Four Togethor

The 18th day of the month of New Life, in the year 4504, during the reign of Kalathar, king of the Humans of Huar.

Elethen looked down from his perch on the precarious cliff that sat some thousand feet above his village, known as the Colande cliff, the largest cliff on Colande mountain. He was watching, waiting to see his father's caravan approach from the north....the land of the Eagles. His father was one of the men that made the journey to visit Tighearnan, Elder of the Eagle clan. From this wisened old Eagle did the Humans receive their Eagle companions. Ten men from every village in Huar gathered at the northern-most city of Diligan and from there traveled to the north to receive Eagles for the youth in their village who had completed Eagle Training.

He strained his silver eyes, looking out over the vast land that was his homeland, Huar. His village was a smudge against the desert background that made up most of Huar. It was located about a thousand feet from the mountain's base. To the east of the village and to the north this desert stretched, spotted by green cactus. To the west and south there was field upon field of grasslands and meadows. Northern Huar was a land of stony mountains and meadowy valleys, the land of the Eagles. To the west of Huar was the friendly country of Kaleo. To the south there were the Dragon lands, filled with volancoes and lave pits, a horrible land that no one ever ventured into, except the Reians. To the east, beyond the Colande mountain, was Reian itself, an unfriendly country that had rivaled Huar for two thousand years.

Elethen turned to Linquea, "Do you see them, Quea?"

The tall young girl shielded her green eyes from the hot afternoon sun and looked towards the north, "No, not yet..." She sat down by her companion, "Do you believe...I mean...do you think...that is....will our fathers let us start Eagle Training this year?"

Elethen sighed as he laid back upon the warm rock surface of the cliff, "I asked my father before he left...and he said probably not this year. He says I'm not responsible enough."

Linquea frowned, "I thought the whole point of Eagle Training was to learn to be responsible enough...."

Elethen shrugged and closed his eyes, looking with his minds eye to the Eagles his village friends had. He thought of them all and then sat up. Very few people actually graduated Eagle Training. Many completed it, but when tested by the Elders of the Village, they were found lacking. Only twenty of the seventy people in his village had Eagles, and only two had passed the past year's Eagle Training, so only two were receiving Eagles this year.

Linquea looked at him, "I wonder how the Elders decide who passes and who doesn't?"

He shrugged yet again, "It's all so complicated....probably how well you can control your Eagle."

Linquea stood again and sheilded her shining green eyes from the sun, "Elethen! I think I see them!"

Elethen stood and looked, sure enough, there they were! Ten men were on their way to the village, three on the feathery backs of great, grand Eagles, and the other seven traveling by horseback. The horse in the middle drew a small cart with two cages in it, containing Eagle eggs. Elethen turned to Linquea, "Come now, fly as fast as your feet can carry you!"

The two took off down the path that wound down the side of the great mountain they were on. Their feet flew down the path, across rock and river, thorn and flower. They soon came to an area of the path that was quite dangerous, as the rock was loose and you could fall quite easily. Linquea slowed, but Elethen did not. He collided into his companion quite accidently and the two were sent tumbling down the path at an alarming pace. They rolled over stones and through a briar patch as they tumbled toward the bottom of the path.

The two reached the bottom of the path quickly enough and then stood shakily and looked at each other. Linquea chuckled as she pulled a thorn from her arm, "This is going to be a funny thing to explain to our fathers."

Elethen grinned, "Yes, I know. You might want to wipe the blood from your face and tidy up a bit."

She gasped in mock idignation, "Speak for yourself! Look at your knees, bloody as if you'd been kneeling in a rose garden!"

He shook his head, "Come on, we must hurry if we want to make it in time."

The two continued along the path to their village and arrived at the village square just before the caravan. They rushed over to the caravan and over to the cart carrying the Eagle eggs. They were soon joined by the two who were to receive the Eagles. Tilos and Beande were thrilled at the prospect of caring for the Eagles.

Tilos, a short blonde boy who was clad in blue clothing, pointed to the icy blue egg, "I wish to have that one!"

Beande, a slightly taller lad with black hair and red garb, indicated the red egg, "I want that one."

Linquea looked at the two boys, "You'll get the ones the Elders give you."

The two boys ignored her and continued to talk about the Eagle eggs. Linquea sighed and turned to Elethen, "Let us find our fathers."

A merry voice resounded from behind the two youths, causing them to jump with a start, "What tall young maid is this, with fiery red hair and the rosy cheeks?"

Linquea smiled as her face lit up at the sight of the tall man whose hair matched her own and whose blue eyes sparkled with good humor, "Father!" Thus saying this, she rushed into her father's arms and received a grand hug.

Elethen smiled and looked about, then, spotting his father, he ran to greet him, "Father, how are you?"

Elethen's father, Ewan, turned to his son with a smile. He was not a tall man, but made up for it with his broad shoulders and strong muscles. He had chocolate brown hair, quite a bit darker than Elethen's sandy brown hair, but his silver eyes were the same. He embraced his son and laughed heartily, "Elethen, I am fine, how are you and what has got you so dirty and scratched up?"

Linquea and her father, Quesan, approached quickly as Quesan spoke, "I was just asking Linquea the same thing."

Linquea smiled ruefully and looked at her father, "Well, what I want to know is, are we going to be allowed to start Eagle Training this year?"

The two fathers looked at each other and then at their children and Ewan spoke, "That is up to the Elders and you know it."

