith said and
slipped a finger into Tal's tight channel. She slowly worked
her finger back and forth, in and out, making occasional
circular motions until the small elf was moaning. Rith was
shuddering herself. She had dreamed of nothing but the snow
elf since she had let her walk away. Rith could not find
pleasure alone. Her nature was fire and the fire of passion
could only burn when there were two hearts involved. At
their only coupling she had given pleasure only, taking her
enjoyment from the elf's orgasms. Now her pussy demanded
attention and it was all she could do to concentrate on the
elf's slit.

More than anything she wanted to spin Tal around and bury
her face in that soft warm furrow while feeling the delight
of the elf doing the same. Rith was well experienced in the
art of love between women but she realized Tal was not. She
did not know if the snow Elf would reciprocate and she had
no intention of forcing the small woman to do something she
wasn't ready for.

The Firstwalker fought down her impatience and began a
through investigation of the snow elf's sex. Her fingers
gently explored the elf's tight channel, feeling the silky
walls envelope her finger. Pressing deeper she met with
unexpected resistance. A quick glance showed the discomfort
on Tal's face and Rith eased back. It had been a very long
time, but she could not remember Tala's juices being so
slick or her flesh so soft. Nothing about the elf maid was
like her first love, but she was sure it was right. The Elf
was approaching an orgasm as Rith's gentle exploration
slowly worked her towards bliss. The soft satin that covered
her thighs felt exquisite where it made contact with Rith's
skin. Rith's questing fingers found only the texture of
heated silk and the subtle musk of Tal's arousal filled the
room.

Thinking of Tala brought a flood of memories back to Rith.
Some were wonderful, others terrible and yet all were
precious to her. She realized she was giving her love to
another and she wondered how Tala would feel about that.
Almost as if in response the white jewel shimmered once. Tal
did not see it, her eyes were tightly closed and she was
already seeing lights swirling behind her tightly closed
lids as her orgasm approached. Rith did see it, she saw it
and somehow understood what it meant. Tala was giving her
blessing to their union. All reservation left the
Firstwalker then, all the questions were answered, and she
opened her heart fully and let the love that had lain there
dormant for so many ages burst out.

She drove a second finger into the elf's tight passage and
began to wildly thrust into her while her thumb pressed
tightly against Tal's erect bud. The elf's soft moans turned
to sharp barks of pleasure and with breathtaking suddenness
her body spasmed. Rith did not slow until Tal collapsed on
her chest. She withdrew her hand and wrapped the elf up in
an embrace. For a long while they lay there. When Tal's eyes
fluttered open she found herself staring into Rith's. The
intensity of emotion she saw in those flaming eyes caused
her to flush.

Rith wanted her, wanted her in a way she had never wanted
anything before. She wanted to taste her, to posses herself
of all of the elf's charms. More than anything she wanted
release, it had been too long, but still the question of how
Tal would react to such an advance lingered. Rith decided to
pursue this cautiously, but she was dying to taste the elf
again.

When Tal sat back up Rith raised her legs and placing them
on the mattress pushed up her hips. She simultaneously
slipped her hands between the elf's thighs and pulled her
forward. Tal seemed unsure of what was wanted but scooted
forward, until she was kneeling over Rith's face. The
Firstwalker's hands held the soft half moons of her ass and
pulled her down. Tal hesitantly pushed her knees out wards
until she felt her pussy settle onto the Firstwalker's lips,
chin and nose. She jumped at the contact, but Rith's hands
had slipped to her hips and pulled her back down. Rith's
tongue began by teasing the entrance to her channel. Tal
could barely contain herself, her body was so sensitive
after her recent orgasm. She closed her eyes and
concentrated, allowing herself to imagine exactly what the
Firstwalker was doing, matching a mental image to the
feelings that she was experiencing. As Rith's tongue moved
up along the sensitive inner folds of her pussy Tal began to
wiggle, she tried not to, but the sensations seemed to shoot
straight through her to her spine and staying still was
quickly becoming an impossibility.

Rith seemed to be taking her time and enjoying Tal's moans
and cries. By the time the raven-haired beauty reached her
straining clit Tal was moaning constantly. The first contact
of that soft warm tongue on her bud caused Tal's hips to
begin to undulate. She wasn't sure what to do, but she
realized quickly that trying to stop her bucking hips was as
futile as trying to control her heart rate or breathing.
She fell forward on her hands, but Rith's strong hands kept
her soaked pussy right where it was. Her breasts swayed
gently as her body rocked and the sensations gathered force
within her body. Unable to break contact from that subtly
maddening tongue she abandoned all reason and gave in. The
rising tide of tension and pleasure quickly reached a peak
when Rith sucked on her clit and gently bit down on it. The
wildly fluttering tongue was almost relegated to the back of
her mind as her orgasm crashed in on her.

