Ramsay sat next to Dionysus, a large brown aerobic Tark'ee, as they sat watching the village town square come to life. Kion was setting up his bright blue tent. And the smell coming from the tent made Ramsay's mouth water. And next to him, two young Tsabhua, Pearl and Jasper were setting up a smaller mauve colored tent. They had a cart full of boxes."

"What do you think they are selling?" Dionysus asked as he watched Jasper, a mostly white Tsabhua, struggle to take one of the boxes out of the cart. Pearl, a lovely blue and silver Tsabhua, saw and stopped setting up a shelf to come help.

"I don't know, But it looks interesting. Maybe we should go check it out."Ramsay said just before getting up and walking toward the pair. Dionysus walked behind his friend.

"Which ya got, Pearl?" Ramsay asked.

"Oh just some pretty rocks we found." Pearl said. Jasper placed the box on the ground and opened it up. Inside were rocks of all colors. Pearl reached inside and pulled out a beautiful turquoise blue rock. "This one matches your feathers." She held it out for Dionysus to take.

"Your right it is pretty." Dionysus started to hand it back to her but she shook her head no.

"You keep." Pearl said with a smile before turning to help Jasper with the box.

"What do you think this rock is?" Dionysus asked Ramsay.

When Ramsay didn't answer he looked up from examining the rock.

"Hey Ramsay." Dionysus nudged his friend.

"Do you know who that is?" Ramsay asked, pointing to a saltwater Tsabhua.

Before Dionysus could answer. Jasper came back to get another box. "Oh that is Torook. His parents are here to see if there can be a trade agreement between our two villages. Hmm he must have sneaked out because I don't see either of them here."

Just then an out of breath Delano came running up to them. His brother, Ferdinand, running right behind him was just as breathless.

"There's, There is a -" Delano stuttered. He was too out of breath to talk. Ferdinand just lay down with his mouth open as he panted.

The commotion caught the attention of Torook and the silver viper salty came trotting over.

"What's going on?" Torook asked with the confidence of someone who's parents are important.

"Don't know yet. They are two out of breath to talk. Which is a first for Delano." Ramsay said.

Dionysus leaned down "That's the black and white one," he whispered loudly. "The other one is his brother, Ferdinand, but he doesn't talk much."

"Yes, and I am Ramsay and this big guy is Dionysus." Ramsay said, finishing the round of greeting.

"Oh, I am Torook." Torook said after getting a pointed stare from Ramsay.

"Well, now that we have all introduced ourselves let's see if these idiots can talk yet." Ramsay said playfully.

Ferdinand stopped panting and gave him a look that made Ramsay shiver.

Delano got up from where he had collapsed. "There is a merchant, one I have never seen before, at the edge of the growing fields. It looks like he is setting up his wares," he said all in one breath before collapsing to the ground again.

"A merchant? Out there?" Why doesn't he come to the village? What is he selling?" Dionysus asked out loud all the questions that seemed to be running through his mind.

"Don't know? Want to go find out?" Ramsay said with excitement filling his voice.

"Shouldn't we tell Kya and Kel about it?" Dionysus asked.

"Naw. They are busy with those diplomats. We should go see who this merchant is. If it's someone they need to know about we can tell them. Believe me, when they are in a meeting they don't want to be disturbed." Ramsay answered. "I am sure the four of us-"

"Five!" Torook pipped up, giving Ramsay returning the same pointed look that Ramsay had given him.

"Are you sure kiddo?" Delano said. He and his brother, Ferdinand, seemed to have recovered and looked just as eager to find out who this merchant was. "Won't your parents worry about you?"

"Oh they won't mind. They know I like to roam around a little as long as I stay relatively close by. Besides, I am going with two adults. Should be safe enough." said Torook.

"One adult." Dionysus pointed out. "But I am almost considered an adult." He stood up and stretched out his great big wings to show off the size and the blue markings he had gained.

"Good for me," Delano said. Ferdinand nodded his head.

The group headed into the surrounding forest. Most of the trees had shed the snow they had been covered in from the beginning of winter. Small piles of snow lay on top of the snow on the ground shown where the snow on the trees had fallen. But even that was slowly melting and bits of tree limbs and stumps were peeking through the white blanket.

They followed a snow packed trail that wound around the trunks of some of the tallest and oldest evergreen trees. And while they walked, they talked. Mostly about what could the mysterious merchant be selling.

The trees cleared and they soon found themselves in a field. The field was still covered with snow. It was hard packed from all the small and large feet of those who have come to sled. It would take a while before this field was bare of the white. The black mountains loomed overhead. Their tops were covered in snow and the suns peered over the tips as they ascended into the sky.

"Look there they are!" Delano shouted while pointing with one of his short stubby claws. They all looked in the direction he pointed. Down at the bottom of the sledding hill was what looked like a large covered wagon. It was painted in bright yellow, orange and red colors which made it very visible against the tall dark green evergreens beyond it.

Delano, Torook, Ferdinand, Ramsay and Dionysus all ran,or tumbled down the hill toward the wagon.

When they reached the wagon a green Tsabhua with glowing green stripes stepped out of the wagon.

"Ah, my first customers," she said. Then she pulled a lever and one side of the wagon opened up and they were greeted with some of the prettiest trinkets they had ever seen. A silver wrist bangle with a twinkling blue gem stone lay nestled in soft white linen caught the eye of Ramsay.

"Oh wow!" They are so pretty!" He exclaimed.

A pair of plain gold earrings captured Dioysus's eyes. They would look so good dangling from his ears.

A pair of black tail wraps hanging from a hook made both Delano and Ferdinand quite interested.

And Torook spied a silver wrist band with light blue gems interwoven in the wire. It was nestled in a black fabric.

Seeing the looks on all their faces, Dread smiled. It was time to sell some of her wares.