Elethen looked dissapointed, "But the Elders will only pick a person that has been nominated by their father or mother! If you don't nominate us, we'll never become Eagle Masters!"

Linquea nodded in agreement, but the two fathers only shook their heads.

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The next day Elethen was up quite early and was soon outside Linquea's home. He rapped upon the door cautiously, hoping not to disturb anyone. Linquea's mother, Dovia, opened the door with a smile. Her violet eyes were happy to see her daughter's companion and she quickly invited him in. He sat down at the low table and eagerly attacked the biscuits and dried deer meat that Dovia set before him.

Elethen glanced up as Lynq, Linquea's younger brother, entered the room. He was a small boy of ten and was exactly six years younger than Elethen was. Elethen was happy to see the red-headed boy and invited him to share his breakfast. Lynq accepted the invitation and sat down by his hero.

The two soon looked up to see Linquea enter the room, her red hair plaited into a waist-length braid. She smiled, her green eyes lit by the candlelight. She sat down opposite of the two boys and spoke happily, "So, Elethen, are you excited about the Eagle Festival?"

Elethen nodded, "You bet! I can't wait to see the Eagles and their Masters perform!"

Lynq grinned up at Elethen, "You never get tired of it, eh?"

He ruffled the boy's hair, "Nope, never."

Linquea stood, "Come, lets go help set up for the competitions!"

Lynq stood as Elethen did, "May I come?"

Elethen nodded, but stopped short as Linquea spoke, "You're too young, Lynq, maybe next year."

The two youths left the building and ran along the paths of the village and out to the field where the Eagle Festival was held every year. They hurried up to one of the Elders, a man called by the name of Suibhne. Linquea smiled, "I hope you'll be announcing the new Eagle Trainees."

Suibhne nodded his aged head, his wisened eyes crinkling in a smile, "All in due time, my dears."

The 'due time' passed quickly enough as Eagles and their Masters competed for prizes in the many Eagle Festival competitions. The festivities included target practice, Eagleback archery, ring tossing (which were caught with long poles from the backs of flying Eagles) and fireworks at the end.

Soon after the fireworks, the entire village gathered about the bonfire that was lit in the middle of the field. Tilos and Beande were presented with their Eagle eggs and then it was time...the announcment of the next Eagle Trainees.

Suibhne stood from his position among the village Elders, "It is my honored duty and privilege to announce this year's Eagle Trainees." He drew from his long sleeve a scroll and read the first name, "First...Katrin, who will be training with his father's Eagle...Toirdealbhach!"

Katrin was a tall youth of seventeen years. He had dark blonde hair and light violet eyes. He was clothed in a crimson shirt and a black over-tunic that came down to the mid-thigh region of his black leggings. He stood and came to the Elders and knelt before them, waiting to be assigned a Trainer. He remained kneeling as Toirdealbhach, a grand Eagle of black coloring and violet eyes that matched Katrin's own, approached and sat by his Trainee's side.

Elethen whispered to Linquea as the two clapped for Katrin, "Katrin's lucky, training with Toirdealbhach will be good, as Toirdealbhach is a wise teacher."

Suibhne smiled at Katrin and looked at the scroll, "Secondly...Linquea...who will be training with her uncle's Eagle, Saebhreathach!"

Elethen clapped wholeheartedly and Linquea smiled to him and ran off to kneel by Katrin. She was wearing green shirt and leggings and a light green diamond overshirt. She was soon joined by the green Eagle, Saebhreathach, whose blue eyes sparkled in the firelight. Suibhne nodded to her and read the third name, "Next we have....Sorcha...who will be trained by her cousin's Eagle, Alastriona!"

Sorcha, a small girl of fourteen years, came to kneel by Linquea. She was clad in a long violet gown with slits down the side and long black leggings underneath. Her short hair was black and cupped her face delicately. She knelt by Linquea and was soon joined by Alastriona, the only female Eagle so far, who was a blue Eagle.

Suibhne looked back at the scroll, "Lastly we have....Elethen, who will be trained by his mother's Eagle, Mathghamhain!"

Elethen was shocked, he felt so honored to be chosen, but even more honored to be allowed to be trained by his dead mother's Eagle. He stood quickly and went to kneel by Sorcha and Alastriona. He was soon joined by the white Eagle, Mathghamhain.

The four new Trainees were assigned Trainers, Eagle Masters with incredible experience with Eagles. Each Trainer would be in charge of preparing the Trainees for their test on the first day of the month of New Life in one year.

Elethen stared at his Trainer with awe, he was a plump man with greying hair and solemn blue eyes. Elethen would have been wondering what in the world he could learn from this old man, if not for the fact that he had been raised to respect the wisdom and experience of his elders. The man's name was Toal.

Elethen hugged his father and followed Toal to his home for the next year, a small thatched-roofed home on the outskirts of the village. He entered hesitantly and looked around, the home was spacious enough, it had to be, for Toal had his own Eagle, an ancient beast by the name of Maeleachlainn.

The older man grinned at Elethen, "Make yourself at home, young one, for it is your home for the next year."

Elethen nodded, "Yes, I understand sir, but please sir...when will we begin to train?"

Toal smiled, "I must meet with the other Trainers and decide what task you must accomplish first. Teamwork is the first thing you must learn to be an Eagle Master. Teamwork with only your most trusted friends, both Human and Eagle."

Elethen nodded again, "I see, so you will meet with the other Trainers and decide what we must do....as a team? Us four Trainees?"

Toal sighed, "Enough questions! To bed with you, my boy!"