Once again fire burned through her veins, seeming to touch
every nerve ending at once. The first time it had been a
wild ride, so totally undreamed of that it has seemed almost
an assault. Now she was experienced and rather than fight it
she simply rode the rising tide, floating unfettered in the
eye of the hurricane of sensation. Vaguely aware of her
surroundings she rolled off Rith when the Firstwalker's
hands seemed to be less tightly gripping her hips. She
curled up into a fetal position and felt the delicious
relaxation that came after such a powerful orgasm wash over
her.

If she thought that was the end of the evening's festivities
she was shocked out of such a delusion by Rith's lips on her
own. Her lips parted instantly and she was suddenly aware of
her own taste upon the Firstwalkers lips. Her eyes shot open
in surprise. Rith's face glistened in the firelight, and Tal
blushed even as she kissed back when she realized that the
Firstwalker's face was coated in her juices. The kiss
deepened and became more passionate and the small elf
wondered what Rith's juices tasted like. When the kiss broke
the Firstwalker was staring intently at her. Tal blushed
again, but couldn't find the words to ask.

Rith held her close and rolled over so that Tal was once
again upon her lover's body. Rith was dying now, her body
thrumming with pent up need. She still did not want to push
the little elf. They kissed again and when it broke Tal
unconsciously licked her lips, that was just too much for
Rith to take. Rith's own nature betrayed her caution, the
fiery lust and need that were upon her seemed to burn out
reason and she rolled over tossing the elf onto her back.

Rith kissed her nose then turned her body and tossed her leg
over the elf's head. She ended up straddling Tal's head with
her face just above the elf's pussy. Rith marveled at the
elf woman's smooth mound. The lips were a delicate almost
translucent shade with only the merest hint of blue. They
reminded the Firstwalker of icicles frozen in a wintry
waterfall. They now gaped open and the even more delicately
pigmented inner lips and folds were visible. All was covered
in the clear, fragrant juice that Rith already knew tasted
like honeysuckle. She licked her lips and began to gently
lap at the girl's lips.

Tal was in heaven. Rith's tongue was driving her towards
another one of those shattering orgams she had experienced
the first time. This would not be like the previous one, she
could tell by the tightening in her loins it was going to be
one of those that left her doubting her sanity. Rather than
fear it as she once would have she looked forward to it,
that was one of the things she had missed so much. When
Rith's tongue slipped between her outer lips Tal's eyes shot
open. At first they refused to focus but when they did she
was enthralled.

Rith's pussy floated a few inches above her face. The red
lips were pouting open and the incredibly rich aroma
impressed upon her senses. She could see the Firstwalker's
juices glistening upon her lips and she wondered what it
tasted like again. The question lingered even when she felt
Rith's finger slide into her and her attention momentarily
shifted totally to her own pussy.

Tal's mind returned to the beautiful sight hovering so
tantalizingly close. Her arms slipped up around Rith's hips.
At first she merely stroked the soft skin, but a thought was
building in her mind, unvoiced yet to her consciousness, but
building in intensity as surely as the storm between her
legs was gathering force. Suddenly it became clear, in the
same instant she hesitantly pulled downwards on Rith's
thighs. Her gentle tug met with no resistance, almost as if
Rith had been waiting for it and the Firstwalker's pussy
settled onto her face.

Tal tentatively stuck her tongue out and immediately Rith's
flavor filled her mouth. The flavor was like cinnamon and
honey, but far sweeter than either of them. Not exactly sure
what to do she simply began to mimic Rith's action on her
own pussy. At first she simply slipped her tongue along the
warm slit, but soon she began to feel the responses in her
lover's behind and hips and realized somethings felt better
than others. She quickly found the Firstwalker's clit and
attacked it with her tongue; she was rewarded with a moan
and Rith lashing her own clit in response. Neither could
stand this level of stimulation for long. Tal fought her own
orgasm as long as she could, but it broke over her in an
irresistible wave. Rith seemed to let go as soon as she felt
Tal's body stiffen and the small elf found herself nearly
drowning in the Firstwalker's juices. Her mouth was open as
she screeched through her own orgasm and before she could
gain control of her senses her face was coated in Rith's
spendings.

Her own hips were still bucking, but as they slowed Rith
squirmed around and enfolded her in those strong arms. They
kissed again, no longer was passion the master, but the kiss
deep and meaningful, nonetheless. Tal curled up in Rith's
arms and they talked for hours, nothing of any consequence,
just idle talking to hear and revel in each other's voice
and closeness.

                    ***************

A month had passed since that fateful night where Tal risked
everything for love. Rith stayed closer to home now and Tal
had become the de facto wife of the house. While she still
journeyed with Rith to see the many wonders around them, she
found herself happier to stay at the cabin and be waiting
when Rith got in. For a ranger she had become far more
sedentary than she could ever have imagined, cooking,
cleaning and keeping the cabin neat as pin.

The sex was still addictively intense, but lately Rith had
begun to talk of claiming her as her own. All this centered
on some magic device that would allow Rith to act as a man
in their bed, whatever that meant. Tal didn't find the idea
very appealing and doubted such a fanciful artifact even
existed, but Rith was sure that it did. She tried to steer
her lover's imagination to other areas, but soon she would
be on a journey to find this magic artifact.

But that, as they say, is another story.