As soon as the wary troup of weary performers saw the ocean
they stopped the caravan and let the tired horses rest.  Shalyn was
the first to jump off and run towards the inviting waves.  She heard
her best friend Hyana waking up the two boys that slept inside with a
loud whistle.  Poor them...they were tired after all, but if they
missed this part of the ocean, they would definately regret it.  A
clear blue water bathed the soft white sand.  

	Shalyn threw off her coat and jumped into the cool water.  It
wasn't exactly a hot day, but the sun was popping it's head from
behind some stray clouds, and a soft breeze made the place seem just
like a dream.  Anyway, it was still early morning, and they could
enjoy this night.  

	"Hey Lyn!  Wait up for us will ya!" Kyle, her brother had
shouted.  He pulled off his shirt and jumped into the water soon after
Corin.  Hyana was trying wildy to catch up with the two boys, but she
wasn't really succeeding.

	Kyle had an aura of innocence around him.  But his red hair
and green eyes always gave others a hint of his childish behaviour and
troublesome ways.  He was trying to push Corin under the water, but
not even all his strength could move Corin an inch.  Corin was well
built, and his black hair covered his brown eyes.  The four were all
good swimmers, and Hyana had to swim a long way to catch up with
Shalyn.  

	Her raven-black hair was tied up, but still it fell into her
face, Shalyn swam back to reach her friend.  "You know you shouldn't
swim so far out Lyn.  The tide's strong back here."  Hyaan said in a
motherly voice.  Lyn frowned.  If she could talk, she would've replied
a snappy answer right back.  But since she took up to not saying a
single word, she signed back her answer. ~*I know how to take care of
myself already Hyana.  Don't worry about me, worry about them.*~  And
pointed to their brothers, who had decided to bury one another in the
sand.

	When they reached the beach, only Kyle's head was visible (the
rest was buried), and Corin was grinning wildly.  "Maybe if we just
left him here..." Corin said and he held the two girl's arms and
pushed them back towards the grassy knoll where their caravan was
parked.  Kyle couldn't move under the pressed sand upon him, and he
was screaming "Hey guys, don't do this...again!  It'll start raining,
then the tide will rise, then I might even drown.  Come on... Get me
outa here!  Shalyn, Hyana...please!"

	Shalyn shook loose Corin's grip and went back to rescue her
brother.  Without him they had no show.  At least no presenter.  And
no clown  Well, he was needed as a younger brother too.  HE had too
many uses that couldn't be wasted for the moment.  The four lay
themselves on the grass just looking up into the blue afternoon sky.

	"I hope there's some town nearby...  We could use some more 
socializing."  Kyle spoke out.  That was exactly what was in Shalyn's 
mind.  

	Corin laughed.  "So you can flirt with all the young girls and
end up being dumped by all of them again?  You like that?"  Kyle got
up to his elbows and looked at Corin.  

	"Why do you say such a thing?  As a matter of fact, the fun of
it all is not if you go out with a girl or not, the important part is
if you have fun and enjoy doing it.  Anyway, they might dump me for a
date, but they usually end up becoming my friends..." And they started
laughing.

	"Yeah, anybody's a friend of a klutz like you, you're very
likeable..."  Hyana told him in a joking tone.

	"Hey...I liked that word Hyana.  Hey everybody, I'm likeable!"
He said out loud with a childish pleasure.  

	Shalyn laughed silently.  Her green eyes sparkled with glee,
and her delicate hand tried to cover up her smile.  Her brother was
adorable, and together the four were travelling alone for  almost a
year.  They were successful, and received some money every once and a
while when it began to be needed.  Otherwise, they would just do the
show for free.  They enjoyed themselves much more than the audience
would ever imagine.  The "Four corners of the Wind" were an
inseparable group.  She never like the name much, but it was what her
brother called them every time they presented, and it just stuck.

	"You know..." Hyana began to say, "I heard that there was a
warren nearby."

	"Really?" Corin asked and sat up.
	
	"Cool." Kyle said.

	The other three sat up.  Shalyn signed to her friend, ~*Why
don't we go there then?*~

	"Well, I'm not sure exactly where it is though... This woman
in the last village told me that there was a warren by the ocean in
this direction.  We've reached the ocean..."

	~*But we haven't seen any dragons yet.  And it still can be
really far.*~ She looked sad.  ~*AND we haven't seen a living soul for
miles. I was hoping we could put up a spectacle soon.*~

	"Hey look!"  Corin pointed to a dragon flying overhead.  They
stared at it until they saw where it was heading.  A cliff beside the
sea.  It was still far.  Maybe a whole day's walk.  But hey, it
probably was worth it.

