"It's difficult," The green dalhari continued, "Knowing that Buffy might have been here, and..."

"Died, and we never saw her," Spike finished. He sipped his poel and contemplated the dyes bubbling around his workshop's fire. "But I don't think that happened."

"Why not?" Wesley inquired curiously. "The chances of her surviving this long..."

"Are fairly good, all things considered," Spike said. "Think about it, Keisri. I'm still alive, as are you, Dawn and Xander. So far, everyone has lived far longer than anyone could've predicted."

Wesley nodded. "You do have a point. We seem to end up here..."

Spike grinned. "So I've noticed. It's a nice place, though." He, for one, loved Na'alha and La'iv in general. "So..."

Wesley let the uncomfortable pause settle around his shoulders. He and Spike didn't know each other well, so having this discussion was like feeling around in the dark for something he'd dropped. Since they had very limited common ground, just Baura really. However, everyone wanted them to talk, to discuss their lives, and to get to know each other. As a result, he and Spike were standing around Spike's workshop, trying to relate to each other. So far, they'd moved to the point of calling each other by name, but not much more than that.

"Hmm..." Wesley murmured. "So what do we talk about now?"

Spike glanced at the younger man. "We've covered Dawn, Baura and Buffy, right?" Wesley nodded. "I have no idea, Keisri. Do you write lamentations?"

Wesley grinned. "I've been known to pen them once in a while, why?"

"They're always a pleasant thing on a winter's evening," Spike commented.

"But it's spring at the moment," Wesley noted.

"Which means you have a considerable amount of time to write something new for the competition the hold has every year," The white dalhari finished.

"Ah," Wesley murmured. "You assume I will still be here come winter."

Spike laughed. "Do you really think Baura will let you leave?" He asked. "I shudder to think of what he'll do if you try."

Wesley thought for a moment, envisioning his student going to *any* lengths to make him stay. The pictures weren't pretty. "Perhaps I will be here that long," He admitted. "So..."

"We're saying that an awful lot," Spike commented. Wesley shrugged.

"Just what's involved in making dye?" The green dalhari inquired.

"Not much, really..."

•••

Baura found Rraiec wandering around the hold, simply admiring the scenery. "Good afternoon," The younger dalhari murmured as he joined his teacher.

Rraiec nodded. "How are your parents?" He asked lightly. Waei and Gaha had dominated Baura's time, wanting to hear all about his life in Ke'reo Der.

"They're fine," Baura replied. "How is Keisri?"

"How should I know?" Rraiec asked, laughing. "I've yet to see him today! After you carted him off to see Laio, I've been here, looking around. I believe they are still together."

"Does he regret coming?" Baura inquired hesitantly. He didn't want to be the cause of any suffering for Keisri, not because Baura wanted to see his family.

"I don’t think so," Rraiec said. "However, he doesn't know Laio, not at all... And you know Keisri. It takes him some time to open up and become comfortable around others."

"Laio won't hurt him," Baura assured Rraiec. "He's very good with..."

"With what?" Rraiec asked when Baura stopped talking.

Baura blushed. "Skittish prhang," He finished meekly. Rraiec laughed out loud at the comparison.

"Very astute," The dark dalhari said. "Although perhaps we shouldn't share the comparison with Keisri."

"Perhaps not," Baura agreed. "Hmm..."

"What?" Rraiec asked.

"When are you and Keisri going to get bonded?"

Rraiec rolled his eyes. "Is your entire family obsessed with bondings?"

"Yes," Baura said, grinning unrepentantly.

•••

A sharp autumn wind whipped through Wesley's hair. He turned his face into it, relishing the cold. Snow would fall soon, blanketing the valley in a thick, white blanket.

The time for him to leave for Ke'reo Der had long since passed; he was stuck in Na'alha until the spring brought warmer weather. That thought bothered Wesley far less than he'd have thought it would. The hold was a warm, friendly place and Baura's family was quite welcoming. Rraiec, too, found it to be a comfortable resting spot for them.

Part of that was that continuing Baura's lessons was nearly impossible. It was only recently that Baura had found the time to really do any reading, since there were many people he wanted to become reacquainted with. The free time that not instructing Baura gave Wesley and Rraiec had been very welcome; the two dalhari could find no complaint when they were, for the first time, able to spend several days by themselves.

