Enat’s direction, but Neela obliged by reaching for her small harp. She sat with the harp in her lap and began to sing a tale of two humans who loved each other. Ash listened raptly. Something about the harp sounded familiar to her. The younger apprentices soon became bored and wandered off.
“Go with them,” Enat whispered. “Talk to them.”
Reluctantly, Ash got up and followed to where they had gathered around another fire pit lined with stones and stacked with peat, ready to be ignited.
“Show us, Fergus,” one girl was saying to an older boy.
He flung his hand toward the pit, and flames suddenly rose from the peat as it burned fiercely. They turned to glance curiously at Ash as she hung back.
“Come sit with us,” said the girl. “I am Cíana.”
“I am Ash.” Ash sat next to her as the others settled around the fire.
Another boy snorted with laughter. “What kind of name is Ash?”
“Gai!” Cíana frowned at him. She shook her head. “Ignore him.”
The boy called Gai scowled.
“It’s your turn, Méav,” Cíana said to one of the older girls. “Let’s see what you can do.”
Méav lifted her arm, twirling her hand in the air. The flames leapt, twining and twisting, following her movements. The others clapped and then took turns showing their skills. A girl named Una levitated some of the sticks piled next to the fire pit and then a boy they called Ronan wrung his hand in the air and water poured from his closed fist.
As amazed as Ash was by the magic, she was even more fascinated by the other apprentices. It was the first time she’d ever had the opportunity to be this near to two-leg young – like her, no longer cubs, but not yet grown. Méav had eyes the color of a summer sky with hair as black as Beanna’s feathers, gathered in many braids under a leather band around her head. Ronan’s chin was covered in sparse hairs the same red-brown color as his hair. Cíana’s hair was the color of the sun, long, pulled back into a twisted strand hanging down her back. Gai’s hair and eyes were almost black, but his face was pale, like the moon. Una’s hair was dark, and she looked a lot like Gai. Another older boy, Niall, was so fair, he looked as if he had no color at all, with his pale eyes and white hair.
The younger ones tried to mimic what the older could do. Cíana succeeded in sparking a twig into flame and Gai could briefly levitate the sticks. Daina was able to extinguish Cíana’s flame with a thought. Diarmit, a heavyset boy with thick, brown hair tried to move the sticks as well, but only succeeded in toppling the pile. The others laughed.
At last, they turned to Ash.
“Show us what you can do,” said Gai.
Ash knew there was an owl sitting on an overhanging branch, watching a mouse hiding in a nearby clump of moss. She knew the mouse was quivering under the moss, watching the owl. There were many animals about, and she could hear them all, but she was not going to call them to her for Gai’s enjoyment.
“I do not know how to do anything,” she said.
He stared at her for a moment. “Nothing?”
Ash shook her head. “Not like you. I cannot make fire or smoke do my bidding or move things.”
Cíana turned to look at Ash more closely, taking in the scars on her face and her bare feet. Ash lowered her head. “You live with Enat,” Cíana said.
Ash nodded.
“How old are you? You look too young to be here.”
Ash poked a forefinger in the dirt and drew a pattern. “I do not know.”
There was laughter from the circle. “How can you not know how old you are?” Diarmit asked.
Ash looked up sharply as Cíana hissed for them to be quiet. “I do not know how many winters I had when my clan found me. I was with my clan for eight winters before Enat came.”
“What clan?” Cíana asked.
“Badgers.”
“Badgers?” Niall looked as if he did not believe her.
“Yes. Badgers saved me when my village was burned.” Ash looked at them. No one was laughing now.