Kendaa squared her shoulders trying to look interested in the proceedings as the succession of royal persons came into the hall of the Amazons. She was a member of the royal guard of the Queen of the Amazons and on display to the kings and princes of neighbouring city-states. The Queen was trying to secure treaties with the various powers and playing the diplomat although most of the Amazons believed that the treaties would not be worth the papyrus they were scratched on once hostilities began. Still everyone agreed it would be worth a try.

Every Amazon underwent the rigorous training which would allow her to stand at attention for hours if needed. Kendaa had developed the envied ability to sleep standing up and could look as if she was on guard while taking a catnap. The slightest movement in her surroundings would rouse her to a full alert instantly. Kendaa shifted her weight and spread her feet slightly to get a better balance. Lady Pegasus, next to her, saw the slight movement and knew what she was going to do.

Lady Pegasus smiled inwardly. "I'll wake you for anything important," she said quietly, never changing expression or position. Her lips hardly moved.

"Thanks," Kendaa replied. Then with eyes still half open, she relaxed into a twilight sleep that no one could have detected had they looked at the tall, attractive woman. Kendaa half-dreamed...

I am running in the forest of my dreams...the forest that still remains in the land of my memories. This is the land of my people. We are all so pale and witchy strange to the others but to the forest we are "the people". I love the deep green and the smell of the earth. I love to hear the sound of the trees as the leaves sing in the wind. The feathered ones flit and the furred ones walk the ground and run up and down the bark of the trees our parents.

I run just to run. I run because I love the feeling of being free. I am running toward the water of the river. My sister, the river, is calling to me. She is very insistent. She says "come now" but she isn't afraid. Water fears nothing for it is one of the greatest powers. It comes from the sky, from the earth, even from inside all things. It calls to me.

I run through the bushes to the place where the trees meet her banks. I smile and crouch down amongst the foliage giggling. I hope he hasn't heard me.

There he is. All the forest is watching him. Not like any other human. I can see it. The forest can see it. He is beautiful the way "they" think of beauty. The humans. They adore him. Want him. They claw at his soul like hungry animals. They want his power. They want to touch his beauty and they think he wears it like the skin he wears. But the forest sees him really.

It sees the glow within him that makes him strong.

I can hardly contain my laughing. What a brat he is. He must be able to hear me. I wonder if he knows I see him. Then he takes off the bracelets the fire god gave him and throws them down. He looks up at the sky and then at the river. He crouches down and runs his hands in the water. Then he takes off his shirt and lays it aside. He sits down by the sister river and takes off his boots, unlacing them slowly like he wants to make me wait.

Then he stands up and takes off his pants and the brief cloth covering his loins.

He stands there in the morning light dressed now like the forest would dress him, in the glow of the sun. His strong body is free. The golden brown hair falls around his big shoulders. He turns and looks straight toward me with eyes as blue as the mountain lake in the winter. He is young and strong with the muscles like the lion when it walks. His skin is tawny gold. The hair on his chest and loins is warm brown.

He turns and wades into the water. I giggle even more. It is cold and I can tell he doesn't like it. He wades out and then plunges into sister river. His head rises a moment later and he lets out a funny cry. Then he sets out swimming with strong even strokes.

I settle back. Sister river is caressing him with her waves. She slides over him as he meets her power with his. He pushes her waves aside and she lets him. I ask sister river if he wants me to join him. I fall into the sound of the forest and the river waiting for it to speak. I am unaware of anything because I want to be with the river as it cuddles with him. I am trying to hear sister river but she won't answer. Then something splashes in my face. I look up. Droops of water rain down on me as he stands over me laughing at my expression. He laughs that laugh. The man laugh. I bolt up and dart off through the forest running again and he follows. We run to the tree where I made a nest like a bird. It rests in the bough where the great arms spread. Leaves, and the down of the birds when they molt, and soft moss. The branches make an easy climb for me. Easier for him, he's so strong. I am laughing and so is he. We never talk the human talk when we are here. We don't need to. We nest down together in my nest. His skin is cold from the water. He shivers a little and I hold him. We twine together like the vines. And sleep.

Kendaa jerked ever so slightly as Lady Pegasus cleared her throat in warning. The Amazon was awake again. The royal guard was about to move out. She still felt the glow of the twilight dream and felt some power pulling at her. She scanned the room. There in the procession was Hercules standing on display like the Amazon guards. He turned for a moment and met her eyes with his. Then he smiled and went on with the others.