The sun rose in the west sending her first rays out across the sea, calm once more after the storm, the light glittered and reflected off the crests of the waves shimmering white in the dawn light. As the dawn light travelled she flashed upon the white limestone cliffs of the shores of Aredria. As it broke the cliff top it glinted and flashed upon the glass windows and rainbow coloured roof of Fair View house, home and resting place of one skunk and his two-snowkitten guests. Inside the tall column of the lighthouse the sun shone softly on the puddles of water lying on the floor of the lamp room, it beamed through windows lighting the darkened interior.

Shifting patterns of shadows and beams of light shone through into the darkened rotunda at the base of the tower sending dust motes dancing. The sun's dawn light came to rest upon a single glass case on the eastern wall facing the western windows and within a silver brooch shimmered softly seeming to absorb the suns waking rays and reflect them back out.

High in the tower up upon the third floor lying curled up slightly in the bed provided by Russet, Leana's eyes snapped open and she sat up in bed instantly alert and awake. She sat still looking around the dark bedroom, something had woken her but she could not quite place a paw on what. Leana slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, she padded softly to the windows and drew back the curtains shading her eyes from the sudden glare of the sun, and she saw that it was dawn. Leana looked around the room puzzled and shook her head her head fur swinging around her.

"Unusual, there is something." she murmured to herself. The snowkitten slipped into the dressing robe hanging on the back of the door that Russet had provided her with yesterday and slowly and quietly opened the door out onto the landing. There was the door to the bathroom and the door to her brother's bedroom. She slowly opened the door and poked her head around the doorframe and let her eyes adjust to the gloom within. Her brother was sleeping still curled up in the centre of his bed in a small nest of covers, pillows and fur like he always did his clothes strewn across the chest at the end of the bed. Smiling softly knowing he would not wake for a few hours yet she slowly and softly closed the door again. Leana walked out onto the flat break in the stairwell and paused, one paw upon the railing and closed her eyes letting her senses flit out through out the tower. She felt the gentle sleeping presence of her brother, the tossing dream ridden sleep of Russet in his room on the floor above but asides from that the rest of the house was empty.

To an observer if any had been watching they would have seen the young snowkitten shake her head in puzzlement before it snapped around suddenly as she felt something, something she had never felt before emanating from below.

"What is that?" she asked herself softly and quickly made her way down to the ground floor of the lighthouse, she came down the stairs into the ghostly seeming rotunda where shadows and sun beams chased each other in the morning light. Her eyes were drawn to the cabinet whose crystal glass was shining brightly. Leana padded over quickly to lay a paw on the case and peer inside, there was the coronet of the elements where Russet had placed it yesterday but what her blue feline eyes latched onto was the softly glowing shape of the Brooch of Iverlese. Leana was not aware how long she stood entranced by the beauty of the glowing Celtic brooch and the strange power that emanated from within and struck a cord with her own.

Leana stood entranced until she let out a soft yelp as a black furry paw was laid on her shoulder, she spun around to look into the deep blue eyes of Russet as he smiled up at her. "The sun shining on the Brooch of Iverlese will call to the kittens of the snow and reverberate throughout the dreams of the one who's care it lies within." He said softly and Leana nodded smiling to hear the ancient rule of the Brooch of Iverlese thought to have been lost centuries ago.

"How come your family holds it?" she asked softly wrapping her robe closer around her.

Russet smiled his deep mahogany robe swirling around his pyjama legs as he turned to look out at the sun as it cleared the horizon so far out over the ocean. "It was a gift to my great, great grandmother, The Vardenai shall hold this brooch until the time that one who has the light of Vardenai shall find the kitten of the snow who's soul and self is worthy of the guardianship and what it represents." He said softly almost to himself, "The dreams will show the way."

Leana stood silent wondering if this enigma of a mammal was going to reveal more but the solemn mood within the rotunda was shattered as the silence broke as Eliki came down the stairs, bare legs and paws flashing white as his robe swirled around him as he exclaimed. "My god its beautiful," batting at the dust mote swirling and dancing in the sunlight, "Is there any part of your home that does not hold a wondrous secret Russet?" he asked padding over to join them both.

Russet laughed and turned to face the snowkitten his long head fur swinging around his shoulders, "The back gardens I think, they seem to have been carted off into the sea." He said with a grimace as he peered out of the window, "I just hope last nights storm did not do too much damage."

Eliki laughed and hugged the skunk gently, "I'm sure it is fine Russet, but we are sure up early its only seven," he yawned softly and shook himself his robe falling open to reveal his slender boxer clad form, "Any chance of another of your fabulous meals?" he asked smiling.

