The Art of Burning Bridges

[fun in dysfuntion]

Holy schmoly Emms,

I just left for a few days to celebrate Pride in SF, and I come back to find a whole new story.

I really like this uber tale. It's very different from your other stories, and I always enjoy reading different writing styles from my fav authors.

The W/T relationship was begun in a less than honest fashion, and I can see the theme of building trust weaving through this story. Can I just say that I just love that Tara has two moms?

I can't wait for you to post more.
Cheers,
teddy

[Emms]

Okay kittens here are some replies...the next chapter is written and just awaiting a once-over by the very talented GayNow who has offered to beta for me.

This next chapter promises the building of sparks between the girls.

Thank you all for reading...Now...I'm off to work on the Niobe's Silence update.

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Cyd

I find myself to be continually intrigued by the factors surrounding the girls. The rich and original setting, their views, supporting characters, etc.

I'm so glad

Unfortunately life has been knocking me about lately (and I don't mean the earthquake Sun. at my house).

Oh no.... did you have an actual earthquake? I was visiting SF a few weeks ago..and i made my wife take me home a day early because I was terrified that an earthquake might happen while we were there.

anyway....for the sake of staying on topic...

Emms' stories=wonderful
World=terrible
Emms' stories + World=tolerable

so glad I can be of service

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Irene

You know...I think Niobe's Silence is feeling a little neglected. Whenever I decide to put sprinkles on my kids cupcakes, I make sure that I count each and everyone so both cupcakes will have equal portions...and my kids won't have to argue who has more...reason for my rambling? Your cupcakes (other fics), feel that there aren't equal portions (writing), of sprinkles (updates). Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining...I really love this fic...but I love the other's too.

this bit made me fall off my chair! I've never thought of my fics as cupcakes... lol lol lol Now...I've been a nanny for 8 years and I can tell you that when the kids complain about the amount of sprinkles on their cupcakes they find themselves not only without sprinkles...but without cupcakes as well...until they can learn to appreciate the amount of sprinkles (no matter how meager) that they do get And I have been known to be stingy with the sprinkles (wait a minute...I've lost track of if I'm talking about real cupcakes or the metaphorical cupcakes... )

What makes a parent? Biology? Two human beings that can care for and love unconditionally, is what makes a parent, and Lana symbolizes that for me with your description of her. She might not be Tara's "biological" mother, but she's every bit her mother. Tara did not grown under her heart, she grew in it. As for Tara's mom who's ill...Wow, I felt for both Lana and Tara. Please don't have them suffer too much.

your thoughts on Lana and her relationship with Tara are right on point. You described perfectly what I was trying to get across in this story.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback sweetie...and the fact that you brought up my other stories and the fact that they need an update really makes me and my cupcakes feel apprecaited. Thank you for that.

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Foof,

This is quite an interesting fic - though I shouldn't be surprised as I've read some of your other fics and have been found them to be quite wonderful reads as well.

thank you.

The interaction between Willow and Tara is spot on; however, the part that spoke volumes to me (as it did for Willow) was in the last segment as Tara was being greeted by her fellow Shinty-folk. The children's reactions, especially, were vividly illustrated and really brought out who Tara is - not just who she is to us as the character we all recognize, but also who she is to those she "lives" with and to those seeing her for the first time (i.e. Willow).

wow, you are exactly correct. I felt that that little part, even though it was small really spoke a lot for the way she is seen by her people. I'm so happy that you were able to catch onto that.

Pardon the ramblings of this - my first post - but I really wanted to let you know that the last bit there was quite touching and really spoke to me of the character of Tara.

I got to be your first post? I'm humbled that you liked my story enough to leave feedback. Thank you.

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first.....

Artemis wrote:

Big thanks to 'Agent Hot Tamale' Irene for telling me to check this fic out, I love it!

Thank you Irene!

Okay...now... Artemis

Discovering the two new cultures - the Shinty Folk directly, and Willow's Plains People though her thoughts and reactions to what's around her - is a fascinating experience,

Their cultures really are quite different...

And I love how Willow and Tara have such an adversarial meeting, and both of them are fraught with inner conflict over their reactions to each other. It promises to be a bumpy and entertaining ride.

I guess the two main themes in this fic would be tolerance and trust. Willow and Tara are from very different backgrounds and you are right, they are both fraught with inner conflict. They both need something from eachother...Tara needs the stability and willow needs to learn to loosen up a little...

I found the scene between Tara and Lana especially touching, full of warmth and sadness mingled together.

Oh Im so glad. Lana is the closest person to Tara right now. They are both going through something very hard with the death of Tara's biological mother.

Thank you for the feedback.

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Anna,

Wow Emms, I don't know how I missed it but you started a new fic! Girl, I don't know how you do it. So impressive!

Thank you.

Wonderful start in your first 3 chapters, I really like the setting and the characters so far. I can't wait to see how you get these two from "the opposite sides of the track" together.

As Artemis said earlier.. It promises to be a bumpy and entertaining ride.

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Teddy!

I just left for a few days to celebrate Pride in SF, and I come back to find a whole new story.

yes yes...I have issues when it comes to finishing one thing before I start another.

I really like this uber tale. It's very different from your other stories, and I always enjoy reading different writing styles from my fav authors.

Thank you. It is quite different isn't it? But then again, all my stories are pretty different in style.....

1) The W/T relationship was begun in a less than honest fashion, and I can see the theme of building trust weaving through this story. 2) Can I just say that I just love that Tara has two moms?

1) yes...and I can see that causing a major conflict later on.

2) Thank you. I'm not sure if it's ever been taken in that direction before...at least...I can't remember ever reading a fic where Tara has two moms... I wanted Tara to come from a supportive family unit and I didn't think that I could write Tara's father as a supportive person and be able to make it believable...so I just kicked him to the curb altogether and went with Lana. I'm glad you appreciate the decision.

Thank you for the wonderful feedback sweetie. And I hope you had a good time In SF.

xoxo
Emms

[Emms]

Okay kittens...here's the update. Thanks to Carleen for editing !
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All Disclaimers Apply


The Art of Burning Bridges: Chapter Four

The children huddled close together, their delighted screams serving to further enhance the drama of the story being told. Willow felt the hard log she sat on through the material of her pants, the night to her back was cold, but her front was warmed by the fire that danced it's light around the circle. The group was made mostly of women and children, very few men gathered with interest around the dancing shadow Tara's body cast against the backdrop of flickering flames. Tara had her back turned to Willow, as she faced a group of children on the other side of the circle. The children looked to be fairly young, 8 or 9 Willow guessed. They sat pressed against each other, their small bodies touching without notice, they listened intently to Tara's voice as it grew serious and daunting.

"Into the night the Gammbot howls, it's claws spreading along the ground. The dew drops on the ground seeking refuge between the pads of its well worn feet."

Willow felt the child next to her reach for her hand to grip it tightly in his excitement. To her surprise, she didn't feel the need to pull away; instead she brought her eyes back to Tara. The woman had begun to stalk around the fire-pit, her fingers clutched into claws in imitation of the deadly subject of her tale.

"It sniffs the air for any scent, no matter how faint, of the woman hunters that track it. But the women are smart. They have masked their natural scent with the scent of the mussox. They close in on the Gammbot cornering him against the rocky wall at the base of the mountain. His teeth bared, he flashes the women a sickening grin, warning them; 'come no closer'."

"Do they go nearer Tara? Do they?" The boy holding Willow's hand asked excitedly, his complete focus on the blonde. Willow stretched her legs toward the heated glow of the fire, not wanting to admit to herself that she too was curious to know what the women hunters were going to do.

Willow had heard many a tale about the fierce and deadly Gammbot, mostly from the hotshot marksmen bent on impressing the local gentry with tales of wilderness savvy. Willow didn't believe for one instant that any of those men had ever seen a living Gammbot, much less faced one head to head in battle. But still, she guessed that it must be a fierce creature if so many felt the need to tell stories about it.

Willow watched as Tara paused...The blonde touched her finger to her lips as if studiously thinking on the boy's question then gave the boy a sly wink and continued on with the story.

"The shinty women are fearless, they have tracked this Gammbot for nearly ten miles and must bring back the meat to feed their wee ones......."

