The cool wind rustled throughout the forest valley of the Catskills Mountains. It caused the trees and other foliage to bend slightly towards the western side of the valley. The clouds covered the noonday sun so only slivers of light escaped and spread across the land. Low clouds hung like veils over the high mountain peaks. The season was fall, and the temperature was cool enough to make the majority of the valleys inhabitants' shiver slightly. But, of course few creatures were in human form at this time of day, lunch time that is. For a clan of shape shifters of all kinds lived in this mountain's valley. Their official clan name was Clan Moon Dust. This was there name simply because they were a more traditional clan of shape shifters. They had a circle of elders to keep order within the clan and to in force the law if necessary.

The clan, or at least most of them, were scattered lone shifters, or shifters without a family who had sought shelter with the clan. There were of course a few families of shifters who had been with the clan since the time of their ancestors. But, in present time, most of the shifters in Clan Moon Dust where searching for food, for it was of course lunchtime.

Briana Quartz was currently in tiger form, searching for a meal in the inner most section of the valley forest. She stalked her prey, a rabbit, with lethal elegance, stepping softly upon the forest floor. She quickly saw her chance and sneaked up and claimed her prey as lunch, killing it swiftly before eating it. She broke into a graceful run, loping about the valley in search of other members of her clan. When she spied none, she smoothly shifted into her human form. Briana Quartz had golden hair which came slightly above her waist, soft, hazel colored eyes, which could sharpen into a predatorial glare in moments, elfin features and a slim body. Her light brown eyebrows were thin and looked like a painter had used a thin brush and stroked evenly above her eyes to form two slim lines in order create them. Her hair fell ever so slightly across her face, which currently had an expression of nervousness and cautiousness set on it. She wore tan khaki shorts and a sky blue blouse. Her clan may live secluded, in the wilderness faraway from human civilization, but that didn't mean they couldn't go into town to get clothing and other such things. She was barefoot; for it was only possible for the strongest shifters to shift shoes and be able to neither destroy them nor damage them.

Briana was one of the more fortunate shifters. She had a family. Her mother and father lived in a small hut to the eastern edge of the clan's village. She herself according to clan laws was required to reside in her own hut next to her parents, since she was 18 and at that age you had to show your independence by living successfully in your own hut.

She fingered her quartz pendant, which was cut in the form of a teardrop like shape and hung from a silver chain. It was her family's crystal symbol, and it was also her last name of course like everyone's family element was. It symbolized hardship and sadness, but also strength throughout disaster and courage through danger. Her family had gotten the teardrop symbol because long ago in the old area where the clan had once lived, a tragedy had occurred.

Her father had once disobeyed the law of the clan by helping a young lone shifter who was new to the clan on his quest to find his animal to shift into for life. In the quest you had to live off the land and fend for yourself at all times. Briana's father had heard the young lone shifter crying for help in the woods while he was gathering firewood for the winter solstice bonfire, which was part of the holiday's celebration in their clan. He immediately ran to the boy's side and helped him fend off a wolf that was attacking him. A member of the clan had gone looking for him when he didn't return as soon as he was expected to. He caught Briana's father and took him to the circle of elders who said his punishment for helping the boy in his quest was to go on a quest to find a rare type of herb which only grew in the far and unexplored end of their territory's forest. He went, and on the way was attacked several times and wounded severely so he could never fully function his left arm again. He was strong and had pride, so he finished the quest and returned to the clan elders. He never was as strong or could feel like he was able to fully protect his family again.

A few years later he met Briana's mother and they started a family. After Briana's birth, the elder's were required to give the family their official element symbol, and they of course remembered the incident her father had had years ago. Since the father was considered the head of the family, the element symbol had to reflect him more then the entire family. Thus Briana's teardrop shaped quartz crystal family symbol.

But, at the moment, Briana was standing still and searching with her eyes throughout the forest. She then, sure that no one was around, proceeded to a more secluded area of the valley forest where she found a nest of birds, eagles to be more precise. Briana had been tending to the birds, for their mother had been injured and she needed help caring for her young. Briana had found them weeks ago when she spotted a bird in the sky suddenly falling to the ground. Ever since she had made them one of her official jobs, which she religiously attended to. She fed the baby birds and checked to see how the mother was progressing. Her broken wing was nearly entirely healed, so she knew it would be soon that she would have to let the group of birds go back to normal life.