Leana tutted and closed Eliki's robe tying it up for him, "How rude Eliki, I'm sure our guest would probably like to get dressed first and he doesn't need to see you flaunting yourself to the world first thing in the morning." She said pulling maybe a tad harder on the cords then necessary.

Russet chuckled and shook his head before turning to walk towards the kitchen his tail bobbing behind him, "I don't know, its not often I get to see fit looking snow kittens wandering around mostly naked in my house." He said with a perfectly straight face as Eliki blushed a bright crimson under his fur. "Why don't you two go and use the bathroom and freshen up while I prepare something to eat, you both have a long way to go if you wish to arrive home before dark." And with that he was gone into the kitchen.

Leana laughed and hugged her blushing brother close before she started back up the stairs, "He is such a nice furson," she said as Eliki followed her slowly peering over his shoulder after the departed skunk. "Now I intend to have a nice long shower," she said turning into the bathroom and before Eliki could follow the door had shut and a soft click announced the lock sliding into place.

"Hey!" Eliki exclaimed banging on the door, "What is the big idea, who said you got to shower first?" but the only answer he got was the sound of water running.

Muttering to himself Eliki made his way back down the stairs peering around at the cases on display in the rotunda wondering what his sister and Russet had been talking about before he arrived. The sound of his door closing had awoken him and when he had come out he had seen Russet pass down the stairs and had decided to follow. Eliki made his way into the kitchen and stopped blinking for the room was empty.

"Russet!" he called out looking around puzzled.

"Down here!" Russet's voice echoed from behind a half open door on the wall to his left. Pulling it open Eliki found himself staring down a staircase into what must have been the basement. Russet was halfway up a loaf of bread in one paw and a box of eggs in the other. "I thought I would make us toast and eggs with some cereal for breakfast, where is Leana in the bathroom? You can use the one on the second floor if you like." The skunk said kicking the door shut with his hind paw and turning to stand in front of the stove his tail swinging behind him and pushing itself softly into Eliki's muzzle. The snowkitten froze in place drawing in a deep breath and inhaling the slightly musky scent of skunk before he stepped back and responded.

"No that's is ok, I left my toiletries bag in the other bathroom last night, can I help?" he asked finally making sure his robes cord had not slipped again.

"If you want to," Russet said laying slices of bread onto the grill tray to toast them, "You can pour the juice if you like, jugs are in there," he said pointing at a cupboard, "And the juice is in the fridge."

Eliki nodded and set about his task filling three jugs with orange, apple and grapefruit juice respectively as Russet set about mixing some eggs up and pouring some cereal into a large basin. Eliki stopped to examine the cereal as Russet set about putting the eggs onto the heat. He sniffed and smiled, as he smelt a mixture of bran cereal mixed with crushed nuts.

"If you don't mind Eliki could you get the milk off of the door step please?" Russet asked as he added salt and pepper to the eggs humming to himself."

"Of course Russet," Eliki said padding out into the hall, he walked down to the door and lifted the key from where it hung above the hall table. He pulled back the bolts and turned the key in the lock and swung the wide oak door open. Eliki stepped out into the crisp morning and air and bent down and picked up the basket containing several bottles of milk. As he stood up again he groaned at the sight that met his eye. A branch was lying across the windscreen of Leana's car, it had not done much damage but the windshields anti shatter glass had fractured into a million small squares of glass he had no idea what was still holding it together. Sighing he closed the door and went back to the Kitchen were he found Russet and Leana with slightly damp fur but dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a pale green top talking together.

"We have a problem," he said setting the milk down on the worktop, "a branch has fallen on the car, there is not too much damage but the windshield has shattered."

Russet and Leana looked up surprised and Eliki indicated for them to follow him, he led them out of the front door and over the car. "Oh no, I'm so sorry," Russet said shaking his head and wrapping his robe closer to his body as a breeze blew his tail around. "I should have thought about your car when that storm hit."

Leana sighed and patted Russet's drooping ears, "Its ok, these things happen and it is only the windscreen, I can get it replaced easily enough, but I guess this will delay our journey home for a bit."

Russet nodded and shepherded his guest's back inside and sat them down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen as he served them the food he had prepared.

"You two start, I will just make a call and see about getting someone up here to replace your windscreen."

"Russet dear you do not have to do that," Leana said beginning to stand up, "I can see to it myself."

Russet shook his head and pushed Leana back down into her seat, "No it happened on my property that makes it my responsibility, you just eat."

Leana nodded still looking unhappy about it but Russet had left the kitchen to make use of the hall telephone. Eliki patted her shoulder, "Let him deal with it Leana, he seems upset enough as it is with what happened." He said softly

Leana nodded pouring cream onto her cereal, "I guess you are right Eliki and this does give us a couple of more hours to spend time with him before we have to go." She said with a smile.