	Kyle stood up.  "Can you see it?  If we hurry, we might get to
the warren by mid-afternoon!"

	They picked themselves up and got their caravan ready.  They
were all hopeful they could  reach the warren, and ate a brief
breakfast before parting.


********  Twilight  ********

	Darkness was begining to overwhelm them.  But they had finally
reached the warren and were asked by the watch what was their buisness
there.  

	"What do you think hun?  We're here to put up a spectacle and
ask permission of the Warrenlady to do so this night.  Never heard of
the 'Four corners of the Wind'?" Hyana said.  She was trying to make
herself calm, but she had a short temper.

	"You're the Four Corners?  Wow!  And you wan't to put up a
show here at the warren?" 

	"No darlin', I think you heard me wrong.  I said we are the
Four Corners and that we'd like to present this night."  She said in a

mocking tone.  Shalyn eyed her ~*Don't start that Hyana.*~ she told
her friend off.

	The watch just mouthed another wow.

	"Look." She poised her hand on the caravan.  "I didn't say I'd
like to spend all night here waiting for you.  I said I'd like to ask
permission to the Warrenlady.  To perform here...." She pointed to the
ground, "For free." She spoke breathing deeply, smiling through
clentched teeth trying to calm herself down.  

	He shook his head, as if broken from a trance.  "Oh.  Yes.
I'm to tell Dragonlady Evelle you're here.  Sorry.  I'll be right
back."

	"Take your time hun." She called out sarcastically.


	Kyle, that was trying to surpress his giggles broke out in
laughter.  "You'd better calm yourself down Hyana.  Your temper is
beginning to get worked up."

	~*You know, he's right.*~ Shalyn said.  

	
	A few moments later the watch returned, with a grin upon his
face.  "Lady Evelle said she'd be delighted if you'd perform here
tonight." 

	Shalyn winked at him, and Hyana blew him a kiss.  "Thanks tons
hun."  She said as they entered the dome.  


*** Couple of Hours later  ***

	They had prepared themselves.  They were going to present this
night out in the open air, under the cool night sea-breeze.  They had
opened a side of the fairly large caravan, and it made a small stage
for them, with red curtains as the side wings.

	A group of curious people had come around, and a few
dragonriders began landing around the area too.  Kyle called out
though a long tube they used to amplify thier voices for such
occasions.  He said with his tenor voice "COME ONE COME ALL TO THE
SPECTACLE WE SHALL PUT UP THIS NIGHT.  LADIES, GENTELMEN AND DRAGONS,
COME SEE THE 'FOUR CORNERS OF THE WIND' PRESENT HERE IN ONLY A FEW
MOMENTS"

	Kyle was the only one who had stepped out from behind the
curtains.  He was wearing a bright red tunic, and matching trousers,
which all seemed to correspond to the colour of his hair.  He wore a
golden belt and the trousers had a golden picture on it.  He had
received it as a gift from a family of nobles they had once presented
at.  It was very flashy.  

	The area in front of them began to fill up with more people
and dragonriders.  After perhaps twenty minutes Kyle went out again
with his voice amplifier.  He bowed deeply and began the show.

****--****

	"Welcome all to tonight's show.  Perhaps not many of you know
us, and incredibly enough, perhaps not any of us know you.  But
tonight we shall settle these differences.  You shall know us by the
end of the night,"  he smiled enthusiastically,  then frowned, "But we
still won't know any  of you." He said sadly.  "But, anyway," He
continued happily, "On with the show!" He took out a tabourine with a
quick movement that seemed he made it appear in his hand out of thin
air.   He began to tap a quick ta-titi-ta rythm on it.  "May we
present, " He called out,  "The four Corners of the Wind...US!" 

	He turned towards a flap where Shalyn was supposed to appear
from.  "We have the most beautiful NORTH WIND!" He began, and made a
gesture towards the flap.  The people had begun to clap in the rythm
of the tambourine, and all eyes fell upon the wing.  But she didn't
come from there.  From a tree that was beside their caravan she jumped
onto the stage, doing a double backflip before she landed.  People
clapped.  Then she began to dance to the quick music in a cheerful
little step.  And they continued to cheer.  She stopped short, bowed
to the audience, and did two backflips and stopped beside Kyle, on the
right side of the small stage.  She was wearing a sea-green dress, cut
at the sides to make her movements free.  One of the tips of her dress
was attached to her left wrist, and it moved up and down as she
danced.  She also wore a deep green belt that matched her eyes, and a
green headband with an emerald in it.  They all matched her eyes.  Her
red hair was falling loosely over her shoulders, and the curls moved
mindlessly all around her.  She took out a pair of silver bells the
same way her brother had, and began to ring them to the rythm.


