Sing The Songs of Spring With Me! [Valhallan Spring Festival Opening]

It was a beautiful evening, stars just beginning to stir in the sky. Though guests had yet to arrive, the camp around the glowing white woman bustled with the chatter and excitement of the Nomads, and faint threads of song and music floated on the breeze, instruments, and voices tuning up, warming up, the dull, driving thrum of deep-voiced drums. Occasionally a thread of true song filtered through, pups joining in with a favorite song.

A great bonfire was set up, ready for the torch to be cast, the wood doused with rendered fat and oil, dusted with powders and minerals the Nomads assured her would create spectacular colors in the flames.

The children had come already, tucked away in one of the yurts, and being groomed and primped. Aurielle herself wore the hair combs Red had given her, tucking the glowing strands of her mane back behind and under her ears. Braids held beads and the occasional iridescent white feather in her long tail hair and mane, and she was pristine, bathed and brushed out to her full glory.

As she passed through the spread camp, heading to the platform, she paused now and then to make small talk with the Nomads, catching up with some she’d not seen since last Autumn, others who were new to the Chapters that had attended and loaned their help setting up the festival grounds and activities. A stampede of pups halted her progress briefly, and she had little doubt her own children would be among them, charging through the festival with abandon, safe and watched over by the many eyes of the Nomads, as well as the guests that could be trusted.

The official invitations had been sent out, spread by word of mouth and missive, and soon, the guests would begin arriving. Much of the activities planned would have been explained, from the fights to the races, to the trading fair, and beyond.

Finally, she mounted the platform, her form standing out like a living figure of moonlight as she tipped her head back and sang the opening of the Spring Festival to life, voice fluting high and melodious into the flat grassland, inviting all to come and enjoy themselves, challenge themselves, and make new friendships, reaffirm old ones.

There would be feasting and revelry, quiet moments of relaxation, soaring music and dance. She hoped that it would be a festival the world remembered fondly for years to come.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think