*Mothhaudh*[/u]

Cale chose that moment to emerge, struggling but trying as hard as he could to hide it. "See? I did it all myself!"

Lotelin smiled warmly. "Well done, Cale. Let me place the fish in the broiler now that it's been heated well, and then you and I can start on the potatoes. Maybe Tianli too if he's inclined to help us. Master Kalari should be along shortly and he can help us carry the food out; the other villagers will be preparing their part of the feast as well." She moved swiftly, doing just as she explained.

(You're the boss. It IS your island. )

*Mothaudh*

Master Kalari broke out of his musings, turning towards the priestess' house with a composed expression. Heh. He'd been in politics too long, let himself think about meaningless details when there were important negotiations to conduct. The Galgori caught a whiff of cooking herbs, nodded politely to passing villagers, and knocked on the door. Go time.

*Pyrazure, Mothhaudh* (since I neglected to give the specific village on the island before)[/u]

"I got it, I got it!" Cale fled to the door, flinging it open and grinning to find that it was indeed the amazing Galgori master. "Come in, Mister Kalari!" He indicated the table and chairs in the adjoining room.

"Ah, at last, Master Kalari," Lotelin said without looking up from her fish, alternately firing up the left and right sides of the broiler and tossing the cod and salmon with expert ability. "We're just finishing up the preparations; I may have failed to mention that the villagers wished to honor you with a feast. It will be within the next hour or two and all we have left are potatoes to peel."

"That's what I'm doing," Cale informed Kalari, indicating the flint knife which he was using to spiral the skins off of the potatoes. He was also very good at his craft, having helped his Aunt 'Loth' with meals such as this since he was very young.

*Where ever Taed last posted*

The Galgori chuckled darkly, "Should I be worried? The kinds of people who throw feasts for Galgori envoys such as myself tend to treat them as ways to covertly murder guests or plumb them for information under a veil of politeness." He waved away any reply, eyeing the giant priest.

"I'm sure Kaer Sae's People are above such things though, untainted by the outside world as you are," the Master continued, "How may I be of asistence to this feast? It will be just me joining you. The crew of the Vengance won't be able to make it, sailing with the full moon and have to prepare the ship. The Monks of Ko keep to themselves for evening prayer."

*Pyrazure, Mothhaudh*

"Then you'd better bring a full appetite, for there will be plenty," Lotelin laughed. "You could help Cale with the potatoes, if you so desire. I do believe that is one thing he could school you in. The boy has devised more ways to peel potatoes, and quickly, then there are sands on the beach at the Men Taurrim." She smiled, and Cale looked up hopefully.

The priestess turned to the remaining member of their company. "Tianli, do you want more tea?"

(This is pathetic.)

*Mothhaudh*

Master Kalari looked away from Tian Li at Lotelian's reply, nodding compliance before walking over to sit next to Cale, producing a knife from somewhere in his robes. He hefted a potato in his other hand, eyeing the lumpy vegetable in contemplation. "How would you peel this vegetable in my place, Cale? I admit to never having prepared one before," stated the Galgori in soft tones.

(Zuran, this would be your cue.)

*Fuegan*

A small village in the foothills of the might Pyranous Mountains, surrounded by woods and rice patties, a crude fence keeping beasts out and people in, broken by several simple fences. The Fire Lord received tithes from this village every year, nothing special, sure, a few travelers mysteriously died in the area from time to time, but there were Shirshu in the hills, what did a few missing people mean to a Nation bent on conquering the world?

Not enough, evidently to see the Village of Fuegan for what it was, one of the outer most settlements of a hidden Galgori state in the midst of the Fire Nation. They worked too hard at being 'normal' to do otherwise...

Juraia, a 36 year-old veteran of the Long War, leaned against a pole at the edge of a training yard, meditativly polishing her blowpipe. The stocky woman smiled at the clack of wood on wood, as the youngsters sparred, wrapped in pleasant memories of her own children.

*Fuegan, a few miles northwest*

From the capital city on the horizon a nearly-transparent, furless, four-winged creature with no mouth emerged, heading toward the city. The beat of its four limbs was slow but steady. From the top of it came mixed sounds, hymn, and silence. Coer Sae, the heir of the "Burning Saint" and the only bender in the Hunt that rode the zephyr, had been unwilling to cry in front of his Galgori friends, and so had willed himself to sleep instead. This accounted partially for why Fionuir, the zephyr in question, had slowed down.

In his dreams however Coer was not comforted. He relived the reality of Katsu being burned to death by the enormous fireball of the master firebender, and how Coer had not been able to get Fionuir to him in time to save his life. And he dreamt that Hokori had pulled Anei away from him, and together they had fallen off the zephyr. Simultaneously Coer reached out for Anei and Katsu; in real life his arms clung around Fionuir's neck.

*Fuegan*

Tai Wu the small village carrying a longbox, with a ribbon tied aroundthe middle. Katsu had written him a letter saying that he would be in this village. Tai looked around seeing if his student was anywhere nearby. Hopefully Katsu has not already left. I have something to give him He thought and sat downon a bench. Tai had traveled far to get here. Katsu wasn't only his best student but he was also Tai's best friend. He waited silently on the bench.

*Fuegan, a few miles northwest*

Kenji sat ontop of Coer's flying beast. His eyes still filled with regret. He continued to think of Katsu and how he was killed by that damn fire bender. He knew that benig killed was part of this war and many have died before, but he had never experienced a fellow galgori ever dieing in front of him. It was truly a horrible feeling. The galgori took a deep breath trying to get over it but it seemed useless.

(Now it begins.)

