Shadow blinked sleepily as she played with the others. Smiling she decided to take a break and listen and watch the others...it was only going to be for a little bit...that was all...but the next thing she knew she was curled up in Argent's lap, her flute in her own.

"Gent?"

"We're back at the wagon, go back to sleep." The young elf shifted, as she drifted back off into darkness...

Her dreams started out like they always did...The elf walked along the foot trail that only her eyes could see in Gala Nodel...her home...her forest...she stopped just three feet from the silver pool that sat in the middle of the small glade, the mist rising from the water and spread out, causing everything to shimmer...but she didn't go towards it, not as she normally did when her dreams came true...instead she walked away, into the swirling mist that called to her...

Shadow stuck her tongue out at her twin as they sat on the bluff over looking the rampaging white water below. This had to be her most favourite place in the forest, other than her hiding place, other than her Lanthir lamath...she came here to forget, had since she was a child...though it was called Rina Ras, Memory Peak...the crashing rapids below were enough to cause anyone to forget their troubles.

She looked around her as she saw her "pack" there...ALL of them...there was Einar...and Aydra...Gent, of course...Clyde...KurrPhelan, Eleece, Alana...She watched sadly as KurrPhelan, Eleece, and Alana faded away...Clyde stood and brushed himself off.

"Well, I need to get going, if I stay here too long the world will fade." he said in the same joking manner that he always had. Where was her friend now? She found herself wondering over and over again...she knew he wasn't dead...if he were, he would have faded away...Einar stood as well. "I better be going as well, need to go rescue Kaylee before Mae becomes over grandmotherly...I'll bring her by tonight...all right Shades?"

Shadow nodded and watched Einar run to catch up with Clyde before turning back to her twin. Another presence came forward, and Shadow looked up from her place on the ground into blue eyes.

"Hell young elf."

Shadow rolled her eyes. "My name is Shadow, Xavyer, and well you know it. Are you ever going to get it right?"

Argent chuckled and threw a stone at her. "I still say that hair of yours would work pretty good for horses reins...why don't you let me cut it off for you?" He asked, his eyes glittering as he started up the age-old argument.

"Damnit Cubby! Would you knock it off! And if you EVEN get near my hair..." She warned as her twin threw another rock. With a growl, Shadow pounced her twin, oblivious to the sound of her old escort’s laughter.

"Let him up." Shadow frowned and looked up at Xavyer. "Don't tell me what to do!" But she did it anyway. She turned away from both of them, her arms crossed. Why was it men were always telling her what to do? They had no bloody right!

"Kit..." she didn't answer. "Shades...Shady..." The elf stood firm. "My little silver Shadow..." The voice brought tears to her eyes, but she didn't turn around...that voice was always there...it was Ravin. Still Shadow didn't budge. "Yelde..." Shadow turned her head and watched as her brothers faded, as her Da faded, his gentle face towering over the dark haired men...and her father appeared.

"I'm sorry A'po...Cubby was teasing me again." She said as if he knew what she was talking about as she walked towards him to hug him. She stopped as Galain held up his hand; hurt spread across her face changing to awe as she watched him change. She'd never seen him change into dragon before...she’d always caught him just before or just after...but never during.

The elf reached out a copper hand to touch the muzzle of the gold head that lowered; oblivious of the swirling silver mist around her...She wondered what if felt like, did he feel sleek like Snickers? Did he feel soft and silky like the young dragons at Draelond...or were his scales slick as rain on a leaf after a strong summer storm.

Her fingers were a touch away from the sparkling gold...but she never felt the scales beneath her delicate copper fingers...didn’t feel the warmth of the sun reflecting off of her father’s dragon form...instead she felt the coldness of glass...her head shot up as she stared into a mirror, her eyes widening in alarm.

"Cubby..." she began uncertain as she looked where her fingers touched the mirror, talons replaced the nimble digits. "Gent...!" her eyes travelled up her arm where flawless copper skin was replaced by glistening copper scales. "ARGENT!!!!" She screamed...

Shadow's head shot up as she crashed into awareness...everything looked different to her...she was frightened...She was no longer safely curled up in her twin's lap as she had done countless times before...she wasn't the same either...she was different...Panic flashed through her mind, feeling as though it would burst through her skull as her twin's emotions flooded her mind as her own did Argent’s. The feelings rolled out from the twins like the tide from the sea...