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The group of people still lingered around the fire, talking quietly among themselves. Willow could hear bits and pieces of conversation, most were still talking about that night’s entertainment. Willow had to admit to herself that even she had thoroughly enjoyed herself. "Where did you learn to turn a tale like that?" Willow asked taking a sip of the drink Tara offered her. Its taste was rich and nutty, it coated Willow's tongue and the inside of her mouth before sliding thickly down her throat.

"My Lana...She used to tell me those s-same stories when I was a very small child." Tara took a sip of her own drink, her mind drawn in remembrance of Lana's earlier warning. Tara had never been a drinker, but some time ago, after an exceptionally powerful woman ritual, she and Anya had celebrated with an extra amount of drink. Tara remembered feeling dizzy and silly...and finally sick afterward. It had been a strange feeling to be retching and laughing at the same time. Tara hadn't drunk more than a single serving since then, not really wanting a replay of that night. Tara put the drink down next to her on the log, she found herself suddenly mesmerized by the crackling of the fire, as little flecks of burning light popped now and then from the mass of flames to dance in front of her vision.

Willow assumed that this Lana person Tara spoke of was her mother. She momentarily became lost in thought as she pictured what this blonde woman must have been like as a child. For some reason, she couldn't entertain the thought that Tara had been very shy, because the way she had told that story with the utmost confidence this evening spoke of anything by shyness, but on the other hand, Willow had not failed to picked up on the way Tara occasionally tripped over her words. Deciding that Tara was far more complex then she'd first assumed, Willow was able to leave it at that for the time being. "Ahhh but the question is...did she act them out for you with the same intensity as you showed this night?" Willow was shocked at the teasingly light tone she heard in her own voice.

"No...." Tara thought again of Lana, knowing that she was alone right now; keeping watch over a death that was forever creeping nearer. Melancholy mixed itself with the drink in her stomach, intensifying its effect. Tara traced her fingers across the embroidery stitched across her long white skirt.

Noticing a change in the blonde's demeanor, Willow wondered if she'd done something.... or said something to upset the woman. She had the intense need to apologize for something, though what for, she had no idea. Without too much thought on her part, Willow's hand left the safety of her drink behind. Reaching out slowly, she covered Tara's hand with her own.

Tara froze, her gaze stilling on the slim fingers that covered her own under their pressure. She hadn't expected that and she didn't know what to do. Tara felt heat slowly building in her chest until it traveled upward and came to rest on her cheeks.

The sight of the slowly developing red tinge marking Tara’s fair skin took Willow aback. Had she really made this woman blush? Or was it the heat of the flames that reddened the blonde's fair skin? Willow took another long, healthy sip of her drink, she could already feel the alcohol softening her senses, though only faintly. "Are you alright...?"

Tara nodded, but she felt overcome by her emotions. First by the previous thoughts of Lana and then by the delicate touch of this woman next to her, it was all too much for Tara. Her eyes stung and her throat contracted painfully. Tara swallowed back all but one tear, which ran like a traitor down her cheek.

There had been no hesitation in Willow's next action. For a moment in time every single thought of revenge and of her mission disappeared at the sight of this woman so vulnerable before her. "Isn't it funny how... take for instance, a smile, to any person in the world means happiness, no matter where you go or what people you see...and a tear..." Willow cupped Tara's face in her palm, wiping away the tear that flowed between her fingers. "A tear means sadness to every person in every land."

"It's amazing the many small things that bring us together as a people" Tara whispered against Willow's cupped palm. The wetness in her eyes drying instantly.

"Or serves to keep us separate." Willow tried not to sound bitter. She removed her hand from Tara's face, and stood up, walking away from the lure of the blonde's blue eyes. "Thank you for the meal....." Willow spoke softly.

"It's late...won't you stay the night?" Tara asked. For once she openly hoped that Willow would not say no.

"And chance missing a meeting with the deadly Gammbot?" Willow raised her eyebrows. She couldn't stay...she had to get away. She had to think about the new feelings that were surging within her and effectively replacing the old ones that seemed to still clinging to her in desperation.

"Don't joke about such things, Gammbots are out there---"

"Stalking in the night....I remember. " When Tara was silent next to her Willow spoke again. "You don't have to worry about me.... I'm tou-" She started to remind the blonde of her earlier statement but was cut off at the pass.

"Tough. I remember. " Tara said, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Willow looked away, in order to purposefully miss the smile she knew was gracing the blonde's lips. She'd never been weak in her life, soft maybe...at some point, but never weak. Then what was it about this blonde that made her insides melt together, until she couldn't figure out where her heart started and her mind ended? She'd never felt so powerless and out of control in her entire life.

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Tara sat as she watched Willow walk away, not for once missing the confidence in her swagger. Tara's palm went lightly to the place where Willow's hand had cupped her only moments before. Tara's cheek felt warm to the touch, so much so that she worried that she had come down with a sudden fever. But by the way her heart hammered in her chest, she knew deep down that it was no fever that had affected her so. It was probably for the best that she would never see the mysterious stranger again. Tara didn't have room in her life for that kind of complexity, she reminded herself.

Tara forced herself to think on other subjects as she prepared for sleep. A small candle burned on the floor adding enough light so that Tara could navigate the small room without watching too closely where she stepped. Tara lay down on the pallet, pulling the itchy, but warm blanket over her body. As she wiggled her toes against it's roughness, her thoughts were drawn back to how soft, in contrast, Willow’s hand had felt when she'd touched Tara.

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TBC
xoxo
Emms

[DreamLover]

Hey Emms,

You really are a sweet kiddo but couldn't you just wait a few more seconds before posting Ch 4 I was still finishing number 3....

Emms congrats this is an AMAZING, WONDERFUL, ooooo I haven't got any words for it BRILLIANT story....I LOVE IT.

OK where to start there is a lot going on in my little head everything is so brilliant and so well written. I like the way you tell there feelings They are so occupied with there own emotions there own life's and yet there feelings for each other are growing more and more. Making them think about what they want and the big how part....and the whole if if that will bring lots of awkward moments between them.

And I wonder how Tara will react if Willow tels her story after a long time... I think (in my version/idea) she will get over the part that she works for the other team....but Willow will keep the rest quiet about her family... and when that comes out... it will start to rain ..... I think you get what I mean.

The idea of Tara having two moms that is way cool...I like it even if it is a sad story you know her mom so sick. I get the feeling Tara has a really special bond with Lana even more then her biological mom... not that she doesn't love her because she does but Lana is important to her. Lana is so like Tara loving and caring for her (Tara) and her mom. I think she will be a big and important person in this story.... am I right?

The kids love Tara I like it and how she tells the stories to them wooohooo I wish I was there.

I wonder how Willow comes back... will she tell about them!!...I know I should wait until the next update I can't I really can't ....lucky Tori and Carleen your beta they can read it first....Sigh I will be patient

ps one other thing I wanted to say before I'm babbling away...I love the stories written by Lisa Countryman and I think this story can and will be like one of those.... an amazing piece of art.... Thank you Emms.

Henny

[watty]

Tara telling the story of the Gammbot hunt was so vivid, you described it so well. I was with Willow and the children, wanting to know more, edging closer and closer ...

Tara's thoughts about alcohol and getting drunk with Anya ... very funny. Did my mind go to a completely naughty place at

an exceptionally powerful woman ritual

dizzy, silly and sick ... yep that's being drunk alright.

And oooh the tension between the girls. When Willow cupped Tara's face in her hands I held my breath for her to kiss Tara. But of course you're not giving us that yet are you? :evil I hope Willow comes back soon, and before the badness that I feel in my bones is coming. How? Cos of the foreshadowing:

"It's amazing the many small things that bring us together as a people"

"Or serves to keep us separate."

I think I need to buy a bulk pack of tissues in readiness for the angst.

[JustSkipIt]

mms,
Hey there. First off, the editing shows a world of difference and that helps immensely. It allows the reader to move through this update or be moved through without stopping to question anything. Instead, we have the privilege of enjoying the wonderful language and imagery.

I loved the start with Willow both observing Tara’s storytelling style and enjoying the story with the children. Your descriptions of Tara were lovely and it was easy to imagine being right there. You had many very beautiful parts in this update…

She momentarily became lost in thought as she pictured what this blonde woman must have been like as a child.