*The Village of Fuegan*

Juraia looked up, as something fast and transluscent began to circle the village in slowly descending spirals. Her eyes picked out five passengers on the best, two of them black-haired females, young, identical seeming... This last fact lit up her mind like a flare, the veteran rising and walking quickly to the likely landing site of the party. She had to know. If it was even a possiblity...

Hokori watched Fiour settle to the ground with a whistle, hymn dying away. She scanned the gathering crowd of villagers, Hunters and Guardians aiming caustious weapons at Coer's sleeping form, quiet whispers dispersing rumor among them before they moved forward. She dismounted from the beast, nudging Coer and helping her sister slide to the ground, supporting her in her pained walked before the Bender really woke up.

*Fuegan, basically*

Coer's dreams took a turn for the worse. The fireball which swallowed Katsu up turned to the twins, and although Hokori let go of her sister in order to throw a sword at the fireball (for who knows what reason), that meant that Anei was freefalling. Coer's dream-self flew down through the air, arms outstretched, screaming something incomprehensible.

Then as dreams do, the scene shifted, and Coer found himself standing in what looked like the old stories of the spirit world. Sitting facing each other, not twenty feet away, were the archetypical images of his fuinxolab Keir Sae and the taurxolab Taed Xoa. He started toward them until Taed Xoa put up a finger. Wait. Someone else must arrive. Though he did not know how he heard this, since neither of the spirits opened their mouths, Coer sat down in the dream on a rock and paused.

*Fuegon*

Tai got up as soon as the creature landed. He remembered that Katsu had written about some enormous flying creature, maybe this was it. Katsu had written this letter before they had gone to the Fire Nation Capital for the first time. He walked over to the landing and saw five passengers, but didn't see Katsu. He saw a couple of girls getting off the creature and decided to ask. "Excuse me, do you know if a katsu was riding with or if he got off at another village?" He asked very politely, seeing as one of the girls was hurt. "Do you need any help?"

*Fuegan, for all intents and purposes*

Taed was made aware that his forest xolab had left his side, but still he flew to the west. Suddenly he stopped in what appeared to be a small village, surrounded by all strangers. Strangers, that is, except for three people he had not seen in weeks...

In Coer's dream Taed Xoa and Keir Sae raised their heads and breathed as one. Then Keir turned to Coer, stood up and walked over to him, and grabbed his shoulder. Wake up.

Coer snapped awake, just as the spirit form of Taed cried out, Coer! Anei and Hokori! What the... where am I? A moment later Taed realized that nobody would be able to hear him. He would have to possess yet another person. However, that would be more difficult than he thought. Anei and Hokori were hugging an older woman; that had to mean this was a Galgori village. You didn't just possess a bender hunter.

"Wha... oh... are we there?" Coer muttered weakly to whichever twin happened to be nearest to him.

Tai's eyes widened as he heard the news of his best friend being killed by a firebender. He smiled at the older woman as she bowed but spaced out again. At the moment he was in shock, in his head he denied the thought that Katsu had died. Maybe he was still alive in a hole somewhere, waiting for someone to come back.

He came out of his state of shock and looked back at the women. He did not wish to distub their family moment so he sat on a nearby bench. Tai oopened the large box. Inside was a double-bladed sword. He wanted to congradulate Katsu for all of his kills. The sword had a long metal handle that was crafted to look like a dragon with two heads. The blades were long and narrow, but strong. He replaced this sword with his old one and used it to remember Katsu. Tai got up and walked back to the group of huntsmates. "I'm sorry to interrupt but I was Katsu's mentor, he was one of my best students and myh best friend. I would like to join you guys if you don't mind." He was speaking to the girls, and everyone else on the back of the beast.

(Heh... This could be quite good.)

Anei smiled at Juraia, any concerns buried in the sheer joy of seeing her mother again. She was brought back to herself by the pain of her burned foot, gasping a little at the pain, "We've missed you so much... Things have been... well, complicated lately. We found Kaer's People for one thing." This last statement brought the subject of Coer up in her mind, this could be even more complicated...

Juraia tilted her head, considering this, "Really? That is certainly something for us to discuss AFTER you're healed." She didn't let the fact that her daughters had lost a huntmate touch her expression, much as the implcations of deaths nearness chilled her. Tai's question interupted her flow of thought, as did Coer's awakening, "And this Bender would be..?"

"Coer Sae, one of the People of the Burning Saint," volunteered Anei swiftly, almost cutting off Juraia in her flushed eagernous, "He's very been very helpful."

This left the disgusted younger twin to attend to Tai, looking away from the exchange in a rapid gesture Juraia noted. She monotoned, "I'm sorry to bear such news then, but it would be up to Master Hao if you were to join us."

(Nervous much?)

*Fuegan*

Not quite realizing the full implications of what was going on, Coer did his best to look awake and bowed low to Anei and Hokori's mother. "You must be Anei and Hokori's mother. I am honored to meet you at last." He looked up and met her eyes, making absolutely certain that he did not look away. "As they testify, I swear I am a descendant of Keir Sae, and in his spirit I will honor your people's customs again so long as I am here."

Something wasn't right here, of that Taed was sure. It was wonderful to see all three of them again but the relationships were all changed. Anei and Hokori, who had been inseparable and so closely knit back on Mothhaudh, seemed a little estranged... in particular Hokori looked torn and angry. And Coer, what a change there was in him. Though Taed hadn't known him so long (not that he knew the twins well either, he reflected), Coer already seemed more animated, and worst of all... in love?

What am I supposed to be doing here? Taed's spirit cried out, confused. How do I communicate with anyone?