Suddenly, a dark shadow passed over the nest in the forest where Briana sat. She didn't look up from the birds. She saw the shadow quickly shift into human form. "How are you doing today Alison?" Briana asked casually to the shadow behind her. "Mello Bri. Oh I'm fine. You?" said the girl with jet black shoulder length hair to Briana. "Jest fine." The girl was Briana's best friend. She was a panther shape shifter with straight black hair that fell in her face no matter how much she tried to pull it away. Her eyes where deep midnight blue, her skin pale, her features elfin like Briana's, and her face lit up with a smile. Her full name was Alison Amathest, and her element symbol that she wore as a choker a small amethyst leaf. It represented intelligence, grace, and bravery. Her family's hut was near Briana's and the two had known each other for what seemed like forever.

"How are tha lil' birdys?" asked Alison. "The mother is almost healed and the babes are fine," replied a busy Briana. After finishing tending with the birds and their nest, the two got up and walked out into the forest and back towards their village.

As they leisurely strolled through the forest, both friends took the time away from the elders and others of their clan to talk and explore. A breeze suddenly blew through the forest, causing leaves and other items on the forest floor to float up and around. Alison shivered, "Aren't you cold Bri? It's autumn, and 40 degrees for goddess' sake!" "I don't mind the cold," said Briana fingering her pendant and staring at the ground as she walked, "it makes me feel less smothered than in stuffy sweaters and jackets." Alison gave her friend a look that said "Whatever, your crazy." Briana glanced at Alison's outfit. It consisted of black corduroy pants, a midnight blue tee shirt, and a light black windbreaker. "Ooh, my feat are cold!" exclaimed Alison. Briana kneeled down on the forest floor and picked up a long, brown, falcon feather. She stood and showed it to Alison. "Think its Fawn's?" Fawn was a falcon shifter who lived in their village. But she rarely ventured this far out in the valley forest. "Looks more like Taran's to me. He also would be the type to come out this far to hunt by himself." Briana stated still gazing at the feather. Another breeze blew harshly throughout the forest, causing the girl's hair to flutter in every which way. "He better not come out here any more. This is our section." Huffed an angry Alison. Briana sighed and said, "He's not going to if I can help it. I hate it when people invade our hunting and strolling area!"

The girls shivered, even Briana. They began to walk faster towards the clan's village. Briana gazed up through the clearing they were walking through and up at the Catskills Mountains. The mountains loomed high in the air, the low hanging clouds drifting whimsically around the peaks of them. She wished she could climb up to the top and stare out at the valley, what a wonder it would be to be able to see it all at once. Alison guessed her thoughts and said with a friendly smile, "Don't worry, we'll get up to the top of those mountains, we have the skill. Maybe some time soon we can find a time when we can go out on a herb hunt for Mother Melina and skip out and go to the mountain and then get the herbs afterwards." Briana nodded, knowing that with winter solstice approaching they might soon have their chance. The two walked the rest of the way in a peaceful silence.

Back at the Clan Moon Dust village at about 8 o' clock PM. Briana sat in the western side of the circle, which surrounded the large bon fire. To her left sat Alison. To her right sat Rillian, one of her close friends. Rillian had red hair that came to about her mid back level, and had a slight wave to it. Its color resembled a deep maroon flower. She had elfin features like most of the clan members, and smoky onyx eyes. Her family element symbol was a garnet wild flower, which represented love, strong will power, and stubbornness. Rillian was a hawk shape shifter. When Briana and Alison planned to go to the mountains, they planned to include Rillian in their trip. But, at the moment the clan was having the nightly meeting where any current events, problems, or other such things were updated into the members' minds.

A member named Elise, the clan scribe, was stating everything currently happening in the clan. Nothing of interest to the three girls was being spoken of. The winter solstice celebration would be held in exactly a week, or as the clan might say, a regular span of moon risings. This of course meant that the girls would need to volunteer for the herb hunt for Mother Melina as their way for helping to prepare for the celebration. "You guys hear that?" whispered Alison to the two girls without taking her eyes off Elise so she wouldn't be caught and scolded for talking. The two girls barely nodded, knowing that that was enough for Alison. After the meeting the clan was dismissed to go about their business. It was a weekend so they didn't have to worry about needing to get to sleep so they could awake early for their lessons from the elders. The girls clustered together and weeded their way through the crowd and to Alison's hut. Once inside they closed the shades, shut and locked the doors, and made sure the windows were locked also. They gathered in the center of the living quarter section of the hut (the living room) and began to plan their strategy for their trip.