Always a sure sign of love I think… Or at least infatuation.

The entire interchange about Lana/tara’s mother is amazingly powerful and beautiful.

Tara nodded, but she felt overcome by her emotions. First by the previous thoughts of Lana and then by the delicate touch of this woman next to her, it was all too much for Tara.

and

Willow cupped Tara's face in her palm, wiping away the tear that flowed between her fingers. "A tear means sadness to every person in every land."

What I find amazing about this entire interchange is that neither woman has any premeditation about their actions. They are simply acting on instinct in response to the actions or words of the other.

But my favorite was

Then what was it about this blonde that made her insides melt together, until she couldn't figure out where her heart started and her mind ended?

What a great description for love! Or for the beginning of love. And finally

As she wiggled her toes against it's roughness, her thoughts were drawn back to how soft, in contrast, Willow’s hand had felt when she'd touched Tara.

Well, now my feedback looks like some of Irene’s (:grin) but I don’t mind. This update was fantastically powerful and wonderful. Well done and have a great holiday.

[hermitfish]

Hi dear, dear Emms:

Wow, that was great character interaction. It looks so flawlessly done AND conveyed a lot of emotion. Gotta feel a little bad for both of them though...with Tara having her mother's death weighing on her and Willow sitting in a camp full of happy people that, too, remind her of death. Willow was very sweet in seeing Tara's pain and instinctively reaching out to her. Hmmm...I guess I’ll have to impatiently wait and see what transpires next.

BTW, yes...there was an actual earthquake, which is a little weird for Reno. It was based twenty miles away and was a 4.8. Just shook the house a bit and knocked some stuff off a shelf. So now I can add that to my running natural disaster list.

Though I think it got rid of the yucky week I was having so I can now upgrade to:

Emms' stories + World=much happiness

Your devoted fan,
~Cyd

[Artemis]

Aw, storytelling Tara, how lovely Willow letting her hand be held was very telling, I think - she's not reacting to these people as the ones who killed her family, just as people, individuals. It's easy with children, of course, to separate them from your perceptions of the adult members of their group, but it's a step.

That moment when Tara thought of Lana was bittersweet - melancholy, but sweet in that Willow noticed right away that she was troubled. And also, lemme quote this part:

"Isn't it funny how... take for instance, a smile, to any person in the world means happiness, no matter where you go or what people you see...and a tear..." Willow cupped Tara's face in her palm, wiping away the tear that flowed between her fingers. "A tear means sadness to every person in every land."

That was just lovely.

[A-Rob]

Such a nice chapter. We can see clearly the attraction between them and that it's much more than physical. It really tugged on my heartstrings

I loved Tara the Storyteller, she has a strong bond with the children, they seem to adore her. And Willow apparently isn't too uncomfortable among them:

Willow felt the child next to her reach for her hand to grip it tightly in his excitement. To her surprise, she didn't feel the need to pull away; instead she brought her eyes back to Tara.

And this was so cute:

There had been no hesitation in Willow's next action. For a moment in time every single thought of revenge and of her mission disappeared at the sight of this woman so vulnerable before her. "Isn't it funny how... take for instance, a smile, to any person in the world means happiness, no matter where you go or what people you see...and a tear..." Willow cupped Tara's face in her palm, wiping away the tear that flowed between her fingers. "A tear means sadness to every person in every land."

"It's amazing the many small things that bring us together as a people" Tara whispered against Willow's cupped palm. The wetness in her eyes drying instantly.

For this moment Willow forgot all about her mission and dropped her tough act. Tara finally caught a glimpse of what a sweet person Willow is. Love is in the air...

"Or serves to keep us separate." Willow tried not to sound bitter.

Sadly, reality tends to catch up with us.

She couldn't stay...she had to get away. She had to think about the new feelings that were surging within her and effectively replacing the old ones that seemed to still clinging to her in desperation.

Poor Willow, she's visibly struggling with her feelings. On one hand she feels something strong and warm and potentially dangerous for Tara, but on the other the Shinty are still her enemy and she still has her mission. *snif*

Then what was it about this blonde that made her insides melt together, until she couldn't figure out where her heart started and her mind ended?

What indeed? The hotness of her, doofus!

Tara sat as she watched Willow walk away, not for once missing the confidence in her swagger.

Willow has a swagger?

It was probably for the best that she would never see the mysterious stranger again.

The hell it is! This is a good kind of complicated, missy! I'm thinking they'll be able to stay away for a while, but they'll be thinking of each other every now and then. They'll have dreams and start to wonder about the other. Willow probably will deny her feelings. And maybe they'll have another chance meeting? *sigh* A guy can dream...

More please? *offers a big bowl of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top* Pretty please?

Rob

[fun in dysfuntion]

Hiya Emms,

There are few times when I have felt the need to absorb a story a bit before I bombard the poor author with my asinine rambles. This is one such moment, so I will apologize beforehand *sorry*.

Reading this update, I could sense the attraction between W/T during the story telling and the soft touches of comfort, which Willow offered to Tara when she spoke about one of her moms. The otherwise romantic moment was shadowed by the lies of omission on Willow's part. And, this was probably one of the saddest realizations I had. That something so utterly beautiful was tarnished by silence. My thought process being less than linear then started to dwell on the inner demon struggles that both W/T find themselves in this story and how silence can be a form that allows the demons to fester and grow.

And, finally, on my last tangential meandering, in cross-cultural emotion recognition research, ‘happy’ and ‘sad’ are considered by some as universal emotions that are recognized roughly 90 and 85%, respectively. It’s funny how research supports notions people have always suspected.

Anyway, I had a lovely time in SF (it's less than 2hrs away so I'm really not far from home).

Cheers,
teddy

[ringwaldoeuvre]

I really like the story you've created. The world you have created is fascinating, and I applaud your creativity in constructing such an elaborate setting for W/T. The language is rich and detailed while still moving the plot forward. The interaction between W/T is natural, yet fraught with tension. Very, very well done. Looking forward to more!

~Mary

[Emms]

Here are the replies to you wonderful kittens, the update is coming up next. I hope you enjoy.

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Henny, you are too sweet! And I'm glad you like the story so much, I think this one might be one of my favorites.

I like the way you tell there feelings They are so occupied with their own emotions there own life's and yet there feelings for eachother are growing more and more.

Yes you are very right Henny. They both have a lot going on in their brain (too much thinking maybe) regarding their responsibilities but their hearts seem very receptive to eachother. It will be interesting to see how everything is going to play out, I think.

And I wonder how Tara will react if Willow tels her story after a long time.

That is definitly something that will have to come out before too long. It will give Tara an opportunity to see Willow's vulnerable side.

You're right about Lana, Tara does have a special bond with her non-biological mother and I think it's a very different kind of bond than she has with the mother that gave birth to her. Not better or worse....just different.

The kids love Tara. I loke it and how she tells the stories to them.

I've always seen Tara as a natural story teller.

Thank you for the feedback sweetie.

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watson, Thank you.

Tara's thoughts about alcohol and getting drunk with Anya.... Very funny. Did my mind go to a completely naughty place (about the woman ritual)

hehe, as it should have. I have a feeling that the woman ritual is very....um....how should I say this?...Intense.

dizzy, silly and sick...yep that's being drunk alright.

Oh, I'm so glad that I got it right....I've only ever seen drunk people....i've never been one myself.

I'm glad you liked the intimacy of the bit between them at the fire. Little sparks are beginning, but a fire has to be stoked into full flame, if it's intended to burn a long time. Yes...I am evil.
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Irene, hehe, I'm glad we now stand on common ground where cupcakes and their sprinkles are concerned.

No matter who you are or where you come from...when a child is scared, caring adults will rally around that child and protect them. This pulled at my heartstrings...Adda girl Willow!! Here you can really see Willow's amazing heart.

Yes, you are right. I think it shows the heart of Willow's character, the way she allowed the child to take comfort from his hand held tightly in hers. She didn't pull away and that really shows where her heart stands, no matter what kind of person she thinks she is, or what has happend in her past.

