Never caught Cora’s hand before she could catch an ear flick.“No, no ear spankings.I have to save my calm.I am about to be touched by a whole bunch of people.”
Tam-or pulled her away and tucked her into the SUV.“Ear spankings?”His grin was irrepressible.
“What would you call it?She can’t really hurt me, so this is my vulnerable spot.Matthias thought it was hilarious.”She grimaced.“I don’t like it.”
He laughed and kissed her before closing the door.
They were on their way a few moments later.
She knew what she would be facing, but she was still surprised when they pulled up to a large house she hadn’t been to before.
Tam-or came around, helped her out, and held her hand in a dignified manner as they walked through the crowd of orcs, goblins, and trolls.They were excited, and the power flowed through her.
She let their power show through her skin, and she changed to have the slate grey of the trolls and the black of the goblins in her hair, along with the dark pine green that was shades darker than her skin.She suspected that Cora had unravelled her hair.
They walked through the charged atmosphere of excited extranaturals.She was walked to the trees, and Tam-or smiled.“Join the land and greet your people.”
She nodded and stood up.
“Don’t you need to kneel?”
She looked at him and saw him back up a step.“No one kneels for nature.”
Never extended her arms and let the flow of power through her loop back and into the soil and trees around her.
* * * *
Cora watched her sistercast her magic into the trees, the soil, and then...her people.Her body made connections between her and all of those who would come to her in need.Cora felt the light tag of power on her chest and another on her belly.Abel-ur had one as well.Seconds after the contact, they felt the rush of being part of every living thing in the area.“Oh, wow.”
Through the wild energy, there was a thick and comforting wave, and that was Never.Cora grinned.“Yeah, there she is.”
Endless calm, endless compassion, and no sense of self-interest was the warm furnace of affection that was Never in all her glory.
Abel-ur said, “I thought she was a hunter.”
“She is.She hunts to protect, to find the lost, and to make sure that any violent interference stops when she is on the threshold.She works on helping folks pick their best future so they can be better people.She can do that here as well as out and about.”
Abel-ur chuckled.“I think our clan just got a huge boost.”
“Yah think?”She chuckled.“You might want to apply for a conservatorship of the forest and river beyond.It will give the clan a tax bonus and give me a place to stretch my horns.”
Abel-ur smiled.“You think?”
“Yes.I also have to make a bower for when the baby makes its arrival.”
“You are really...”
“Yes.Never knew before I did.Our senses overlap a lot.”
“Why is that?”
“We were pulled through together.I believe we are outworlders.We are too muddled to really determine it.Matthias tried to get folks to look into us, but wherever we are from, there is no going back.They tried, but no one could pinpoint our origin.”She smiled.“We are good here now.”
She took Abel-ur’s hand and walked him toward Never.She put on her horns in energy form only.“Thank you, Shaman.I thank you for your embrace and will relish your wisdom.”
Never smiled.“I will guard you and yours, within my clan.”
Abel-ur did the same and got the same response.They walked and stood to one side as the visitors came and repeated the words.