Xander and his family were a constant source of humor in the hold, forever entertaining the residents with their antics. Wesley couldn't help but be amused by the pneumatic acrobats, who loved to climb around and surprise everyone by simply appearing upside down, dangling from whatever they could find. Xander himself had settled into a welcome role of friend to Wesley, who hadn't truly realized how nice it was to reminisce about his home dimension.

However, the most pleasant thing about Na'alha, for Wesley, was the small but well-established spiritual community. It didn't take Baura long to introduce Wesley to the various hermits he'd known since childhood. The ascetics lived in the forests surrounding Na'alha, wandering aimlessly as they devoted their entire selves to their spiritual pursuits. Wesley had known many an ascetic in Ke'reo Der, but it was always fascinating to meet others in his chosen life--that of spiritualist. While Wesley didn't consider himself an ascetic, he was a little drawn to the spare life. He simply couldn't see himself giving up Rraiec--or Rinhe-- for such a long time.

The ascetics had retreated to the mountainous caves where they wintered, letting the snow isolate them from everything but their stone walls and the shrieking winds. Wesley preferred a warm fireplace, a pile of blankets, and Rraiec, sleepy and boneless in his arms. The thought of curling up with Rraiec for the afternoon was enough to turn Wesley from his perch high above the Disiaron house. He spread his wings, circling the city a few times before descending to the street. Perhaps the snow would arrive even sooner than he'd first thought. It wouldn't surprise him if they were covered in the stuff before morning.

Wesley's suspicions were confirmed when he landed. The Disiaron house was a flurry of activity; dalhari were rushing around, making sure that everything was ready for the first hard storm of the season. He briefly assisted with the moving of supplies, before going to seek out Rraiec.

He found his lover exiting the main hall, helping Xander herd his family towards their quarters. If he was correct, the siv's home would be full of firewood and fruits, and no one would see them until well after the storm passed through.

"Did you find inspiration for your Lamentation?" Rraiec asked Wesley as they turned to go to their own quarters.

"Not really," Wesley admitted. He was having trouble writing the lamentation that Laio wanted. Every time he started, he came up with a celebration. They were all very good, but not the lamentation that he'd promised to write whilst stirring dyes in Laio's workshop.

"It will come," Rraiec assured him. "And so will the snow, before nightfall."

"Yes," Wesley agreed.

"The storm, though, will be far milder than those of Ke'reo Der," Rraiec commented. "This valley is blessed."

"Sometimes I think the builders of Ke'reo Der chose that place due to its harsh climate," Wesley said wryly. "I have never forgotten winter there, no matter how pleasant summer becomes."

"No one ever does," Rraiec replied. "They are some of my first memories; the wind shrieking and the snow, seeping in through every crack. Mother used to watch the windows, noting where to have the craftsmen put more leading."

"I've found that cold paz grain works well for that purpose," Wesley commented. "Although it does tend to... smell after a while."

"Ah," Rraiec murmured. "Should I worry about the windows now?"

Wesley shrugged. "Feel free to watch them, all you like," He said. "Me? I prefer to sleep by the fire." He fully intended to let radiating waves of heat from the fireplace lull him to sleep, even as the wind and cold beat at those windows that so fascinated Rraiec.

Rraiec pulled Wesley into his arms. "You want me to stay by the cold windows, when you're by the fire?" Wesley's eyes slid closed as Rraiec's voice drifted past his ear. "That would be torture, Keisri, nothing less."

"Ah, but if you stay by the fire, you can't find the loose places in the leading, now can you?" Wesley inquired mischievously.

"Ah, just when I'd forgotten your penchant for brattiness," Rraiec said softly. "Endearing though it is."

Wesley pulled away to sink down by the fire. "Talk like that will get you nowhere," He stated, frowning a little.

Rraiec joined him, tumbling the green dalhari underneath a thick blanket. "Will it, now?" He murmured, chuckling. Wesley giggled as Rraiec began to tickle him, his laughter ringing out over the howl of wind and the crackle of the fire.

Neither man noticed the white shriek of the storm descend.