All I have to say is that when a child is hungry, we will do whatever it takes. I love the fact that in this story you describe a whole village raising it's children, not just the parents.

hehe...that's the saying right. It takes a village.... Also, I hope it illustrated the importance of bonds within the community and how they all really rely on eachother doing their part of the work to survive. If Tara just up and left her responsibilities to her people, what would become of them? And she knows this. And that's why she can't leave.

I can really tell you're a nanny. Your years of experiance shine through...and what a wonderful profession you have. Anyone who can dedicate their lives to help raise children, is amazing, in my opinion.

awww Irene, thank you so much for those kind words.

You've just described the history of mankind. As long as human beings exist in this world, there will always be those that are good and those who are not so good. It is up to the ones who believe that happiness and freedom are birth rights, who will have to continue to stand up and fight against those who wish to take it away. It's a good fight...we wish it wouldn't have to come to that...but unfortunatley in order to have freedom, we need to fight for it...

you summed that up amazingly. that's exactly what I was trying to say...thank you.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback hun.

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Debra,

Hey there. First off, the editing shows a world of difference and that helps immensely. It allows the reader to move through this update or be moved through without stopping to question anything. Instead, we have the privilege of enjoying the wonderful language and imagery.

Yes, I think so too. Thank you.

I'm glad you liked the imagry and the storytelling. I think Willow needed to see this side of Tara and of the shinty's everyday life...

What I find amazing about this entire interchange is that neither woman has any premeditation about their actions. They are simply acting on instinct in response to the actions or words of the other.

It was a very vulnerable moment for the both of them...one they were both kinda thrown into without too much thinking. Its obvious that Willow (even though she thinks she's tough) Cant resist a woman in tears.

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cyd

Wow, that was great character interaction. It looks so flawlessly done AND conveyed a lot of emotion.

Thank you. That's a big compliment considering I think character interaction isn't my strongest skill when it comes to writing it.

Gotta feel a little bad for both of them though...with Tara having her mother's death weighing on her and Willow sitting in a camp full of happy people that, too, remind her of death. Willow was very sweet in seeing Tara's pain and instinctively reaching out to her. Hmmm...I guess I’ll have to impatiently wait and see what transpires next.

I think they both are trying to pretend that they are stronger than they are, and they need eachother in order to learn that it's okay to let their feelings out.

BTW, yes...there was an actual earthquake, which is a little weird for Reno. It was based twenty miles away and was a 4.8. Just shook the house a bit and knocked some stuff off a shelf. So now I can add that to my running natural disaster list.

awww....poor you cyd! I hate earthquakes. I used to live in northern california when I was a kid and have experienced my fair share of them...now I want nothing more to do with it. Lucky for me that I live in oregon, where earthquakes are a rare occurance.

Emms' stories + World=much happiness

Yay!

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Artemis

Aw, storytelling Tara, how lovely

If I recal correctly tara's always been somewhat of a story teller... I didn't even think about it at the time I was writing it, but I saw that aspect of it afterward.

Willow letting her hand be held was very telling, I think - she's not reacting to these people as the ones who killed her family, just as people, individuals. [u]It's easy with children, of course, to separate them from your perceptions of the adult members of their group, but it's a step.

definitly a step. I think, little by little she's going to realize that these people she's hated practically all her life are not really the savages she's made them out to be in her mind.

thank you chris for you insightful feedback. I hope you like this next part as well.

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Rob thank you.

Love is in the air...

definitly.....

Poor Willow, she's visibly struggling with her feelings. On one hand she feels something strong and warm and potentially dangerous for Tara, but on the other the Shinty are still her enemy and she still has her mission. *snif*

life is hard, I think Willow's going to have to make a decision soon....she can't keep lying to herself forever, she's going to have to admit that the shinty are not as bad as she's made them out to be.

Willow has a swagger?

I guess she does!

The hell it is! This is a good kind of complicated, missy! I'm thinking they'll be able to stay away for a while, but they'll be thinking of each other every now and then. They'll have dreams and start to wonder about the other. Willow probably will deny her feelings. And maybe they'll have another chance meeting? *sigh* A guy can dream...

well....you've obviously done a lot of contemplation on this aspect of the story But rest assured...they wont be able to stay away from eachother...there's too much chemistry between them for that. I have a feeling that they will be stumbling upon eachother in the very near future.

More please? *offers a big bowl of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top* Pretty please?

*thinks about it...* Well..... *eyes the chocolate ice cream with growing interest* OKAY!!! *takes Icecream and retreats to an abandoned corner of the thread* YUMM!

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Teddy!

There are few times when I have felt the need to absorb a story a bit before I bombard the poor author with my asinine rambles.

Oh please, by all means...be as asinine as you wish.

Reading this update, I could sense the attraction between W/T during the story telling and the soft touches of comfort, which Willow offered to Tara when she spoke about one of her moms.

I think Willow's offer of comfort really shows who she is on the inside, since it was offered without thought.

The otherwise romantic moment was shadowed by the lies of omission on Willow's part. And, this was probably one of the saddest realizations I had. That something so utterly beautiful was tarnished by silence.

Willow hasn't lied to Tara outright, but omission is just as bad.

My thought process being less than linear then started to dwell on the inner demon struggles that both W/T find themselves in this story and how silence can be a form that allows the demons to fester and grow.

You are right. Nothing good can come out of silence. It will be interesting to see how they react to the truth about eachother.

And, finally, on my last tangential meandering, in cross-cultural emotion recognition research, ‘happy’ and ‘sad’ are considered by some as universal emotions that are recognized roughly 90 and 85%, respectively. It’s funny how research supports notions people have always suspected.

hehe, yeah. And the smell of peanut butter is the most universally recognized smell in the world.

yeah....I just had to throw that bit of information in there

Thank you for the feedback sweetie.

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Mary Thank you.

The world you have created is fascinating, and I applaud your creativity in constructing such an elaborate setting for W/T. The language is rich and detailed while still moving the plot forward. The interaction between W/T is natural, yet fraught with tension. Very, very well done. Looking forward to more!

Oooooo I'm so very glad you think so. I hope you like this next chapter as well.

************************************

xoxo
Emms

[Emms]

All Disclaimers Apply
Note Thanks to carleen for editing.

The Art of Burning Bridges: Chapter five

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Willow poked at the burning fire with the stick in her hand. She fingered the broken transmitter on her belt, the same as she'd been doing for the past two hours. She had examined it earlier and had seen that it had sustained damage during the fall she'd taken. Willow could fix it, she knew, but for some reason she was in no great hurry to do so.

Willow rotated her arm; the pain was swelling up again causing the once dull ache to become piercing, like the edges of jagged rocks pressing into her joint. Willow leaned back against the trunk of the tree behind her; there was nothing she could do to ease the ache tonight. Willow silently wondered at how she would be able to climb the steep inclines in order to get out of this valley, in order to do so, she would need the use of both arms. She had attempted the climb earlier this night, but had found it too excruciating to continue and had had to stop. Maybe if she gave her arm a good rest, she'd be able to climb it in the morning. Willow thought about what she would do for her next meal, she tried to remember if she'd seen any wild berries nearby or small mammals that could be easily caught by such an inexperienced hunter as herself. It was true that she was no Shinty woman when it came to the finer art of meat gathering...Willow told herself that it was not in her nature, she could barely pull a fish up out of the water without feeling an immense amount of guilt over the ordeal. This weakness was not something she was proud of and very few people knew of its handicap within her life.

The fire popped and Willow drew her attention to it. Its red-hot heat reminded her of the story she'd heard earlier, about the Gammbot and the women hunting it. Willow closed her eyes against the vision of the Tara that was conjured in her mind. She remembered Tara's movements as the woman had glided around the fire, smoothly and with the complete assurance of her next words. She remembered the teasing wink Tara had given the boy for his inquiry and her stomach grew tense. She thought about what it would take for the blonde to want to look at her in that way. Was she out of her mind? Willow silently wondered at her own sanity where the blonde was concerned. She couldn't even trust her own feelings. Apparently when it came to Tara all her usual rationality became dust in the wind for all it was worth.

