Talarine: Ally to the Angels

Chapter 10

Tal looked out over the Silver City from the Pathway to the Silver Spire. She closed her eyes as more of her past came back to haunt her in the present day. She felt the pain as another memory assulted her mind and this time Xypherius watched it with her and realized just how broken her heart and mind really where.

†***†

This time a fifteen year old Talarine looked over to see that her parents where arguing directly behind her door. She began to wonder when everything had gone wrong. "Norman! You are showing favoritism!"

"Cahira, Talarine needs to be punished! She should not stay out so late! Only to come home after midnight." Her Father argued.

Talarine felt tears well up as they argued and saw her hair slid into her face as she looked down at her sheet. She flung them off of her and changed into her usual dark clothing with tears in her eyes. She looked out her window, opened it and jumped into the tree that rested neatly next to the house. She jumped down and took off to Alexander's house, when she found out that he had left to meet her at their favorite hangout she waved bye to Alpha and took off towards the cherry tree that grew on a hilltop. "Alexander!"

"Tal!" He called out as he saw that she was crying. He quickly pulled her to him and held her like an older brother would a younger sister. "Let me guess another arguement." But as she could only sniffle he took that as a yes. "Come on, let's go to the underground lake." He told her as she nodded and walked with him. They spent the entire day and, once more, deep into the midnight hour at the underground lake. When they finally prepared to go home Tal was happy once more. "Hey Tala? Do you think that maybe you could....um...sing once more?"

Tal smiled and nodded. "Of course!" And Tal thought for a moment and then began to sing as the creatures of the night stopped to listen. Her voice carried beautifully over the land, so beautifully that her mother and father paused in the arguement about how she had disappeared again. Everyone listened and enjoyed the song that she sang. When it ended she returned home to face her fathers wrath only to discover that both had tears in their eyes.

"Was that you Talarine?" She nodded in reponse to his question as her mother cried with tears of joy. "Never in my life would I thought to have a daughter who could sing so beautifully." The next day he spent the whole day with her but soon he went back to showing favorites and she felt abandoned once more.

†****†

Xypherius shook his head as he worked the memory over and over. He told his brother and the others what he had just witness and heard and they were shocked. He wanted to hear her sing now more then ever even though her song was different then what the angels had. He was going to be persistant even when when he was stopped on his way to Tal. He managed not to fidget as he answered several questions then excused himself and went instantly to Tal's side. "Talarine?"

She looked to him and felt him pull her close and he kissed her with one gauntlet covered hand under her chin. "I guess you saw that memory?"

"You sounded like how our Songs do. How is that possible?"

"I don't know." Tal explained as she tried to hide her blush. "But it has been so long since I last sang like that. After Alexander's death, I guess I lost all reason to sing and let my voice die down. The last time I sang it was at Alexander's funeral pyre." Tal admitted to her angelic mate as he held her close.

Xypherius let her cling to him and thought for several moments, he felt the eyes of Imperius and Anaurael upon them from another area of the Pathway, but chose to keep his gaze focused on his beloved. When he looked away his own thoughts were in turmoil; Tal was mended in a big way but he discovered that there was a piece of her still lost to time. He had seen what an impact the death of her brother had on her and it hit him hard. Anyone who was close to Tal and died would slowly take pieces of her away; he thought back to the day he had met her and then shifted through his memories of her as time went on. He noticed a common theme then. With each 'piece' of her lost, her fur in wolf form, which he noted seemed to almost glisten like the night sky, seemed to dull with each and every death.

Xypherius tried to think of something that would bring back her joy and cause her fur to glisten once more but nothing came to mind. He held her close, then whispered to her. "It has been a while since you last offically slept. Let us return to our room and you can sleep. I need time to think and so while you sleep I will think and search out clarity and consol these brooding thoughts of mine. When you wake I promise to be there." Tal could only nod as he picked her up and vanished to their room where she was soon sound asleep. Xypherius watched her for a few moments then left the room to allow his dark thoughts to sort themselves out.

******

Upon waking Tal discovered that Xypherius kept his promise and he greeted her with a gentle kiss. She wanted to ask him about his thoughts but thought better about it. She cuddled up to him and he wrapped his arms around her. But soon they returned to Sanctuary where Tal went to sit down for a while in her home before she started doing anything. She stood up and heard a commotion outside and looked to see that Tyrael and someone else had crossed paths with Alpha and the Pack. She quickly raced out of her house as Treian, a dear friend of hers shifted causing Tyrael to tense with a hand on his legendary sword El'druin and the young man with him to fall over as he tried to back away. "Tyrael!" She called out racing in their direction. Tyrael turned to see Tal racing towards them and felt somewhat better but watched as she leapt over him and the young man and shifted. She gave a snarl like roar at the wolf before them, Alpha was somehow managing to hold back the others, and the male wolf snarled at her with his ears flat. They all watched as the two snarled and growled at each other; then to Tyrael's surprise Tal let off a bark and rushed the male and their fight began.

Tal threw her friend away from her and they partially circled and lunged at each other one more as their fangs closed on thin air. Tal landed a blow to the wolf who yelped and once more their jaws closed on thin air. As they fought Tal barely managed to force the fight towards the woods where at least two trees were smashed into and splintered apart as they drew near. Their snarls echoed as their fighting took them into the shadows and they clearly heard Alpha speak to the others, "Get Tyrael and Lorath into the town!" They continued fighting as Tal fought for Tyrael's and Lorath's safety. Tal's fangs dug into Treian's fur. Luckily they healed quickly so any wounds they earned were gone quickly and without pain. In the back of her mind Tal knew that Tyrael and his friend would never forget what had just happened; but Treian was her main concern as they snarled, growled, and just went hayday with their fight; but Alpha's will forced them apart and Treian earned the brunt of Alpha's command. Now CALM DOWN Treian you scared the boy all kinds of colors and I doubt Tyrael will forget what happened. Tal thank you for rushing out when it was needed the most.

It was nothing. Tyrael is Anaurael's husband on Sanctuary it is only natural that I protected him and any with him. Though I needed a good fight.

Treian spoke now, You could have just asked and I would have agreed to duel.

Tal nodded but Alpha let Treian go from the command now that he was calm. Together the three returned to the field as wolves then shifted to human as soon as they neared town. They stopped near Tal's place and saw that everyone was at the fountain, Tyrael and his friend included. Tal looked to them and walked over. The boy looked to her and was quiet unsure of what to make of her but he didn't flinch when she next spoke. "Maybe next time have someone warn us that you are planning a visit." Tal looked to Tyrael from the boy. "It would make my job a whole lot easier." Tal smiled at Tyrael who nodded. He had wanted to speak with her anyways about something the Horadric group had found that he was sure she knew something about. Tal looked to Lorath and smiled. "Lorath correct?" When the young man nodded she nodded as well. "Right, I'll remember that for when I next see you. Don't worry, I won't bite unless prevoked and fair warning Treian isn't the only one of the pack to get easily angry, so tread lightly around here. Okay?" Lorath could only nod, his eyes still wide as saucers. "Anyways, was it curiosity that brought you to this humble town or something else?" Tal crossed her arms looking to Tyrael now.

"Something else;  I believe you may know something about this?" Tyrael responded as he handed something large to Talarine.