	Kyle had dropped the tambourine and was clapping too.  "We
also have our misterious SOUTH WIND!"  Hyana leapt from a corner, and
moved like a tiger stalking it's prey.  She was wearing a violet
semi-transparent dress, and a veil that covered her face.  Only her
silky brown hair could be seen.  She did a couple of cartweels and
landed on the left end of the stage, opposite the two red-heads.  She
did a quick leap and landed on her knees at Kyles foot, retrieved his
tambourine and did two cartwheels backwards to land in her place once
more, this time with the tamborine in her hands.  She grinned to the
people on the grass, and waved.

	
	Kyle then walked up to the middle of the stage.
"Unfortunately, the western and eastern winds aren't able to do such
flips and flops as the girls." He gestured to the two girls at his
sides.  "So this'll be simple.  I present, the dark WEST WIND..."
Corin walked in, with his black blouse and black trousers, wearing a
black band over his eyes, with slits so he could see.  But it seemed
he had not done the slits, for his eyes were as black as the cloth.
His brown hair fell to his shoulders.  Kyle continued "...AND ME!  THE
EAST WIND!"  And with that, he jumped up, landing neatly onto Corin's
back.  Then, he gave another small leap and stood up only on Corin's
two hands held high.

	Corin then pushed him up, and he did a flip in the air, and
began to fall head first, hands outstretched in front of him.  Corin
stepped back, and the two girls jumped onto the floor and held up
thier hands, and caught him in his fall.  The people clapped.  The
girls had fallen into a position where they were liying on their
sides, one had hold the others, and the other hand holding up Kyle.
Kyle began to descend, legs first, and his legs passed trough the hoop
the girls arms were forming.  He was sitting down now, and then Corin
got the voice amplifier and threw it to Kyle, who had gotten up and
the other two got up and got into their positions.  

	"Yes, that's us!"  The clapping died down.  He spoke "Well, on
with the entertainment."  And on cue Shalyn began to play a soft tune
on the flute.  The notes carried far between the enthralled listeners,
and beyond.  It seemed to cast a soothing spell on everyone there.
Then,  Hyana and Corin stepped forwards and began to sing a duet,
Hyana's voice a light soprano and Corin's a strong baritone.  It was a
love song, and it had a rythm that sounded like the sea.   Shalyn's
nightengale, who had been asleep the whole day, awoke and flew out and
perched onto his owner's shoulder.  He began to sing together with her
flute.  The song floated along like the waves in the ocean, and soon
it was finished.    

	Before the people could begin to applaud, Hyana, Corin and
Kyle got together a group of instruments and began to play them,
slowly at first.  Shalyn crept to the centre of the stage, and danced
to the rythm.  Then it began to get faster and faster, and Shalyn was
leaping around the stage, doing somersaults and cartwheels, and flips
and turns all over.  She moved quickly, but very gracefully.  But that
song was soon over too.  Everyone clapped.  They were surprised.

***--***

	For the rest of the night they sang and danced, and only after
many  hours of performance did they come to an end.  They waited until

everyone had left, and played around in the grass for awhile.  After
an entire night performing, they still could play as if they had just 
awoken.  Shalyn showed the first signs of slepiness, and tried to hide
a yawn.  They all laughed and began to fix up the caravan, and
undress.  The men closed thside that had been their stage with ease,
and before they were done Shalyn had already fallen asleep on her
mattress.  

	The other three thought it was best to go to sleep too,
because the Dragonlady had said she wanted to speak to them in the
morning, and so they'd better be prepared.   They said goodnight to
one another and fell asleep as soon as they closed thier eyes, they
all lay smiling, they had enjoyed this night, and hoped there would be
others like this one in the near future.

*****-*-*****
NRPG: Shalyn is mute SO...her sign language is written between "~*
*~".  
Eg ~*Don't be so silly Kyle*~
I hope the people enjoyed their show.  :)


Respectfully Submitted,
Shalyn, together with
Kyle, Hyana and Corin  (travelling entertainers)

Isabella M.
bel_007@hotmail.com

	
I believe in the sand beneath my toes
The beach gives a feeling
An earthly feeling
I believe in the faith that grows

--  "Semi-Charmed Life"  (Third Eye Blind)

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com




(end of original message)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can view this message and the related discussion by following this link:
http://www.dejanews.com/=zzz_maf/dnquery.xp?search=thread&svcclass=dnserver&recnum=%3c35146252.17898574@news.mwci.net%3e%231/4
We hope to see you soon at Deja News, the discussion network.
http://www.dejanews.com/=zzz_maf/