Willow had to remind herself of the reason she was in these woods in the first place – the mission, the mission she whole-heartedly supported. There had to be order...because without it only chaos could exist. But there hadn't seemed to be chaos when she'd sat with the Shinty this evening. Willow remembered the way the women and few men had gathered around the fire. The look on their faces speaking of great...what? Respect? Were these people capable of such a thing?

Willow closed her eyes against the glow of the fire. Only tonight would she allow herself to think about the blonde haired woman and her soft, silky voice, tomorrow it would have to be back to business as usual. She'd call in the troops and be done with it. In the morning everything would be normal again.

************************************

Tara sat up. She couldn't seem to get to sleep. The story she'd told earlier at the fire-pit kept playing and replaying in her head. She didn't want to admit it, but she was worried for Willow. After all, the redhead had said herself that she didn't have a camp nearby...Tara tried to remember if she had seen Willow with any equipment earlier, but she couldn't recall. The falling seemed to be the only thing she could remember about the redhead's decent into her life that afternoon.

Tara tried to think about where Willow might have been going and the people that would befriend a person such as Willow once she arrived. Willow had said that she was simply passing through...had she originally been going to meet friends or family? Tara tried to imagine what they would do or say when they saw her. Would they hug her? This was all just assumptions on Tara's part, she didn't even know where Willow had been headed... she really should have asked more questions. Tara pulled the heavy blanket up over her head. Trying not only metaphorically but physically to block Willow from her thoughts.

Tara tried to think about her mother. She should have gone over there after she'd seen Willow away, but she had been too full of emotion and hadn't wanted to visit tears and sadness upon them, not at this hour of night. She'd go over for a lengthy visit in the morning, Tara told herself.

Tara's mind turned again to the softness of Willow's hand and how the woman's fingers had felt warm against the wetness of the single tear that had traveled from her eye. Tara contemplated the many different ways she should have handled the situation – she shouldn’t have sat so close to Willow, she shouldn't have had even one serving of drink.

Cursing with the breath she expelled, Tara got up off the pallet and threw a shirt over herself to cover her nakedness. Tara slipped into the skirt she had worn earlier then threw open the curtain. Barefoot she padded out onto the smooth dirt path that slid past her dwelling. Tara squinted her eyes into slits and willed them to see into the blackness. Behind her the candle still burned, she could see its glow seeping around the curtain covering the entrance but it did nothing to illuminate the view ahead of her. Where was she going? Tara didn't answer her own question; there was no need. She was going and that was the end of it as far as her feet were concerned, because they kept a steady pace against the cold, hard ground.

Tara didn't know what she was looking for...proof maybe that Willow had moved on? If she came out here to satisfy her curiosity then she'd be able to put all thoughts of the redhead from her mind and get some sleep. Tara brushed a few stray hairs back behind her ears as she carefully slipped across the perimeter of the Shinty camp.

Tara's hand rested on the trunk of a Hammock tree as she turned her body to the east. She sniffed the air for any aroma of fire that might mark Willow's position in the woods. She smelled nothing. Was it possible that the scent was too high in the atmosphere already? Tara calculated that Willow could only be a few miles walking distance from the Shinty camp as it had only been a few hours since she had left.
Tara told herself to stop being foolish and to turn around and go back to her own dwelling. If Willow had wanted Tara involved in her business, she would have said as much...or in the least stayed the night. But Tara's feet refused to heed her warnings, instead they moved carefully along. Tara stepped lightly against twigs and leaves so as they would not snap and alert possible predators of her presence. The Gammbot may not cross her path this night but there were plenty of things that would.

*********************************

Willow shivered in her sleep. Having the faintest sense that the fire must have gone out, but not owning the ability to pull herself up out of the heavy sleep in order to remedy the situation. Instead she pulled the drogs up higher across her body, but her dream had already begun and she had been transported again to that night...

"Death to all who resist us!" cried the plains people as they stormed through the heavily barricaded perimeter of the encampment. It was nightfall and the air had been abuzz with the excitement of this planned attack for many hours before this moment. Willow hunkered down, her slight body felt heavy against the wooden barrel at her back and her front was crushed up against the cool metal of the 5-7-80, a cannon that she had seen in action only two times before and each time had frightened her beyond belief.

This was supposed to be a small attack so she felt safe hidden against the monstrous weapon. She was certain no one would see her there, or even come looking for her, everyone was too caught up in what they were doing. Willow hated these attacks, she hated watching people she knew die, she hated how driven her people were to impose their own will against others. Willow held her breath against the cries for subservience and with it's disappearance the white fog marking her life's breath in the frigid air also ceased.

She wanted to call out, when she saw the knives appear, she wanted to call out to her parents as they held their stance against the approaching people "Liberation! Liberation!" came powerful cries in response. All around her, the bloody battle began. Willow closed her eyes...shutting out all but for the cries echoing in the air around her.

****************************************

TBC

xoxo
Emms

[AlysonGoddess]

Thanks for the update. I am really enjoying this story. Please continue

[watty]

After the storytelling and the handholding and the almost kiss (wait ... that was my own imagination), now comes the doubts and the analysis. Ooooh I know from personal experience it's never a good idea to over-analyze your relationship.

How you described their inner thoughts, as usual Emms, what beautiful descriptions!

when it came to Tara all [Willow's] usual rationality became dust in the wind

what imagery!

Tara pulled the heavy blanket up over her head. Trying not only metaphorically but physically to block Willow from her thoughts.

and avoidance, Tara.

Where was she going? Tara didn't answer her own question; there was no need. She was going and that was the end of it as far as her feet were concerned, because they kept a steady pace against the cold, hard ground.

It's like her feet had a life of their own.

What of the dream? Definitely portend of doom type of nightmare. Was it a dream? Or recollection of real life events? Or fake memories. Ahhhhh, I want more, yet I'm afraid of more. What to do? what to do?

[fun in dysfuntion]

Hey Emms,

I like the complexity of the W/T characters in this story. I do like how you shape Willow's character by her actions. The comfort she offered Tara in the previous post and now her unwillingness to hunt even for her own survival. It contrasts against the warmongering of her people. I can see her eventually breaking away from her people once she has dealt with her issues around the death of her parents.

Instinctually, Tara is drawn to Willow as was demonstrated by her late night wanderings, which does imply some level of trust. However, she also must keep the safety of her people in mind, so I thought Tara doubting her initial trust of Willow was warranted given that she is to be the next leader of her people when her mother dies.

I look forward to reading more.
Cheers,
teddy

[irishgrl3]

Loving this new story Emms!
Although right now it's kind of sad with Willow leaving. It will be interesting to see how their paths might cross again. Willow's dream flashback was so tragic. I wonder how she will be able to get past the fact Tara's people have caused so much pain in her life.
Nice update!

-anna

[hermitfish]

See I'm kinda mixed reaction girl...um not about the update because it was great but more because of the Tara wandering barefoot into the night part. First I was like Yay! Go find Willow...she's all cold and having a bad dream. Then I was like don't get hurt by the _______ (insert creatively named animal here) cause that would be much of the bad. You gonna solve the inner conflict for me...with, say, an update?

Still enjoying your divine imagination very much,

~Cyd

[A-Rob]

Things are building up pretty nicely for our girls. I liked your introspective view on their feelings. It's kinda funny how they're giving themselves thousands of reasons not to think about each other when that's exactly what they end up doing anyway.

Was she out of her mind? Willow silently wondered at her own sanity where the blonde was concerned. She couldn't even trust her own feelings. Apparently when it came to Tara all her usual rationality became dust in the wind for all it was worth.

I think it's time to stop thinking and overanalyzing. Rationality is overrated anyway.

But there hadn't seemed to be chaos when she'd sat with the Shinty this evening. Willow remembered the way the women and few men had gathered around the fire. The look on their faces speaking of great...what? Respect? Were these people capable of such a thing?

And here is planted the small seed of doubt. Willow is starting to have second thoughts on her so-called mission. Willow is a smart one, I don't think it will take much longer for her to reach the conclusion that the Shinty couldn't possibly have anything to do with that attack. Or maybe not, she's pretty stubborn too.

But Tara's feet refused to heed her warnings, instead they moved carefully along.

At least her feet are on our side! Listen to her heart, feet! Bad brain, baaaaad brain!

Sorry, I obviously put too much sugar on my coffee.