"Okay, first things first. Tomorrow we bug Taran about trespassing." Stated Alison. They had told Rillian about the feather they had found in the forest today already. The section was also Rillian's so she was concerned about it all too. "And after we do that we go straight to Mother Melina and ask if we can do the Herb Hunt for her as our way of participating in preparing for the winter solstice ceremony. And if that works out we tell the elders and then our parents." Briana said. "After that we pack and get ready, oh yeah and get a map of the mountain," said Rillian. "Yep. That should do it," stated Alison. "Meet here with the feather at 9 o' clock a.m. tomorrow?" asked Briana. Both girls nodded in agreement. They said their good nights and left for their huts.

Briana awoke at 8:45 a.m. the next day. The sun streamed in though her window and she stretched lazily and yawned. Briana got up and washed up and dressed. She knew Mother Melina would prefer more formal clothes, as would the elders, so she put on a ankle length white dress that was sleeveless and comfortable yet complimenting and fit her well. She walked outside into the sunlight and over to Alison's hut. Rillian stood outside the door and greeted her warmly. "Hallo Bri" she said with a smile. "Hello Ril, where is Ali?" "Oh, she is inside trying to find a nice outfit." Rillian wore a black dress that also went down to just above her ankles. It was sleeveless and plain yet looked stunning on her. Minutes later, the girls had already begun gossiping, Alison stepped outside. She wore a blue pants suit with lightly patterned black pin stripes. Her short raven hair was up atop her head alike Briana's. She greeted them and then they began the short trek to Taran's hut. When they arrived, Alison knocked lightly upon the hut door.

"Wake up Taran!" Alison called sharply. In minutes a boy with short, brown tousled hair and some wrinkled jeans and a white tee shirt on stepped out, shielding his eyes from the bright morning sun. "Why do you hafta wake a guy up on the weekend? If it's that important the least you could do was wait 'til noon." Complained Taran. Alison smirked and spoke teasingly. "Oh well we didn't feel like waiting for you to crawl out from under covers at noon and stumble to the woods to hunt. This IS important. We found this on OUR territory." "Right near the center of it. Now Taran you KNOW that's our hunting territory." Stated Briana. "Yeah, so what are you doing in it without our permission and by the way what is wrong with using your own territory?" asked Rillian with annoyance. Taran looked tired and bored. "Now, first of all, my territory is far from close to my hut. Yours was closer yesterday and I was in a hurry so I just figured once ain't gonna do no harm." "I've seen your stinking feathers in our section more than once Taran," stated an angry Alison. "Well," stated Taran with annoyance, "What if I don't stop going there?" Briana smiled. "Well maybe we'll catch you and tear you to bits, or maybe we'll save some of our precious time and report you." Taran looked astonished and then angry. "See if I care if I'm reported!" he retorted and slammed the door in their faces. The girls knew very well that he cared since his dad was an elder, and that he'd cut it out if he knew what was good for him.

"Come on lets go to see Mother Melina now," said Alison softly. The girls walked silently to the old shifter's hut at the edge of the village, receiving a few glances by passersby. Upon arriving they knocked lightly and stepped inside. The herbalist was hard of hearing anyway. "Mother Melina! How are you today?" Alison said loudly trying to sound normal. "I'm fine thank e' very much. How are e' fine girls? And what brings e' to me hut?" said the old woman warmly. "We're fine. We came to ask if we could do the herb hunt this year so it would count as our participation in the preparation of the winter solstice ceremony." Yelled Briana. The woman nodded and said "No need for all is' whispering, I am a tad hard of hearing ye know. Oh and of course ye can all do e' herb hunt for me together this year! Lemme fetch e' list of herbs for ye to get on e' hunt." The woman stood shakily and walked into another room, she returned in seconds with a piece of ancient parchment. "Ere' e' go. Get these herbs and come back soon." She said with a smile as she squinted up at them. "Thank you Mother Melina!" yelled Rillian as did the other girls in chorus. They left the hut afterwards and examined the list.
The list consisted of rare herbs found at the very edge of the gigantic valley forest. The girls knew their trip up to the mountain would have to be swift and they would need time to find the herbs and return to the ceremony in time. The girls then went their separate ways to speak to their parents and to the elders so they would all know about their participation in the herb hunt.

