They traveled quickly that day, speaking rarely and stopping only for a short time at lunch. By the time they stopped for the night they had covered a good deal of ground. They cared for the horses and set up camp. After eating dinner they worked through their drills until it was too dark to see very well.

Vell was still frightened from the dream the night before. She laid her bedroll on her side of the fire, but stood and looked around her. They were just inside the woods, a farmer’s field on the other side of the trees. A few night creatures called into the darkness. She heard Senar put out the fire and go for his bedroll.

In the bright moonlight she could see him standing and looking thoughtfully at the fire pit. Before Vell could ask him what was the matter he sighed and walked over to her. With an unreadable face he dropped his bedroll beside hers.

She looked at him curiously and he shrugged, smiling slightly. “It can’t hurt.”

She smiled and hugged him. “Of course not.”

Vell was less stressed with each passing day. She became more confident than she had ever expected, feeling that they were definitely going to succeed. Part of it was because Senar was also confident. He never spoke negatively. Everything he said and did was an effort to be positive. The comfort he brought her was constant now. He didn’t leave her to negative thoughts at night. He instead stayed by her side, his arms around her comforting them both.

They had no idea what part of the country they were in, but the area was very densely wooded. Somehow they were able to find a path through the jungle that happened to be wide enough for them to ride side-by-side. It hadn’t been an hour that they were following the trail when a large black and orange cat came bounding down the trail in front of them. The tiger skidded to a halt a few feet from them.

Kintec shook his head and stared at the creature as Sparkra tried to step closer and sniff it. Vell held tightly to the reins. Senar reached behind him and clamped his hand on his bow. Vell knew he would never kill the cat unless he had to.

The tiger sat there and watched them, its amber eyes curious. The large cat then stood, almost seeming to smile. The dirt and debris on the forest floor swirled around and above it. Vell and Senar watched in awe as the swirling stopped and there before them stood a young woman about their age. Her hair was long and rich brown with black highlights. Her eyes were the same amber as the tiger’s. Her skin was tanned and she wore a lightweight dress that was brown and black.

“Hello,” the girl said. “May I ask you of your business in our land?”

Vell looked at Senar. He nodded, taking his hand from his bow. “My name is Senar. This is Vell,” he added motioning to her. “We are Spirit Speakers on a quest to aid the Temple. We don’t mean any harm, we are only passing through.”

The girl looked awed. She gave them a smile and curtsied. “I am Tigress. I am of the Shifters, longtime friends of the Speakers. It has been many years since one has entered our lands.”

Vell and Senar exchanged a glance. They’d both been told of the Shifters, men and women who spent their lives in the forests of Algoma. They could shape-shift into only one creature, depending on the person. The Shifters had long believed in the Spirits, mostly those of the animals they could shape-shift into. The group had once been as great as the Speakers, thousands walked Algoma, but they were slowly dying out. The same was true for the Spirit Speakers, a gift given to few. The two groups had always been close, friends.

“It is an honor to meet you,” Senar replied with a polite nod. Vell gave her agreement.

The young woman smiled as they dismounted. “Will you come to meet our tribe?”

Vell looked back at Senar. They were in a hurry, but there was no way they could dishonor themselves by declining her request.

“Yes,” Senar replied slightly reluctantly.

The trees behind Tigress moved. At first Vell thought it was the wind, but very little of it was present. A large head appeared behind the girl. It seemed to be a large reptile.

“Tigress,” Senar said a bit fearfully, “there’s a dragon behind you.”

The young woman smiled and shook her head. “Stop it Dragon. They’re Speakers.”

The dragon looked disappointed. The swirling began again, on a larger scale. It blew at everyone’s clothes and hair. When it ceased a young man walked out of the brush. He was about six feet tall. His skin was also tanned and his hair was dark blond and short enough to show his green eyes. The short pants he wore were green and he wore no shirt.

“Don’t you have all the luck lately,” he muttered to Tigress.

She glared at him. “Your problem is not my fault, Dragon.” He mocked her with his eyes. “This is my brother,” Tigress said to Vell and Senar. “He’s a bit self-centered. You might be best to ignore him.”

“Or you could ignore her,” Dragon argued.

Vell had to hide a smile.

“These are the Speakers,” Tigress told her brother, ignoring him herself. “Their names are Senar and Vell. They’ll be coming to meet the tribe.”

The young man bowed to them. “I’m honored to meet you. I’ll go tell the tribe of your arrival.” They nodded.

As he ran down the path Tigress smiled at them. “He’s been rather stand-offish lately. Don’t tell him I told you this. Our father is the tribe leader. Dragon is supposed to inherit the tribe, but he needs to be married. He’s nearly eighteen, so he should have been married by now. The problem is that Doe, his lover, isn’t pregnant yet. In order for him to marry her she has to be carrying his child. Dragon is determined to marry no one else. It must be Doe.”

“Why are you telling us this?” Vell asked in surprise.

Tigress began walking the way her brother had gone and they followed at her sides, leading the horses. “I tell you because you are the Speakers. If there is any way to help my brother you will be able to find it.”

Senar looked over at Vell. She caught his questioning look. “We’ll see if there’s anything we can do,” she said quietly.

He nodded. “After all, the Shifters and the Speakers have always been friends.”

“Thank you,” Tigress said happily.

“What of you, Tigress?” Vell asked, “How old are you?”

The young woman smiled. “I will be fifteen in two months. Lion already asked to wed me then, well, when I’m carrying his child. I won’t inherit any power from the family. Neither will my little sister. She has no name now since she can’t Shift yet.”

Vell nodded politely. She had a feeling she didn’t like their marriage customs, but she did her best to stay respectful of their traditions.

“What about you, Speakers?” Tigress questioned.

“I’m sixteen,” Senar spoke first.

“I’m fifteen,” Vell added.

“Are you brother and sister?” she asked.

Senar shook his head. “No, we’re -”

“Married?”

“No, we’re just-”

“Lovers?”

“No! Will you let me talk! Please?”

Vell couldn’t stop herself from laughing at the conversation.

Tigress smiled. “Go on.”

Senar sighed. “We are in love, but not... physically. We are Tied, but we’re not married. We have an Eternal Bond. It’s very difficult to explain.”

“I’ve heard of it,” she replied. “When it forms between the Speakers their relationship stays.” He nodded. Before the conversation could go farther, they came to a clearing filled with people and huts.

“This is the tribe,” Tigress announced proudly.