Galain jerked awake, banging his head against the wheel he'd been leaning against. He felt sore and awkward as he realized he still sat exactly as he had settled hours before.

Something had awakened him and everything within him was on alert. He could feel... dragons. Dragons were here. A second cry from Shadow had Galain jumping to his feet, disregarding his aches and pains as he realized who the dragons were.

"Oh gods," he half-whispered as he stumbled across his twin daughter and son. They were "hatching" as it were, much as he had done long ago. He'd been alone and frightened until another dragon had found him and crooned to him. The elf's mind raced even as instinct took over and he began a quiet hatching song meant to comfort both elves. True, the two could changes to specific shapes effortlessly, but the dragon self... it was something entirely different.

Be at ease, a'po is here... he sent with the song, his heart hammering. He was remembering that Shadow had met up with the Aeglos long, long ago -- just about the time he had, but she'd not undergone the change he had. He didn't pause to wonder why, as it wasn't important right now. What was important was to soothe his children's panic and ease them through this change.

Relax, let it happen, he told them both as he quickly removed their clothing. This was no fluid shape shifting where clothes could be magicked away without a single thought or melded into whatever skin and fur one's new form took on. He was certain they'd figure it out more quickly than he had -- Summerlin surely had, but right now these two would be focused on becoming something they'd never considered being.

Galain moved quickly, somehow moving both Shady and the much larger Argent away from the wagon and closer to the surrounding trees, then himself shifted. He never let up with the crooning hatching song that filled their minds and half-covered them with his wings as the transformation took place.

He heard his sister scream, and he raced towards her, their dreams merging together. He stopped cold in his tracks as he stared at Shadow.

"Kit? What th...” he didn’t finish as he wrapped his arms around his waist and half doubled over. He didn't feel any pain; it more like a dull ache, every time he tried to fight it off it became more intense. Galain's voice sifted through his mind and the forest elf snatched on to it, tried to focus on it, to rid himself of the pain he felt.

"Be easy my ass!" he wanted to say, but as soon as the words formed they were quickly gone, swept away as pain shot through him.

Just let it happen? Let what happen! His eyes opened enough so he could see what was around him...he was lying between two dragons, one gold, and one copper.

Cubby...

Argent looked towards one as its head lowered and nuzzled against him. Kit? he looked into dark green eyes, the same colour as his forest home. Again the elf curled up in pain as he fought off what was happening...what ever it was....

Let it happen is what the other dragon said. Argent turned his head to look at the other dragon, its wing shielding him. A'po...wh what's happening? He asked with a child like fear as pain flashed through him again.

You're going dragon, ’Lain told his son, still crooning the hatching son to him. Shadow had changed, but not Argent and worry gnawed at him. Hatchlings could die if suppressed and he gently nudged Argent.

Don't fight it. It will only hurt you worse. The dragon looked up and saw Marion nearby. He figured the others would awaken soon, if not the entire camp. His attention returned to his children and he nudged Argent again. We'll be able to fly together, yondo. The three of us. Change with us and fly.

He didn't know what it was, but something caused him to only listen to the song, to his father's voice, he only watched Galain. His sister trusted him, why didn't he? Argent knew that answer just as he knew that the Elen couldn't have done anything about it. He blamed Galain for his mother crying...he blamed Galain for the separation he had from his sister....he blamed Galain for the years of torture his sister endured...but he knew Galain had no hand in it. The high elf didn't even know they existed, his mother was the one that had left. Air had left Galain, knowing and accepting his nature...

I want to... He said quietly, the pain ebbing away. I want to fly... something shifted inside of him and pain began to dull. Argent was going to trust his father, he didn't know why, he did care for the elf, but he didn't want anyone to know that. I'm sorry... he said finally. The words were like a key unlocking a door, or someone opening up a box to let him out. He felt relief, as though a pressure had been taken away.

With large forest green eyes, he looked around and took in the first sights and carved them into memory. The first thing he saw as a dragon, were sea-green eyes filled with worry before they changed, a different emotion he couldn't place...though something made him wonder if he had seen it before, but on a different face.

Galain breathed a sigh of immense relief as Argent finally gave in and let the change come over him. He met the other's eyes with joy -- an emotion he reserved for rare occasions because it was so fleeting for him. That joy was laced with more than a little love. Despite it all, Galain loved the kid deeply. He'd never expected this for either of these two children, but accepted it happily for now.