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In the early afternoon of the Spring Equinox, a small merry band sets forth from the keep. Admidst much giggling, Esmerelda and the children set off carrying several oddly shaped mysterious bundles.

Later in the afternoon, a couple of the children return to the settlement. Smiling, they ask any adult willing to listen if they will join them out in the woods....

One of the children, evidently looking for an adult to prey on, finds Daine behind the keep with his shirtsleeves rolled up, chopping wood. Despite the fact that the child isn't even in his teens yet, he is already nearly as tall as the half-guthrie.

"Hullo Daine!", he says. "You wanna come and see somethin' really brilliant out in the woods?"

"Out in the woods, huh?" Daine says, arching an eyebrow. "Sure! Just let me take care of thiiiiis (he looks around and then smacks the axe into a log and brushes his hands on his pants, which mostly just gets his pants dirty, too)

"Ok," he says waving to the woods beyond the walls. "Lead the way!" [/i]

*Aurora sees the children and Daine*

Hey wait up. Wherever you guys are going, if you don't mind, I'd like to tag along as well.

*A smile crosses Darkclaws face seeing the kids trying to get people togeather. He finishes up the project he was working on and follows the kids into the woods smiling all the way.*

One of the little girls smiles at the group that decided to accompany them. "Wait 'til you see, we worked so hard on our p-" As one of the other boys quickly shushes her before she can spoil the surprise. As they get further out, the sound of laughter rings through the woods.

Decending a hill, they come to a small clearing by a pond. It has been decorated with blankets, cloaks and tattered bits of bright colored fabric and yarn strung from the trees. Makeshift benches have been clumsily pushed together from fallen logs. At one end of the clearing a small picnic tea is set out with cookies, cakes, tea water and gigner beer. The children let out a shout of joy as the first of their guests arrive.

Esmerelda smiles at the newcomers over her small charge's heads. "Im so glad you could make it to our celebration! We've had such a long winter, we wanted to celebrate the coming of spring."

A small boy runs up to Daine and pokes him. "Tag! You're it!" As all the children run away from him squealing.

(holds up a finger to Esmerelda)

"Just a moment, my lady, please."

"Oh, yeah!?", he yells and points after the boys, and tears off after them.

A few children return from further out beyond the make-shift party, happy, tired but a little bit dejected.

"How does he know where to keep finding us?" one says to another.

Mohdri, trailing behind just a little bit, wears a small smerk on his face.

"Every time, he knew where to find us"
"He promised when we got older, he would show us how he did that, but that it's not safe alone in the woods right now."

As the small group of returning kids hear the roar of "tag" being called, they collectively run towards the sound, just now aware of the newcommers to the party...

**Ren steps into the clearing carrying a round ball aparently made out of sheep stomach. He walks up to a little girl standing near the edge of the trees, and kneels down to hand it to her.**
"I believe you lost this little one. You... you should be more careful with your things."
**Screaching, the little girl runs to Esmerelda, crying that she didn't mean to be bad. Ren sighs, shaking his head and walks over as well.**
"I'm sorry milady, I didn't mean to ruin the fun, just to return this little one's ball. I've never been good with children. I'll... I'll leave you all alone."
**Turns to walk back to the forest.**

*Aurora grins when the children with Mohdri approach especially when they talk about his skill in the woods.*

My Uncle is really good in the woods so don't frown. The secret is that does that if he likes you so while you were playing with him he was playing with you.

When you get a little older I'll help teach whomever wants to learn to do that neat stuff in the wood. Heck, so you can make things interesting I'll teach you how to notice even the slightest small detail in the woods so you can spot him quickly.

Esmerelda laughs as Daine tears off after the boys. She also smiles as Ren returns the little one's ball. She frowns at his taking the child's fright personally. As he turns to leave, she puts a hand on his arm.

"Please don't go. Lisabet is just shy around people she doesn't know. And you haven't been around town much." She leads Ren over to one of the makeshift benches. "You leg is still healing, I'm sure. Please, take a seat and celebrate with us. Can I get you some water? Or gigner beer?"

Shyly, the little girl whose ball Ren returned peers at him from behind Esmerelda's skirt.

Smiling at Mohdri, Aurora, Daine and Darkclaw, she says, "I'm so glad you all came! We've had such a sorrowful long autumn and winter. I want our spring to be full of hope and new beginings..."

*Aurora smiles and picks up one of the little ones and lifts them up onto her shoulders. The child starts giggling as now he is taller then all the other children.*

Ok, who is up for piggy back rides?

*She and the child dart off running after Daine.*

A little ways away, the seer sits and listens to the sounds of laughing children, a wistful expression on the pale face.

"Why do I feel so old...?" Grey-gloves are removed and the revealed hands are studied intently, looking for signs of age. But the trail of answers leads back to the experience of the last years, culminating in the recent tragedy... and what happened to Teela.

The youth's frown deepens.

*With the child firmly on her shoulders, Aurora notices Eilonwy's frown and comes over with the smiling child in tow.*

Miss Eilonwy, is there anything the two of us could do to cheer your up? It's spring, time to shed frowns and look foward to new beginnings and all.

Besides, the giner beer and more playfull company could be exactly what one needs to feel maybe a little bit better. So, what do you say, let's show these kids that we are just as energetic as they are. Besides I bet ya Esmerelda would apprecdiate us wearing them all out.

*She grins a youthful grin*

What do you say?

As the game of tag winds down, Esmerelda clinks a spoon on the side of one of the glasses.

"So, to celebrate today, who's up for a game of capture the flag? We need two team captains..."

Mohdri leans over to one of boys, Curtis, that came back with him and begins to whisper...

A few seconds later the Cutis shuts out, "I WILL, but only of Mohdri and be my lieutenant?" There are a few quick furtive looks between a bunch of the children...