That nightmare (memory or whatever) was really creepy. How old was Willow then? To imagine a child being caught in the crossfire... Yikes. Poor Willow, she has so much emotional baggage, I hope Tara will be able to help her. Maybe Tara will find her in the middle of the nightmare and comfort her?

Ooh, can I bribe you with chocolate now? You can have access to my special stash anytime as long as you supply us with our much needed update-y goodness!

Rob

[Artemis]

Great update - and bad Willow, letting her fire go out! I hope Tara finds her and restarts her fire soon

Willow's dream interested me though, it looks like at that time she would have been much more sympathetic to the Shinty Folk: "she hated how driven her people were to impose their own will against others" - but such thoughts, one imagines, were put out of her mind by the tragic death of her parents. I wonder if now she'll revisit those thoughts - does she even remember thinking like that, or will what she remembers in this dream surprise her?

[CrazyTaraWitch]

fabulous new story Emms, brava!

[GayNow]

Again, Emms, you've created a story that just carries me away. I really love the world you've created here. It's so interesting -- rich, vivid descriptions of the surroundings [**don't groan at me, young lady!**]; spot on dialogue from the characters; believable situations, thoughts and feelings. Overall, just really really great stuff.

I can't wait to see what happens during Tara's little trek through the woods to find Willow...will she show up as Willow is still dreaming? And, if so, will she be the comforting presence that Willow needs? Will Tara run into danger, requiring rescue from Willow? Oh the suspense!

Can't wait for more.

Carleen

[DreamLover]

Emmms ...Emmms... Emmmms....Emmmmmmssss!!!!

Wooohooo....Sigh where do you get the time..to write all those amazing stories!!! and amazing they are!!!

Willow can be so stubborn sometimes...ok she went through a lot btw nice flashback....but how stubborn is it to try and climb the steep while your arm isn't healed yet. Under everything she is a cute softy with the meat gathering thing...it's so cute.

And Tara now Tara is so stubborn to...going out into the wood without safety ooooo Tara you need a bodyguard (I'm available heheheh).

I really like where this story is going...Willow a sleep hears something and sneaks behind something without seeing who it is she attacks Tara....they fall onto the ground Willow on top of Tara blue meets green....Willow calms down her face relaxes... they are so close so close there lips nearly touch they can feel the warm breath in the cold night...Then there is a voice..... it's Anya... she is worried about Tara....
Ooops sorry I couldn't help myself.

Now back to the update...The flashback was perfect it shows a lot of why Willow wants to get her revenge. I get the feeling Willow will be fighting a lot with herself about her feelings.


Thanks for the update...it's perfect as always.

Henny

[Emms]

Hi everyone. Just a note to say that I haven't forgotten about this fic. In fact, I'm supossed to be working on Sunflowers, but I can't seem to get this one out of my head. There will be replies and a very large update probably tomorrow afternoon some time. Thank you all for reading.

xoxo
Emms

[watersong84]

I just got caught up on this fic --- I love it!

The thing that I love most about this fic is that there are so many intriguing story lines, and there have only been a few chapters so far. I mean, you've got me thinking about Anya, Tara's mothers, Willow's parents, Buffy, and of course Willow and Tara. I feel like sometimes in AU stories, the only plot is that of Willow and Tara - when will they get together? But this (like all your stories...) is really refreshing. Bravo.

-Alyssa

[Emms]

Hey kittens! Here's the update. I'm going to post replies tomorrow though, Luv ya'll. Hope you enjoy the update

Note: I'd like to thank Carleen for being a wonderful Beta.

All Disclaimers Apply


The Art of Burning Bridges: Chapter Six


"Ashkak floating
there in the sky
so big so bright
so luminous so high...
Goddess of the Ashkak
Beneath your bluish bellows
your humble people have gathered nigh"

Tara hummed the tune of the traditional song she had learned as a child. All Shinty children were taught to sing songs in praise of the Ashkak, for it was believed that the Ashkak was the Mother of all creation and was seen as the most peaceful entity in the sky. Its round shape was a favorite of the Shinty artists as well. Most dwellings had carvings of the Ashkak in all it's nighttime radiance. They were perched on top of stone alters or hanging on hooks made from the hardened roots stuck through the walls of most homes.

The Ashkak's opposite was the Ord, which was considered to be the Father of creation, but since Shinty people were a woman centered clan they held very little esteem for the more aggressive male side that the Ord represented. The Ord was to be observed, but not many songs existed about it.

Both the Ashkak and the Ord went by other names as well. The Moon and the Sun. The origins of those names could only be dated as far back as 1000 years and were names used only by the Plains people. The Ashkak and the Ord were the traditional names given to the floating orbs by the Shinty and were the only names recognized by the Shinty folk. However, they still referred to the light given by the Ashkak as 'moonlight' and light given by the Ord as 'sunlight'. Tara often found this confusing. She suspected that it had something to do with the war, but everyone she asked, hadn't been any wiser on the subject than she.

As Tara made her way deeper into the wooded hills, sharp stones threatened the underside of her feet, but the bottoms of her feet were strong and callused from being without covering nearly all her life. She had a pair of tongos, which were similar to the coverings she had seen on Willow's feet, but the tongos were made of natural material gathered from the forest floor. The bottoms were made from the particularly tough hide of the Mussox. Tara rarely wore them though, unless her people were moving from one camp to another because that would mean traveling a great distance on foot.

Tara caught the faint scent of a campfire. She could tell by the sulfuric tinge in the smell that it would be nothing but embers now. She chastised the woman under hear breath, even though she knew there was no possible way for Willow to hear her words. At least she had known enough to start a fire, even if she had been foolish enough to let it burn out.

One more piece of the 'Willow' puzzle was falling into place in Tara's mind, for now she knew that Willow couldn't possibly belong to any forest clan. Everyone who had grown up among the dangers of the woods knew that a burning fire might be the only thing to stand between them and certain death.

Most of the night creatures had sensitive eyes and spent their days hiding amongst the cracks and crags in caves or deep in the hollows of dead Hammock trees. And They would avoid a burning fire at all cost.
The parasitic spider was among the worst. Just the thought of it's crawly legs made Tara shiver. The people of the forest feared this spider above all other creatures, even above the legendary Gammbot and that was why all Shinty and wood folk alike kept a candle burning throughout the night, otherwise, no one would get adequate sleep for fear that the spider would enter their dwellings and bite them in the night.

Tara was still thinking about the spider when she felt her foot catch on something sticking up from the ground. The first thought that had came to her mind was that she had tripped over a root protruding through the dirt, but Tara changed her mind when the rough texture of a Hammock tree wasn't what caught her fall. Tara landed heavily onto something with form, something pliable that was molding itself to her body from underneath.

Willow was still half asleep when she felt something above her. The thoughts she been thinking of Tara were still fresh in her mind, though the dream from earlier in the evening still haunted her. She had woken up, covered in sweat, and calling out to parents that were no longer there. But the thoughts of Tara had come to her soon after, calming her in a way she had never felt before. And now, in some part of her mind Willow thought the feel of this heavy warmth above her was just another aspect of her imagination...

Willow's mind refused to react. She would lie there and indulge in this dream for a few minutes longer. Besides the weight wasn't unpleasant, it was warm and pressed into her in just the right way. Willow's thoughts were on Tara again as her hand came up to wrap around the hallucination above her. But when her hand met with the tangible warmth, it hit her. There was no imaginary person that could feel that real. Willow's eyes snapped open, but she couldn't make out what it was above her.

Tara's mind clouded for a moment as she tried to figure out what it was she had found. She was startled when she felt something wrap around her waist from beneath her. She froze, her natural instincts kicking in. Tara lashed out, striking the creature hard against a part of it's body she couldn't see.

"Oww!" Willow cried out when she felt something strike her injured arm. Willow tried to scoot away from the dangerous creature, but she was being held down by the weight of it's body on top of her. Willow fought not to panic and forced herself to calm down. According to all the training she had completed, she knew that they best thing to do would be not to resist, because that would only serve to activate even more aggression from the wild animal. So she forced herself to lay still and when she did so too did the weight on top of her. The more she lay there, the more familiar things seemed to become...."Tara?" Willow chanced, but her speech was so quiet it was almost inaudible. She held her breath in anticipation.

