Black Void/Bright Light, Glamourian Awakening

Garylan rested a hand on the proudly arched neck of the blood bay. "This is Devenel Dark Strength, my life long companion, son of Corink, the Quest Hero, and himself, the Hero of the Y'Des Battle, and Winner of the last three years strength trials."

The big unicorn cocked an amber eye at him. "Whose life span do you have in mind?" He asked pensively in a rich baritone.
Garyan cocked his head at him. "Do you suddenly wish rid of me?"

"No, but if we limit your lifespan to mine, everyone is in trouble on Artha, oh Mighty Lord of the Forest."

The bear lion laughed, a rich sound that rolled through the forest. "All right, we will make it your lifespan in that case."

Toniste easily leaped to the black beauty's back. "So Devenel is old now, who gets to inform Corink and Waluna?"
"Not me." Garylan smiled.
Shana looked up into his sad gray eyes, receiving a smile that warmed them in return.

Toniste chuckled. "Here we have sensible Tyrol's crazy cousin Jendef Black Quicksilver, two year winner of the Run of the GoldFast, rough, restless, and ill behaved in general." "He's always the sassy one in Dyott's herd." "I'm told I must have the patience of a saint to put up with him." "Another lifetime companionship."
As he finished the sentence, Jendef nipped his leg to prove how bad he was, then reared.
"Bad enough, Cuz?" He asked Tyrol.
The dapple gray unicorn shook his head. "No, just silly." Toniste rubbed his leg, then swatted the black's shoulder. "Nut case."

The fox laughed. "And I get to carry myself in this shape."

At Shana's puzzled look, he yipped laughter. "I'm a were fox, human by day." "Celtane, moon two, rules the form I wear."
Garylan grunted. "Do you wish to ride, Dondel?"

"No."

"Then quit being silly."

He turned to Shana, and now, with your permission, small lady, I shall lift you to Tyrol's back."

She smiled up at him shyly. "May I really ride a unicorn?" Her expression made it a serious question.

Tyrol's answer was a soft, neighing laugh. "I chose you myself, so unless you think you can outrun me, come aboard."

Garylan smiled, adding. "He says yes, the High Seer of Elf Court says you are worthy, and it has been sanctioned by the Seven Horns of Lurr, so ride, you shall."
He lifted her smoothly to Tyrol's back. She leaned forward to gently hug his neck. "Thank you, child of legend, and dew drops."

"Actually, Shana, I had two parents." His tone was pure musical mischeif." As he tossed his head, flaxen mane flying, a black bat landed at the base of his horn.

Shana slapped it off. "Tyrol's neither cave nor tree, go sleep elsewhere, though I thought bats were supposed to be awake at night, and your sure no where as pretty as he is.'

Instead of leaving as ordered, it snarled, and landed on her hand. "While your no where as stable as Ty is, you'll do, brave female." He gazed up at her out of fiery deep, dark blue eyes.

"The Light Source knows I was nervous enough about meeting you before feeding, without you slapping me." "I was built to fly, not look pretty." "One thing you do have right; I'm getting up, not heading for bed." "Do you have any other complaints?"
His deep voice flowed along like a rich old Irish bourbon, almost hypnotic.

She gazed down at him where he sat on her wrist. "I guess not, your not exactly the average bat, and that's a beautiful voice you have."
She admitted.
He chuckled softly. "I'm glad that you noticed." He flew over to land beside Thalbek's front feet.
"The land of Glamouria allows me three needs fulfilled:
First, the sustenance of living blood from willing donors."
"Second, the right to brve and honest friends, who don't mind me perching on them; you slapped, not Tyrol."
"And third, the right to rest, shelter and darkness durig the daylight hours."

"And now, allow me the honor of showing you a little of an old vampire's magic."

He blurred, into mist, which rose to a six foot column, and solidified into a lean, supple man with thick black, page boy styled hair, in a white, hip length kilt, dark wine colored boots, and a black cape that nearly touched the ground.
"I am Lord, Sir Jonthen Aythwin Wintersette, at your service, if you still feel like slapping?"
"Otherwise, I am Fief Holder of the Province and Isle, of Wintersette."
He glanced up at the moons. "And I doubt that only Vashtil Vampires are out tonight, what with all four moons up there."
Shana shivered. "You sure keep yattering about vampires!"

He smiled at her faintly, handsomely sardonic, lit a ruddy hue on one side by the nearly set sun, and silvery on the other by the moons. "And witch broods, Were Ones of all kinds, Xune Dwarves, sligs, graveside ghouls, Red Dwarves and their Red Drac mounts."

"What are sligs and witch breeds, I've heard of the rest?"

Sligs are furry, extra venomous cobras, and witch breeds are witches who directly serve Satan."
"Dracs are extra large, very vicious wolves."

Thalbek laughed, a deep thunder in his broad chest. "He's trying to tell you that it's dangerous to be out after dark, especially when all four moons ride the sky.

"Why were ones instead of were wolves?" She wondered. Dondel laughed. "Do I look like a wolf?" "We come in all types of shapes and behaviors." "Each specie is ruled by a different moon."
Jonthen added. "And I keep mentioning vampires because we are out here too, though we Vashtil slake our thirst with small beasts and willing companions, our relatives, the Ashsel, and the filthy grave living vampires are the ones you folk of upper Earth know best; they prefer young maidens like yourself."

Shana sighed. "He said there would be danger, so be it, where do I go?"

He grinned suddenly, tossing her a look of pure boyish mischeif. "The Forest Lord, Tyrol, Toniste and Dondy shall take you." He bowed, misted into bat form, and flew southwest.

Tyrol turned, and they began loping eastward.