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Wind of Memory began to reply hotly, then stopped, and Branch Leaper tasted her sense of surprise as she made herself consider Golden Voice’s words and found a bitter strain of truth behind them.
Golden Voice went on into the silence.
Wind of Memory replied.
Golden Voice said. again that burst of curiously serene, bottomless sorrow flowed from her, but this time without the jagged, knifelike edges
one of the other elders said flatly.
Golden voice said calmly. She turned and looked up at her mate, and he flicked his ears.
he said. the tenderness and love in his mind voice flowed through them all like a gentle wind as he named his human
Mental ear flicks of assent flowed through his audience, for this was Bright Water Clan, and all of its people had heard the memory songs of how Laughs Brightly had made Dances on Clouds taste the mind glow of the evil-doers from whom she and he had saved the elders of Dances on Cloud’s other world from murder.
Laughs Brightly went on. He cocked his head, and the other People tasted his pride and wonder at what his human had achieved. He sent a wave of love and tenderness to his mate, but his eyes met those of his clan’s elders.
His mind voice trailed off, and Golden Voice took up the discussion once more.
She fell silent, and a great stillness seemed to hover in the central nesting place of Bright Water Clan. It lingered endlessly, and then Wind of Memory shook herself like a kitten caught in the rain. She turned and gazed about her at the assembled elders and all the other adults who listened and watched, then looked back to Golden Voice.
she observed in a mind voice made of mingled worry, resignation, hope, and deep amusement.
Golden Voice replied so demurely that even many of those she had shocked most deeply bleeked with laughter.
Wind of Memory said much more seriously.