Tara heard her name whispered and recognized the voice immediately "Willow.....?" she said, wanting to be sure.

"I'm sorry...." Willow spoke softly though she didn't really know what she was apologizing for, it had been the blonde after all, that had accosted her in the night hadn't it? Willow's eyes locked with Tara's momentarily, but the blonde was already retreating.

"No....It's I that should be sorry...every time we are in close proximity to each other disastrous things seem happen and you end up hurt." Tara said, indicating Willow's arm, which was, at the moment being held against the redhead's body. "First your arm...and now this..." Tara felt incredibly clumsy and increasingly awkward. She stood, brushing off the imaginary debris that clung to her shirt. She felt badly about striking Willow and had to remind herself that if she had known it was Willow she wouldn't have been so rough.

Willow also stood, and watched Tara standing very seriously in front of her. Willow couldn't help a smile, it really wasn't as bad as Tara was making it out to be. "Nothing dire happened last night at the fire." She reminded the blonde, who had taken a few steps away from her.

"True...but we were not there long, remember? You left before you finished your drink." Tara let a small teasing smile escape across her lips. She was feeling a little better about the whole situation. Willow didn't seem to be angry with her, in fact the sound of her voice was almost warm and friendly.

Willow hadn't missed the tease in Tara's words "Well, I didn't want to push my luck. At any moment I could have tripped across a flaming log, and landed face first amid the red-hot embers." She smiled broadly then, for the first time in many years. But her good humor was cut short by the sudden change of expression on Tara's face.

"Don't move." Tara commanded, seeing the telltale movement out of the corner of her eye. She knew enough to recognize it for what it was.

Willow stilled at the sharp edge in Tara's voice. Her muscles growing ridged all at once, her body steeled itself against the unknown danger. Willow looked at Tara, trying to judge by her response the kind of danger they might be in. There was nothing there, however, but a fierce look in the woman's blue eyes; a kind of glowing that Willow had only seen present itself in the eyes of the night time creatures. The way their pupils enlarged to let in the most amount of light possible... Tara's eyes looked like that now.

Tara kept her eyes focused on the spider as it inched its way steadily closer to Willow's leg. She would have to move quickly or the spider would lunge at Willow or herself before Tara could properly deflect its attack.

A hunter by nature, the spider had been known to stalk its prey for several miles before moving in to make its kill. If bitten, there was only a small window of time before paralysis would set in, effectively shutting off all bodily functions in the process. She would have to be quick; Willow's and possibly her life too, depended on it.

Tara channeled the warrior within herself and in one swift movement she had pushed Willow to the ground away from the spider and at the same time grabbed for a low hanging bough on the nearest Hammock tree. It snapped off easily and Tara was able to knock the spider through the air just as it charged her.

"Did you kill it?!" Willow heard the sickening thump of the creature landing against the blunt branch.

"I don't know, they can be tricky sometimes. If I was only successful in wounding it, it might come back for us. But most likely it will retire somewhere to rehabilitate itself. We should leave though, just in case."

Tara's heart was beating so hard in her chest that she was almost certain she would pass out. But the adrenaline coursing through her body kept her on her feet.

"Where will we go?"

"Back to the encampment. Follow me." Tara didn't wait for Willow to answer her, she was feeling extremely exhausted and the long walk ahead of them didn't seem to appealing at the moment.

"What was that thing?" Willow asked, feeling the need to know overpowering her.

"You d-don't want to know."

Tara had meant to leave the explanation at that for tonight, but Willow had proved to be persistent. Tara had told her everything about the spider and as the walk progressed Tara silently wondered if she had given the redhead too much information. Next to her she could see Willow out of the corner of her eye. She could tell that the woman was trying to appear brave, but every so often Tara would see Willow glance behind herself as if she half expected the spider to reincarnate itself and jump out at her. Tara smiled despite her own fiercely beating heart. She may have been frightened, but she'd have a great tale to tell at the next night's meal.

"Thank you, for back there. How did you know?" Willow said as they neared familiar surroundings.

"I didn't." Tara didn't turn to face the redhead.

"You just decided to take a leisurely stroll, deep in the woods, in the middle of the night...with the possible spiders?" Willow stopped walking.

"I went looking for you." Tara admitted. She couldn't bring her eyes up to meet Willow, who had stopped walking and had turned to her.

"Why ever did you do a thing like that?" Willow hadn't meant to sound ungrateful, but Tara's admission had caught her off guard.

"I was worried..." Tara felt suddenly shy.

"You were worried? About me?" Willow, was beyond stunned, she didn't know what to say.

Tara expelled a heavy breath; she turned away from Willow and began walking in the other direction. Tara told herself that she no longer cared if Willow followed, though she couldn't deny that she was relieved when she heard Willow’s boots fall into step with her from behind.

*********************************************
TBC

xoxo
Emms

[watersong84]

Yay! I am getting so lucky with this fic - first I read it all in one night, and then you update it in the same night!

Umm... so, that spider thingy is really scary. I don't think I ever want to meet one. On second thought, if meeting one works out for me as it did for Willow just now, I might give it a try. Waking up to Tara on top of you, watching her get all aggressive with the spider - I could deal with that.

"You were worried? About me?" Willow, was beyond stunned, she didn't know what to say.

Aww. So cute!

Tara told herself that she no longer cared if Willow followed, though she couldn't deny that she was relieved when she heard Willow’s boots fall into step with her from behind.

Oh man. I like this story.

-Alyssa

[watty]

awwww, what a nice update. Strange that an experienced hunter like Tara wouldn't spot a sleeping form like Willow, but I was chuckling when she ended up on top of the obvious non-forest dweller. Willow was in a dangerous situation wasn't she ... fire out, spider attacking. And may I say, ewwww at the spider *shivers*.

"You just decided to take a leisurely stroll, deep in the woods, in the middle of the night...with the possible spiders?"

and

"I went looking for you."

I'm going awwwww again. So hopefully Willow will stay at Tara's camp for a little while longer? Yay to that. Kisses and gay love soon? Ok, that's your line to me, so ... allow me to pay you the compliment back, heehee.

[Emms]

This first batch of replies is for the kittens who responded to the previous chapter.

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AlysonGoddess

1) Thanks for the update. 2) I am really enjoying this story. 3) Please continue

1) you're welcome
2) Thank you.
3) okay

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watson

After the storytelling and the handholding and the almost kiss (wait ... that was my own imagination), now comes the doubts and the analysis. Ooooh I know from personal experience it's never a good idea to over-analyze your relationship.

yes...definitly your own imagination. But it sounds good so I think I'll use it. Sometime in the future there will be an almost kiss with some handholding, and I'll blame it all on you watson.

And...yeah. Over-analyzation....never a good thing.

How you described their inner thoughts, as usual Emms, what beautiful descriptions!

shucks....thanks watson.

What of the dream? Definitely portend of doom type of nightmare. Was it a dream? Or recollection of real life events? Or fake memories. Ahhhhh, I want more, yet I'm afraid of more. What to do? what to do?

wow...it's questionmarkapalooza up there I can answer one question for you though... Willow's dreams were definitly real life events.

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Teddy

I like the complexity of the W/T characters in this story.

Thank you. yeah, they really are multi-layered in this story. There are so many things going on in their lives respecively that could break their relationship. ie: The fact that Willow is scouting an attack on tara's people, and that Tara is next in line to be the leader against such an attack if and when it comes...just to mention one.

I do like how you shape Willow's character by her actions. The comfort she offered Tara in the previous post and now her unwillingness to hunt even for her own survival. It contrasts against the warmongering of her people. I can see her eventually breaking away from her people once she has dealt with her issues around the death of her parents.

Not only that, but it contrasts against the Idea Willow has of herself. She is a soft, caring, vulnerable person and it shines through in her actions. (and you know what they say about those..that whole actions speaking louder than words thing...) And yes....I think the death of her parents is her major problem, once she gets passed that, it should be easier for her to let go of all the things she has been taught to believe by her people.

Instinctually, Tara is drawn to Willow as was demonstrated by her late night wanderings, which does imply some level of trust. However, she also must keep the safety of her people in mind, so I thought Tara doubting her initial trust of Willow was warranted given that she is to be the next leader of her people when her mother dies.

