The Academy: yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!

He comes in a cloud of sunshine and sea-salt and with it, she can only smile. Even his wind, curling and pure and so different from many of the wind-horses she meets, is not enough to make her smile straighten. Her Earth cries bitterly, suffocated by the power of his Element, and for a moment, she vanishes. Her Chameleon, threatened by the swift entrance of his Wind, kicks involuntarily into high-gear and she melts into the air around them, taking on the appearance of whatever will make her disappear more quickly. She laughs, but the sound comes from no where, and then she says quickly, “Hang on.”

In the few seconds she is gone, Kivuli winds his way through Pirate’s ankles. He is shorter than a lot of big cats, but his teeth gleam anxiously in the bright sunlight. Kivuli, too, has sensed Pirate’s ethereal goodness and settles comfortably between the red stallion’s forelegs. A deep purr resonates from his throat when he gently begins to rub his head against Pirate’s thick knee.

Finally, Nyota reappears, the smile still hanging on her lips. “It’s my Chameleon,” she says, by way of apology. “It goes a little haywire when Wind is around.” She looks him over and her smile stays – how could it not?

“I did,” she says. “I had a dream.” Her dreams are never decipherable but somehow, they tell her things she needs to know. She cannot remember a dream in which she actually saw a scene – instead, her dreams are a myriad of colors and patterns that she doesn’t understand fully. She is merely free to interpret them as she wishes and sometimes, sometimes they point in the right direction. “About you. The Earth also told me of things you’ve said in the Reef and I wanted to speak with you about them.”

She remembers the recent things that happened along the shoreline – new leaders. But, perhaps pertaining more to the subject, Mab’s impulsive decision to destroy her sister. This single act had nearly started a reckless war, and Nyota felt that now, more than ever, was a time to build friendships. “Things are afoot in the Element that few understand – I’m sure you know of the Shards by now,” she does not mention that she herself has been tainted by a Keeper. “I merely wanted to encourage you to continue to promote unity between our herds. Teach your students this.”

The Polestar looks at him, and sees the makings of an admirable scholar.

“Keep the ties strong. It’s our responsibility.”