Briana entered her parents hut minutes later to tell them the good news. She felt it was more important that her parents were okay with her being in the herb hunt before she confirmed it with the elders. Her mother, women by the name of Sonya, was seated in a chair in the living quarters of the hut. "Hey Mom, guess what, Alison, Rillian, and myself get to be in the herb hunt," said Briana with a smile. "How splendid dear, when are you leaving? You should go either some time today or early tomorrow if you want to have enough time," said her mother with a proud smile. "Okay," said Briana, relieved her mother was okay with her going, "I'll go tell the elders, then pack. Can you tell dad?" "Of course. He'll be home later and you can say good bye and what not before you leave. Now get along and start getting prepared!" she teased. Briana quickly hugged her and raced out of the hut and to the elder's section of the village.

She jogged along the side of the walkway between the rows of huts. The elder's huts where at the northern end of the village, near the main entrance so they could greet any newcomers into the clan's village. She first entered the largest hut, which was right next to the entrance of the village. It belonged to the unofficial leader of the club, the highest elder, a man named Drake. He was the clan's highest elder because he had helped them defeat any bands of shifters who wanted to take over their territory, and also been around for countless hardships which he helped to over come. She knocked confidently on his door, she was a bit afraid of the warrior, she also didn't like him too much, and he was the one who was said to have determined her father's punishment.

Seconds later a tall, muscled man stepped out into the sunlight. He had black hair and darting eyes; he was a black bear shifter. "Briana. What is your reason for coming to me?" he asked formerly. "I've come to inform you that Alison, Rillian, and I will be in charge of the herb hunt for Mother Melina." She said trying to look him in the eye. "She and your parents approve?" he asked. "Yes Sir." "I'll inform the other elders." He said and without another word stepped back into his hut. Briana left to find Rillian and Alison to see if they had the luck that she had had.

She went to Alison's hut and knocked lightly on the door. Alison stepped out with a smile on her face. "My parents are okay with it, as the elders are. What about with you?" Alison asked. "Same here. Any word from Rillian?" "Yeah she's in here. She got the results we did too." "Okay. My mom said we should go today if we want to have enough time to make it back before the ceremony," said Briana as she stepped into Alison's hut, "Let's pack."

Inside of the hut sat Rillian in an overstuffed chair in the corner lounging. Alison closed the door behind Briana and locked the hut up along with closing the drapes so it was impossible to see from the outside. Briana sat in a chair across from Rillian and waited for Alison to finish up and sit down. When she had, Briana asked, "What do we need to bring anyway?" "Well, first we think of what we would be expected to bring along for the herb hunt, which is stuff like tents, warm clothes, etc," said Alison knowingly. Rillian had resorted to playing with some Chinese meditating balls while listening to the conversation. "Okay, so we need that stuff plus….what, for the mountain climb?" asked Briana. "Well, we need ropes and climbing gear, we can sneak it into our camping bags with all the tent stuff and what not. I'll think of other stuff too. But for now lets all get our stuff we know we need packed and get changed to, and then come here when we get that far and go from there," stated Alison. "Sounds good to me," said a bored Rillian. Briana nodded in agreement and the girls went to their huts to gather supplies.

Taran Amber stood outside the hut of Alison Amethist. He was at the back door, with his ear against the window in the center of it. He stood motionless, listening carefully to all that was being said by the three girls who had dared to yell at him inside. Taran's eyes grew large at the words mountain climb. "So you're going to climb the Catskills, eh?" He thought with a wicked smile. "Well, maybe I'll just have to follow you to make sure you girls stay in the valley and not in the mountains." Taran knew if he caught them he could report them and make them pay. He would find a way to get his revenge.

Briana finished packing and lugged her huge backpack filled with the necessary camping supplies to Alison's hut. Inside she found Rillian and Alison sitting on the floor making a list of what to bring for the climb. She observed the list from behind Alison. It included extra shoes (they would lose their shoes if they had to shift suddenly because of danger), extra food, medicine, climbing supplies, etc. She smiled and plopped down onto the couch behind the two girls. "So is that all we need to get?" she asked. "I think so," said Alison. The girls disassembled and went to get the other supplies. In about ten minutes they met up again in the center of the village, ready with their supplies and wearing hiking clothes. They said their many good byes and listened to the numerous warnings and 'be careful' s and left at around 1 o' clock that afternoon.