Definitly.

Thank you for the wonderful feedback Teddy. I hope you liked the next part as well.

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Anna

Loving this new story Emms!
Although right now it's kind of sad with Willow leaving. It will be interesting to see how their paths might cross again. Willow's dream flashback was so tragic. I wonder how she will be able to get past the fact Tara's people have caused so much pain in her life.
Nice update!

Thank you sweetie. I'm glad you're liking it. Yes...its always sad when Willow leaves...but she has to come back right? So don't feel too sad. I don't think Tara will let her get very far away.

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Cyd,

See I'm kinda mixed reaction girl...um not about the update because it was great but more because of the Tara wandering barefoot into the night part. First I was like Yay! Go find Willow...she's all cold and having a bad dream. Then I was like don't get hurt by the _______ (insert creatively named animal here) cause that would be much of the bad. You gonna solve the inner conflict for me...with, say, an update?

I know huh...But there were so many interesting senarios that could have transpired...it was too much fun to resist the midnight bare-foot walk through the woods. I had to do it. Creatively...i just had to...you understand dontcha Cyd?

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Rob

It's kinda funny how they're giving themselves thousands of reasons not to think about each other when that's exactly what they end up doing anyway

.

Such is life sweetie. It's always hardest to resist the things you try the hardest to resist.

And here is planted the small seed of doubt. Willow is starting to have second thoughts on her so-called mission. Willow is a smart one, I don't think it will take much longer for her to reach the conclusion that the Shinty couldn't possibly have anything to do with that attack. Or maybe not, she's pretty stubborn too.

yeah, I think it could pretty much go either way with her right now.

That nightmare (memory or whatever) was really creepy. 1) How old was Willow then? To imagine a child being caught in the crossfire... Yikes. Poor Willow, she has so much emotional baggage, I hope Tara will be able to help her. 2) Maybe Tara will find her in the middle of the nightmare and comfort her?

1) I think I mentioned in an eariler update that she had been 12 when her parents died...so that's the age I picture her at during her little dream adventures.

2) I think it might be a little too soon for dream comforting..cause there isn't that much trust between them yet, they are still pretty leary of eachother. But I definitly see it happening in the future though...

Ooh, can I bribe you with chocolate now? You can have access to my special stash anytime as long as you supply us with our much needed update-y goodness!

Yes *nods head emphatically* you may bribe me. That is allowed. Mmmm yummmmm chocolate....okay, your bribe has been accepted, more updatey goodness on the way.

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Artemis

Great update - and bad Willow, letting her fire go out! I hope Tara finds her and restarts her fire soon

Chris...you're so naughty

Willow's dream interested me though, it looks like at that time she would have been much more sympathetic to the Shinty Folk: "she hated how driven her people were to impose their own will against others" - but such thoughts, one imagines, were put out of her mind by the tragic death of her parents. I wonder if now she'll revisit those thoughts - does she even remember thinking like that, or will what she remembers in this dream surprise her?

I think we all know by now that it's not in Willow's nature to hate people. But given her circumstance Willow had very little choice in the matter. (I'll address this in more detail in later updates, but I will say...After her parents death, willow went through a kind of 'adopt our ways or be thrown to the wolves' type of situation...so like anybody in that position at 12 years old, her survivalist insticts kicked in. )

Also, I think she remebers thinking that way, but is convinced that she was wrong back then...

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CrazyTaraWitch

fabulous new story Emms, brava!

thank you sweetie. I hope you keep reading.

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Irene

Wow Emms, this update was chalked full of emotion for both our girls. I love how Willow's mind remembers and analysis every minute detail of Tara when she was entertaining the children by the campfire. I can also feel just how much in pain she's really in due to her injury. She's caught between..."La espada y la pared"...which translates too..."The blade and a wall"...not knowing if she should move foward and possible get hurt or to stay in place and do nothing. And it goes without saying that the imagery you provide is always beautifully written:

I think its very hard for this Willow to stay put anywhere (to illustrate this, just look at her chosen profession. She's a scout in the army) Willow is so used to structure and being in control though and it will do her good to spend some time with the Shintys, just so she can see what it's like to feel free. Also, it will allow her the time to see things from another perspective when it comes to how she actually views the Shinty life. She sees them as heathens and lacking any order in their lives. Something tells me after some time with them, she is going to have to admit just how wrong she's been.

And lastly Willow's dream. It's obvious that Willow does not agree with everything her people stand for. She's a pacifist in every sense of the word.

Yes...she is a pacifist, deep down where it counts...but that is the aspect of her she really has to get in touch with.

I could feel her pain when she thinks of how many human lives are being distinguished and for what...because they don't think or believe the way they are forced to? It was witnessing her father's demise that hardend Willow. And it will be Tara's love that will give hope to a woman who might have already lost it.

and wow... you said that so beautifully Irene.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback sweetie.

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Carleen

Again, Emms, you've created a story that just carries me away. I really love the world you've created here. It's so interesting -- rich, vivid descriptions of the surroundings [**don't groan at me, young lady!**]; spot on dialogue from the characters; believable situations, thoughts and feelings. Overall, just really really great stuff.

Thank you sweetie. Nope...you'll hear no groans from me. (that's not to say that I wont be groaning....you just wont hear me do it. )

I can't wait to see what happens during Tara's little trek through the woods to find Willow...will she show up as Willow is still dreaming? And, if so, will she be the comforting presence that Willow needs? Will Tara run into danger, requiring rescue from Willow? Oh the suspense!

well....you were the first to find out...tell me Carr.. does it lose its romantisism when you're forced to read it for the first time from the perspective of correcting periods, commas and run on sentences?

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Little minx Henny

Willow can be so stubborn sometimes...ok she went through a lot btw nice flashback....but how stubborn is it to try and climb the steep while your arm isn't healed yet. Under everything she is a cute softy with the meat gathering thing...it's so cute

you are absolutely right. Willow can be very stubborn. But you were also right when you said, that underneath it all she is just a cute softy.

I really like where this story is going...Willow a sleep hears something and sneaks behind something without seeing who it is she attacks Tara....they fall onto the ground Willow on top of Tara blue meets green....Willow calms down her face relaxes... they are so close so close there lips nearly touch they can feel the warm breath in the cold night...Then there is a voice..... it's Anya... she is worried about Tara....
Ooops sorry I couldn't help myself.

well....that's almost what happend. except for the part about their lips nearly touching and of course the Anya entrance. But Tara did fall on top of her....so you win a cookie sweetie!!

Now back to the update...The flashback was perfect it shows a lot of why Willow wants to get her revenge. I get the feeling Willow will be fighting a lot with herself about her feelings.

yeah...I think we can all understand now, why Willow feels the way she does.....

Thank you so much Henny for your unwavoring support. and brilliant feedback.

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Alyssa

I just got caught up on this fic --- I love it!

Thank you.

The thing that I love most about this fic is that there are so many intriguing story lines, and there have only been a few chapters so far. I mean, you've got me thinking about Anya, Tara's mothers, Willow's parents, Buffy, and of course Willow and Tara.

Oh wow, I'm so happy that you mentioned that. There are many story lines running at once and even though Willow and Tara's relationship takes center stage it is so wonderful to know that you are still interested in everyone else too. I just hope I can continue to interest you.

I feel like sometimes in AU stories, the only plot is that of Willow and Tara - when will they get together? But this (like all your stories...) is really refreshing. Bravo.

Thank you so much sweetie. You have no Idea how flattering that is. Thank you for reading.

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The replies to kittens who have commented on chapter 6 will be coming up soon. I want to thank everyone who's reading and responding it makes writing so much more fun when I get to hear what you think of the story.

xoxo
Emms

[FineyMcFine]

I started reading this story just last week and am very much enjoying it. I love stories a la Romeo and Juliet where the two lovers have to overcome an obstacle of opposing cultures. Of course, the ending of Romeo and Juliet was very tragic, so please don't let that happen here. I suppose it goes without saying that the ending will be happy since this is the kitten board.

So we've seen Willow in Tara's culture, I wonder - will we get to see Tara in Willow's culture?

Very interesting world that you have created here. Please continue!