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Nehanda looked up at the Wisp and grinned, then took off up the beach. She pumped her short little legs as hard as she could, and chanced a look back over her shoulder to see where Keanu was.

Foenix nodded. "I'm always happy to help, Kami. They're just so special . . ." She trailed off, knowing that she didn['t have to finish her sentence, that the other young woman would understand.

Nehanda dove onto the towel with a bright giggle. She'd won! As she sat up and started to untangle the tail that had become wound around her legs, she looked over and saw how exhausted Keanu appeared. In fact, he seemed pretty upset! Struggling up to her feet, she padded over to her friend. "Are you okay, Keanu?"

Nehanda returned Keanu's smile, glad that the little Wisp was okay. She opened ehr mouth to say something, but broke off in a loud yawn.

Foenix smiled down at the little girl. "Well, I think it's about time we headed home. Looks like someone needs a nap." She stood and gathered Nehanda up into her arms. "It was good to see you again, Kami, Keanu." She nodded to Mazin. "I'll come by with those teeth and claws once I've got them."

Settlement preparations

In the wee small hours of the morning...

Osero sat sharpening his spear next to the warmth of the small fire. "So, what are we going to take?"

"I'm not really sure." Rahujo said, her brow furrowed. "I believe in the old times it was customary to take a piece of the village cookfire... but we don't actually have one."

Osero nodded. "A symbol of the three that make up the nucleus of a new tribe - spellweaver, artisan and hunter."

"Hey, we could take Alyosha and bury him... after all, he is the closest thing we have to the centre of the community..." Acia piped up, clutching onto her staff and grinning shyly.

Rahujo laughed. "I think he might object to that."

"Not if he's out cold..." Osero looked at his spear thoughtfully. "I could arrange it so..."

Rahujo chuckled and swatted Osero playfully. "That would probably be a bad idea." She thought for a while. "What could each of us contribute? I could give a tool, or perhaps a bowl or something similar, made with fuel and materials from Cetalu."

"It needs to be something that won't rot or disintegrate. Furs and meat are no good. Perhaps I could string together a necklace of claws and teeth," Osero said.

Acia thought for a moment before replying, not sure what she could give that would be special enough. "I have some precious stones, from deep down under Cetalu... would those be okay?"

Osero grinned again. "Well, more fitting than Alyosha, anyway. So, are we decided?"

Rahujo nodded. "So. When shall we three meet again?"

"Ere the set of sun?"

Acia grinned. "Where the place?"

"Upon the heath." Rahujo smiled, and thought for a second. "Sunset, at the top end of the west beach. I will take my canoe."

Osero stood up, hefting his spear and nodding. "I will meet you there."

As he turned to leave, Acia got to her feet as well with a small smile. "Oki!" She scurried towards the far end of the beach, heading towards the Centre.

Rahujo remained to extinguish the fire and tidy up, thinking meanwhile of what she would bring.

( continued here )

Alyosha, after the excitement of Keanu's birth only moments before had realised he should get on with another Aerandir's item. He had slipped out of his house via his veranda, skirting along the beach towards Ieyasu's house. Going at some speed, carrying a large bamboo staff and aware that his studying and Keanu's 'birth' had left him little time to get packed and ready, he almost didn't notice Inle until he was right on top of her.

Skidding to a stop, the tall man offered Inle a slightly embarrased look. "Er... sorry.. wasn't looking where I was goi..." he stopped, seeing her with the staff, wisp and a bowl of sand as well as a bag bulging with items. He had already guessed where she had been heading. Oh dear. Well, he'd just not have time to spend in Ar' Idil with the new guardians before heading to the mainland.

Rahujo ambled across the village, heading for the forge, absent-mindedly swinging a loose cloth bag and followed by a small gray-blue Aerandir child, followed in turn by his brown-haired guardian.

Looking between two of the village's huts, she noticed Alyosha on the other side of the village, striding at speed away from the centre. She started to raise a hand to bid him good afternoon, but he was gone before she could open her mouth. She blinked, remembering that he was meant to be on his way to the mainland. In fact ... shouldn't he have been gone by now? Rahujo grinned wryly. For a man responsible for so much, Alyosha could be amusingly disorganised at times - usually when he got too enthused about some new research. Shaking her head, she continued on her way.

Inle hadn't been paying much attention, so focused was she on the ecstatic wisp at her side. It was only when Marli halted abruptly that she too stopped, only to notice that she had almost been run over. Inle looked up at the living, breathing roadblock, looking somewhat nonplussed; she was pretty small herself, and it wasn't the first time she had nearly become pedestrian roadkill. She noticed the man's look, and instinctively clutched the items in her hands tighter.

"It's alright," she said coolly. "We were just heading to the Center." Marli had taken up residence behind her, and her soft wispy eyes peered cautiously at the tall man from over Inle's shoulder.

Inle looked over her shoulder, locking eyes with Marli. An unspoken question seemed to pass between them, and Marli nodded, her answer just as silent. As Inle lowered herself to a kneel, Marli moved to float directly over her, as if supervising her actions.

The staff was the first thing Inle placed upon the ground. It formed a horizontal line upon the ground between Aly and Inle. She then placed the bowl of sand at the top of the straight side of the wood before allowing her bag to fall gently to the ground. After rummaging in it for a moment, she withdrew the beads, bangles, and shells, all of which were wrapped inside a piece of blue cloth. These she set at random points along either side of the staff's length. Next she unearted the piece of metal, what used to be a side of her toaster, and put it on the ground at the bottom of the staff. Last, she took out the water, held in a triangular flask, and placed it within the crook of the staff.

She wasn't certain why, but this placement of items felt right, almost ritualistic. She surveyed her handiwork for a brief moment before standing and taking a step back. As she did so, Marli floated forward, floating in a lazy circle above the items.