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{Well it's Spring}, I think as I slowly make my way to the gates of the city; Zander following me closely. He had already said good bye to his herd when he relinquished his place in it, the others are speaking to their friends before we head out to find the Matriarch. Uncle Lance had already talked with me, he wasn't terribly happy that I was going -before- Moonbeam's Spring festival. As he'd be the senior Hunter in the city he'd have to hold my place at council after the event. I think it would be good for him to experience how people behave when they think they have no rules.

I shudder recalling the funeral, at least there's no Gods' given drinks for this. As we made it clear he can only hold 'festivals' if they do not include such drinks. Granted we'd have a very clean city if it repeated, but Gods know what could transpire that would not be good if such a thing happened.

Little Sarah, I shake my head at the poor thing's mother. The girl survived the winter, the Queen's niece Rally had found a way to make the recovery easier on the child. It was by accident too, Rally had been holding the child up to the Queen who was in the visitation tank; after she was confirmed not contagious. The girl wiggled and fell into the tank. We discovered two things then, first that being in the salt water helped lower her fever and keep her temperature stable. Secondly, it is possible she either was not born with her seal skin or the Gods gifted her a way to join her people.

As once the child hit the water she grew flippers on the ends of her feet and hands, and she discovered she could hold her breath for about as long as a normal half Selkie could in seal form. Atsuko is not sure how long she would have been ill for had we not gotten her in the salt water.

On the negative side we have seen more cases of Dragon Fever come by since it's discovery. I was amazed by how many people it had gotten to. Atsuko believes that it spreads as quickly as the flu, which is not a good thing. The disease is also highly contagious, however there was an odd thing about it.

It has been discovered, that any human who has had either the measles or the chicken pox is immune to it. Yet those who were vaccinated against the two diseases are not, Atsuko believes there is a protein in the natural immunity that makes a person immune verses the one given via vaccination. So at this time the gate guards are only those who have had one of those childhood illnesses or are one of the full blooded other species.

We had to send one of our Hornless to the City of the Night at their request, to prevent the illness from invading their city as well. It was discovered that the vampires of the human and half human types were susceptible to the illness which is much harder to treat in a vampire as your standard healer knows very little about them.

This was discovered as Lita went to visit Sarah after her and Lance were capable of being separated. When Lita exited the compound Cassie said the vampire had caught the illness and sent her back in. {I'd not ask she lose her horn again if I could change the past, but thank the gods for Cassie's ability}. Lita spent the whole moon of the Darkest night in the compound, Atsuko writing volumes of notes on treatments for the vampire to send with Dramon as he returned with one of the male Hornless.

In a drastic case Gilorndir can just cure someone of the illness, however prefers to just let it run it's course provided we catch it early enough. A middle aged half elf had come through very ill from it and had already lost his vision from it. Gilorndir had to just heal him, it's like this illness took all of the bad from measles and chicken pox and tossed them in a blender. Thankfully if we detect it in the early stages it can be successfully treated. So in the last few months we've had an influx of people who have come just to be checked for this illness. Some to be treated for it.

Sarah was let out of the compound a day earlier, I didn't want to leave before she was released as the poor girl has had a rough time. Rally has been there however treating her like Sarah is her younger sister. I had caught a whisper that the Queen had thought of adopting the child, but we had an interesting turn of events when Sarah was released.

The server at the restaurant was there the day Sarah came out of the compound and stated that she was taking Sarah home to live with her family. Seems the girl had spent the whole winter convincing her family the girl needed a family. The Queen was quite surprised as she's never seen a Selkie behave in such a way. The woman told her flatly, "her Da should'a seen to it she was alright. I won't let a child who went through all of that just be tossed aside, I don'e care she don't have a skin seems she gets along fine without one." That one also had surprised Uncle Lance, as he didn't know of Selkie's caring much for those that weren't fully their kind or had a seal skin.

Moonbeam's people started work on a new orchard for themselves in their new area, carefully planting each seedling. They plan on holding their 'festival' in the new orchard, I shake my head knowing what kind of festival they are planning. The Druid on the council had thought it was just the thing we needed.

Yeah, I had made a point with a few others to make sure that anyone below the age of adulthood was forbidden to attend. Tammy and Samuel had set a list of people to keep the young ones out of the fields that whole day. They decided to use some of the young recruits to keep the young of the city out, with a warning if any of the young got past them they'd get a city public flogging for it. I doubt a single person will manage to sneak by now.

The 'Hornless' as the magical unicorns we rescued have come to call themselves, have come along nicely. Cassie was able to hold their shattered mental states together till they learned themselves that they were still useful. We even have had two of them pair off and decide that when they have a child, it will learn that no matter what they are important. I think the stern look from Sir Iron might have had something to do with it, but who knows.