Taran watched the girls walk towards the forest with a smug smile. He told his father, Drake, that he would be back later, he was going for lunch in the forest. He kept behind the girls and shifted into a falcon, snagging a rabbit as lunch as he tracked them. Taran decided he'd need to think of a reason to stay in the forest in order to track the girls so his father wouldn't yell at him for disappearing.

"So, I heard that a lot of herbs can be found in the mountains themselves," began Briana as the walked through the forest, faraway from the village already. "In fact," she said with a smile as she glanced at the long list of herbs to be gathered by them, "All of them can be found on the mountain." "Really? We won't need to worry about looking in the forest then!" said Rillian excitedly. Alison smiled but looked worried. "But aren't the easier to find in the forest, rather than having to look all over the entire mountain?" "Oh Ali, always worrying. We'll find em'. It can't be THAT hard to find some herbs in a mountain right?" said Rillian. Alison sighed, "I guess not. And if we can't find them on the mountain there's no one saying we still can't get them in the forest when we come back down from the summit." The girls talked as they walked quickly out of the valley forest, taking the shortest way out and to the mountain. They set up camp outside the mountain that they would climb the next morning.

Taran had followed the girls all the way to where the now were camping. He had marked the way in ways that only he would know how to follow. Taran quickly shifted and flew home to the village and into his hut to bed. He hoped his father wouldn't suspect anything since he had been gone all day. He hated to lose track of the girls, he knew they'd leave for the mountain early in the morning. But, he needed a good alibi so he could be able to be away for as long as the girls were and not be searched for. This thought swept through his mind all night.

The sun shown over the western sky like an oversized, beet red, tangerine. The cool wind blew in swift, gentle breezes across the girl's campsite. The clouds were soft, white, thin brush strokes patterned in the powder blue sky. Briana sat at a crackling, heat producing, orange fire that lay a safe length away from the tents. She pulled her light blue windbreaker tighter around her. Even she was cold. But, as the other girls usually fashioned heavy fake fur jackets, she wore a light windbreaker with a thick but limiting sweatshirt. She was up extra early; it was a little after dawn. The other two girls were still fast asleep and would most likely remain that way for some time until around 7 o' clock or so. She sipped the peppermint tea she had brewed herself from a tin cup. She glanced around her surroundings, up at the majestic mountains, the tall trees of the valley forest, the swollen sun. Briana wished the others would wake up, she had a gut feeling the faster they started their journey on the mountain, the better.

About 2 hours later, Rillian and Alison arose from their tents with sleep in their eyes and arms slung around themselves for warmth. Briana gave them some tea and instructed them to get dressed so they could go hunt for their breakfast. She had gone earlier, eaten a rabbit which was near the campsite. She watched as the two girls got up and went out for breakfast. About 20 minutes later each returned separately. The girls began to pack up their tents and put out the fire. Within a reasonable amount of time they had cleared up the land and packed their belongings neatly back into their bags. The girls were careful to make it impossible for any soul passerby to realize that they'd been there. They began their journey up to the first spot where they would rest. If they didn't go up slowly, they would get sick and die from their bodies not being used to such high altitudes.

There was a small wooden bridge to cross to get to the spot where the mountain tilted, the spot where they would climb from to the first campsite on the mountain. Their boots crunched deep into the snow that covered the mountain's rocky ground, wetting their feet, chilling them deeply. Briana led the way across the rickety wooden poor excuse for a bridge. She stepped lightly and didn't dare to quicken her pace even the slightest way for the bridge was rocking in time back and forth, just with their own weight. She glanced behind her to see Rillian, frozen in place, looking down at the ravine, which was what looked to be miles down. "Rillian! Come on!" said Alison to her friend. Rillian looked upward as Alison's voice echoed throughout the mountains. Briana heard a far off noise of what she thought to be snow falling, but not falling as snowflakes, falling in huge heaps which had been piled up. She looked over her shoulder to see an avalanche coming right at them.

Taran walked quickly to his father's hut. He had finally, at about five o' A.M. last night, figured out a decent and somewhat believable alibi.

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