Demi is no stranger to the gifts of their world.  They are everywhere in various forms, ranging from simplistic to all-powering.  When Ruhr speaks of his own magic, past and present, as being gifts of the moon I am lit with even more curiosity.  I had never met anyone gifted by the moon!  He speaks of Her as if it is someone he knows, like a family member or even a close friend.  How cool would it be to know something, someone, as grand as the moon!  My gaze drifts to the skies above as if searching for the one he speaks of, but I find the sky has gathered dark ominous clouds.  "Looks like it's about to storm," I say in a knowing tone.  As soon as the words leave my lips a drizzle begins.  My mismatched eyes glance about the area, "over there, a tree!" A few hundred feet away was a scraggly little pine with not enough cover for one let alone two bodies.  "Come on!"  I giggle as the rain intensifies and I make a mad dash for cover.  It is only when I reach the tree that I shift into a simple little songbird and nestle myself within the conifer branches.

The storm lasts a while, waves a heavy rain and then light drizzle soak the meadow, promising life to all those within the land.  The clouds overhead begin to shift from a thick, dark blue blanket, to gray puffs that broke open to show the brilliant blue sky above.  My black masked face turns to look at Ruhr and then give a good shake, sending the water that coated my feathers, flying in all directions.  My tiny body leaps from the branch and to the ground below, shifting back my equine form.  "What a wondrous spring shower!" My tone as bright as the smile on my face.  I look to my friend to see how he faired in the weather, hoping he found some reprieve at least.

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The sun begins to sprinkle across the grassy plain as my gaze casts across it.  Tiny yellow flowers dotted the landscape.  It is then I see a dark form moving towards us with a determined sort of look.  The black and purple spotted horse was soaked from head to hoof from the rainstorm.  "Oh dear, I wonder if he is ok,"  I say to Ruhr.  Without another thought I am moving towards the stranger, a worried look on my face.  "Excuse me Sir... A-are you ok?"  I ask kindly, uncertain if approaching a stranger was a smart idea, but then again that is how Ruhr and I met...

The stallion seems clearly distracted, asking where they had come from after brushing water droplets from his flesh.  My crimson face tilts as I watch him before motioning to the scraggly pine just a short distance away from where they stood now.  "We were taking shelter from the rain right over there," I sweep my nose towards the tree.  "My name is Demi, and this is Ruhr," my mismatched eyes look to the feathered stallion beside me.  "That was quite the rainstorm...  Are you just passing through?"  The ebony and amethyst stallion looked to be on a mission of sorts.  Curiosity arose within me on why he had the aura of determination surrounding him.

My ears are perked, listening intently to the stranger.  A kind smile coming to my lips as he speaks his name.  My mismatched eyes widen as he speaks of a mission, or quest as he has called it.  "It is nice to meet you Knaught.  A quest sounds fun!  We haven't anything pressing to do."  I am curious to hear more and so I listen to him continue his purpose here.  

He speaks more of his quest, and I can understand the reason for his distractions earlier.  Upon hearing him speak of the lost Kingdom my face glows.  I find myself looking to Ruhr wide eyed before focusing back on the black stallion. "Oh yes I know Tephra well!  It was a wonderous land full of bright flowers and colorful creatures of land and sea!" I pause briefly before adding, "I traveled there with my father many times as a foal.  When I was just learning my shifting too!  They had so many wonderful birds.  One in particular was all the colors of the rainbow!" A childlike wonder is expressed upon my face, "And the fairies asked you to help bring it back?!  How wonderful!"  I look to Ruhr again to find any sort of expression on his face.  "It would be lovely to go back and visit," I say as my gaze shifts back to Knaught, a more puzzled look coming to my features now, "Remnants you say, hmmm... I haven't seen anything of Tephra in many, many years.  I would suppose it all was swept away with the lands, hmmm."  Think Demi think.  My eyes close as I take a deep breath, clearing my mind.  

With a deep exhale my eyes snap open with a gitty, girlish smile, "I got it!"  I laugh excitedly before taking a few steps back from my new friends, a look of determination comes over my face as I crouch, then leap into the sky.  The shift is fluid, and where a horse had been, there manifests a large rainbow-colored bird of the volcanic isle.  The wings of this form flap quickly as I lift into the skies, circling with a squawk above them.  My tail fans out in a triangular shape as I turn and aim to land on the withers of the spotted stallion.  My toes grip his mane as I reach with my seed cracking beak to preen a brilliantly colored feather from my tail.  I straighten and side shimmy up the crest of his neck, gently tucking the feather in his mane.

Leaping back into the air I flutter to the ground and land beside Ruhr where my equine form shifts back.  I am smiling, just as I was before I had shift into the avian form, "Does a feather from the macaws of Tephra work?"

I stand proudly, smiling at my handy work.  Knaughts excitement and gratitude is extended in the offer of them joining him at the Mountain.  I look to Ruhr as if seeking approval before turning back to Knaught and accepting with matching excitement, "Oh I've never actually visited the Mountain before!  I am sure it is such a magical place.  We'd love to join you!"  I prance in place, tossing my head high.  "We will meet you there," I say before looking to Ruhr and asking, "Wanna fly with me?"