Since Lita and Dramon have returned to their City young Lance has found it within him to train as hard as he can. He is hoping to impress my uncle when he is sent to the City in two years. He has even managed to get Dawn to settle down and pay attention. I think they wound up paired the way they were so that the stalwart one would keep the foolish one in check. Dusk isn't having as easy a time with Mauve however. I think it will take more than two years to have her ready for her apprenticeship.

I approach the gate hearing a great deal of voices, which due to the recent events was odd. We have shuffled the bulk of our visiting people to a side gate to have them closer to the compound till we are sure the illness has passed. So there shouldn't be a large amount of people at this gate.

When I step through the gate I see all of my guardians, all of the children in residence at the Hunter's compound. As well as half the council and all of the people in the city I have made friends with. A damp haired Sarah approaches with a young male Selkie following her, {that must be the server's fisherman brother}. I catch Alberich's nod at my mental thought as Sarah gives me a hug, "I'll miss you Hunter Gwen. Thank you for giving me such a fun family!" I squat down to the child's eye level and rub her damp head. "Sweety I didn't get you the family, they fell in love with you; and I'll miss you too. However I'll be back before you know it."

The Selkie then gently tugs her away so that the council members could say goodbye one at a time. The Druid waits till the end and pats me on the back, "nice move there leaving before the Spring Festival. Afraid of what might happen if you stayed?" I give him a one eyed look, "you know very well that Morrigan has her eyes on my so I'd rather not tempt her by placing myself in a ceremony that could double as a marriage." The Druid chuckles, "true, she does have her eye on ye. Though I think you'll find out that you had nothing to worry about with this festival, she has other plans for you." He smiles big as Zander acts like he was going to kick him.

I feel a weight on my shoulders, "pardon Gwen but I won't be going with you at the start of this." I turn my head to Cheshire, "why?" He looks uncomfortable and Alberich steps forward and lowers his voice. "The mage gryphons have a requirement to do a 'breeding circuit' every ten years in the hopes that one of the pairings will produce young. This year our friend has to go and 'do his duty'. Alberich shakes his head and I turn to Cheshire again, "you know if you can find a way to get your people here. I imagine Atsuko could find a way to get your people to where this isn't necessary."

Cheshire looks uncomfortable, "I can try to convince them to do so. My people can be a tad bit hidebound however." I nod my head and he jumps off my back and vanishes.

Leaf approaches next with a very old looking Japanese man, who lifts a finger and says; "this her?" The Nature Dragon bobs in the air as if nodding and the old man looks at me smiling, "I tank ye girly. For letting the little thing live near me so I could wake up and spend time in the world again." I nod my head to the man and give Leaf a sly look, "I thought Starburst asked you not to wake up any of the old trees."

Leaf buzzes about a bit as if agitated, "this one I had no control over Hunter Gwen. He already existed in a body, but had been asleep. I have heard of this when the spirit is still young and the nature Dragon who had first woken it up dies suddenly they can fall asleep till another one takes up residence. After he woke up I made a point to examine all of the other old trees to make sure there wasn't any more like him. Thankfully there was not, now please be careful on your journey Hunter Gwen. We all owe you our lives for this wonderful city you have formed here."

I bow my head, "I haven't really done anything Leaf. I just brought everyone together and gave a guide, the people are making it the city it is." The Dragon buzzes about again, "yes and no Hunter. If you had not done the first steps we would not be here now, so yes; we owe you a great deal." I bow my head again in thanks to the small Dragon.

Ecthelon then comes forward and hugs me tight as if afraid I won't return. I give him an odd look once he lets go and he speaks. "I wish you were not leaving without me, however I was brought here to train Hunters. Not run around hunting with them, please come back safely. When you do there is something I wish to speak to you about." I nod my head curious about what it could be.

He belts my sword onto my hip, "I can't let you leave this behind." He nods to Starburst, "He'd be proud to see how you have progressed were he alive now Gwen. Wear his blade proudly to thank him for the aid he gave to you before he passed." He then hands the bow to Zander, "make sure she practices daily with it. Morrigan was positive that she'll need it, so we need her able to pull it."

He then looks me straight in the eyes, "remember; please. Morrigan also stated when you find out where she is to come and have me come with you. Do not forget this, I am sure she has her reasons for it." He gives me another hug, and Zander has to pull the elf off me so we could leave.

I hop onto Zander's back, as we decided it best I use him instead of Alberich as we had not finished the war training with him as yet. Zander's people have worked with people on their backs their whole lives, so he could compensate better than Alberich if we got into trouble. We head off toward the Land Bridge not looking back at the City as we leave.