Welcome to Gaia! ::

Whisper looked up at Ryu through narrowed eyes. "You are or you aren't," she said firmly. "Just as Serenity takes different forms, but is always an elf, you may take different forms, but you are always what you were born."

Rhea just grinned at Cindy, her eyes sparkling brightly. "This way is more fun. Besides, he knows he's not allowed to, right Ecthelion?"

The boy stuck his tongue out at his cousin and wrapped his arms tightly around his aunt's neck once more.

Suddenly there was a startled shout of "Ecthelion!" and Rose appeared suddenly in the middle of the group, too relieved to show any shyness. She plucked her son from Alyse's back and hugged him tightly.

Ecthelion coughed and squirmed. "Mama! You're squishing me!" he protested.

Alyse giggled softly and rubbed her neck where her nephew had held her so tightly. "There he goes again."



Aragost smiled warmly within the recesses of his cowl, though he made sure not to let any of his face show, keeping it in what little shadows there were.

"It is beautiful," he agreed softly, standing behind her to gaze out over the ranch and the forest beyond. "It is a sight of which I will never tire ... and one that I look forward to seeing for a long time to come."

His eyes shifted to the star that hung in the upper half of the window, making the room even brighter.



Timaeus laughed at Lin. "Well at least I can keep my age straight," he grinned, "though I don't blame you for not knowing yours. Your age works differently - you're an adult, that's all that matters."

He folded his arms across his chest and grinned at her. "Drink?" he offered.



Haradhel nodded. "And we can certainly use another healer," she agreed. "But it might mean she would have to stay here a bit longer ... would you stay as well? I would imagine you might want to get back to Kara as soon as possible."

There was something about Whisper that reminded Ryu a lot of Wish, and not just in race either.

"Half fish," he replied dryly.

Feng laughed as she watched Ecthelion's reaction to being hugged nearly to death.

Miyu nodded at this before looking up at Aragost curiousity, "Timaeus said you wanted a room with more light and that there was a story behind that."

She had always known Aragost in shadows, so the idea there was a story behind it made her curious.

"We didn't notice until after we got Aliya's place," Ryu explained.

He had to chuckle at that though... poor Rose.

Miyu sat at the edge of the bed a bit worried, the way he made it sound it was very serious, "I would like that."

She flipped her braid over her back.

"Oh?" Timaeus smiled at Lin and sat down across from her again. "With whom? How many stops?"


Both doors opened seeming at the same time, and from one door stepped a tall, pale-haired elf with a warm smile and pale blue robes, and from the other stepped the tall, dark-cloaked figure - this time with the hair safely tucked hidden away.

"Aerin, Caranthir," Haradhel introduced them, "this is Donovan, founder of this ranch. Donovan, Aerin and Caranthir."

Bright green eyes watched the human from the depths of the cowl, and Aerin slowly nodded her head in acknowledgment of the man. Caranthir on the other hand was quite unabashed about how happy he was to meet him.

"Donovan!" he said brightly, as if he had known the man for a long time, and it had just been a while since they had seen each other. "Wonderful to finally meet you! I have to say, I'm quite pleased with what I hear from the others about you. Never heard of a human quite like you before."


Rose looked down at Ecthelion to scold him again - but he had already disappeared, running towards the forest at top speed and giggling like mad.

"I'll get him," Rhea grinned impishly, rising to her feet. She dropped her staff as enormous wings, both of them twice as long as she was tall, sprouted from her back, and like a shot she took off after her younger cousin.


Aragost sat in a chair across from the bed and leaned forward slightly, clasping his hands together anxiously - hands that were black as coal.

"First I must ask your forgiveness," he said softly. "I was not able to wait until your visit to leave ... eight years is a long time for a threat to go undealt with."

Caranthir sort of reminded Donovan of some others on the Ranch, then again Haven did attract all types. Though it was also not the first time he had heard that comment as well.

"As it is good to meet the both if you, Triton had told me a bit after his own trip."

Lin tried to remember again what the plan was, "Each of the cities," she explained, "With Earendil and Tinuviel... along with whichever guards she needs to take."

So it was sort of like a bigger trip of sorts.

Feng giggled at that, remembering Adan as a child, though she couldn't recall him walking off like that so often, "I think he partly gets that from his daddy."

Though at least some of the adventurous nature of Ecthelion came from that.

"He was very active too wasn't it?" Ryu murmured knowing it was that active nature was the reason why Feng and Adan got along so well.

It was a squeal alright, but oddly enough it was more from shock, worry and perhaps she had been a bit frighten, but it was mainly from shock. Miyu had nearly fallen over backwards. She bit her tongue to keep from mi-ing, because it would do no good.

She stopped and starred at the man before her as if she couldn't quite figure out what to say. Never had before Yami-san been so much like the name she had given him. Getting back up she crawled over to him and reached out.

"Does Yami-san hurt?" she inquired regressing back to her child's speech.

Rose smiled and held Ecthelion close. "Soon Adanedhel will be taking Ecthelion on hunts with him ... at least some of the time," she murmured, "and then I can only hope that he'll settle down."

Ecthelion pouted up at his mother, the dark strands of his hair falling forward into his face while his blond hair stayed tucked behind his ears. "Don't wanna settle down," he told her matter-of-factly.



Aragost lowered his head slightly and reached up, taking her hand in his as clearly as if he were watching her. The corners of his lips curled up in a slight smile, and he looked almost as if he wanted to cry with relief.

"No, Miyu," he said softly, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "It doesn't hurt."

What hurt was that he couldn't see her all grown up now, though he knew she had, and could hear it in her voice. What hurt was no longer seeing the sun, though he could feel its warmth.

"You helped me, Miyu," he added softly. "Did you know that?"



Aerin turned to Donovan and lowered her cowl, her bright orange hair tumbling out and spilling around her shoulders, green eyes bright. Her face was covered in freckles that made her look youthful, despite the fact that she was very close to four hundred years old.

"Then your son is wise," she told him simply. "Though perhaps a bit of warning might have been necessary for this one."

Caranthir tutted at her. "Why don't you sleep?" he suggested innocently. "It's only been about three hundred years, I think you could really use it."

Aerin glared at him, her lips tightening silently.



Timaeus grinned. "Excellent. You'll be going to Namonuito, I would assume? Tell Arwen and Roydon hello from all of us here at the ranch will you? And see if they have any children yet, I know Elrohir and Haradhel are getting a little anxious on that score."