"Yes that it does," Eliki said with a smile hitching his robe up, "We must have him up to Phoenixbrook to say thank you for his hospitality these past couple of days."

Leana smiled, "That would be an excellent idea, we will arrange it before we leave." She said.

After about five minutes Russet returned smiling shyly, "The local garage over at Harcourt will be here at nine thirty to replace your windscreen Leana and do not worry about the costs I will field it." He said taking a seat on a stall opposite them.

"Are you sure Russet?" she asked, "That will not come cheap."

"I don't mind" the skunk said tucking into his scrambled eggs and toast, "I might as well use some of my money to help my two new friends."

Eliki smiled, "That brings us to something me and Leana where just discussing we would like to ask you up to Phoenixbrook for a few days to visit us, our way of saying thank you for all your kind hospitality." He said grinning at the skunk.

Russet's head whipped up and he looked flustered and surprised, "That, uhm that would be lovely, I'd love to come and visit you both, but I really wouldn't be able to come until I had seen to getting the house fixed up again."

Leana chuckled, softly smiling, "We understand that Russet, we'll leave our numbers, and e-mail address and we can arrange it for a few weeks from now, how does that sound?" she asked.

Russet nodded blushing softly, "Well thank you very much, both of you, for being so friendly to me and we only just met as well."

Leana laughed and patted the skunks paw softly, "Well lets just say you had an effect on us." She said with a broad smile on her muzzle.

After they had finished eating the breakfast Russet had laid out for them and helped him tidy it away into the dish washer, Russet and Eliki wandered up to use the bathrooms and get dressed while Leana went out front to inspect the damage done to her car more closely. Thankfully it was minimal a small dent on the bonnet and the shattered windscreen and that was about it.

Inside his en suite bathroom russet was standing in the shower letting the hot water flow over him filling the room with steam and slicking his fur down to his body, he was slowly rubbing shampoo into his fur but his mind was not on the task at hand. He was thinking back to that morning and his conversation with Leana and the dream he had moments before he woke up. Wondering what meaning it might have. He sluiced the soapsuds from his body under the steaming water and once he had cleaned himself off he switched off the water and activated the hot air. From all sides hot air blew out of small vents in a forceful wave ruffling his damp fur and as Russet ran his paws through his fur he slowly but surely dried off his fur fluffing up again. Finished and dry once more Russet padded out of the shower and walked into the bedroom, only to emit a sharp meep of shock and dive back in. As he caught sight of Eliki sitting on the bed dressed in his blue jeans again but this time with a black T- shirt.

Eliki blushed a deep red as he saw Russet walk out of his bathroom and then dive in, He hadn't thought to let the skunk know that he was waiting for him. On reflection he guessed he should have done. After a couple of moments Russet's head poked back around the edge of the door.

"Eliki?" he said slowly before emerging again wrapped up tightly in his dressing robe.

Eliki lowered his ears and meeped softly. "Sorry Russet, I thought I'd wait up here for you, Leana is talking to the badger from the garage about the car and I thought I would come and wait for you, I'm sorry I should have let you know I was in here." He said staring straight ahead at the fireplace.

Russet shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed and patted Eliki's arm, "That's ok, I should have thought to lock the door. Most people have towels and such I guess I'm just used to being alone here, I should have thought of that before wandering around." He said with a slight chuckle.

Eliki laughed softly; "Well I guess its only fair you did get to see me." He said with a grin, which got him a shove from Russet, as he stood up.

"You evil Kitten you did that on purpose didn't you." He accused.

Eliki shook his head, "No of course not it was an accident really." He said smiling as he watched Russet walk over to a door and open it revealing a walk in wardrobe.

"Well you just stay there you naughty snowkitten while I get dressed." He said before shutting the door behind him. A few minutes later Russet emerged wearing a pair of beige trousers and a loose fitting white shirt. "Well let's go and see how your sister is doing with the Badger."

The two friends wandered downstairs to find Leana in the living room checking Eliki's and her luggage and making sure that the painting was wrapped up securely. "Ah there you two are," she said smiling at them, "Well as soon as they finish with the car we can leave they said it would be another hour before they were finished."

Russet and Eliki nodded as Eliki flopped onto a chair and Russet walked over to press a switch and a section of oak panelling swung open to reveal a rather nice looking stereo system.

"Now that is a stereo." Eliki said leaning forwards to look at it as it slid forwards slightly on its shelf.

Russet blinked and turned holding a small black rectangle in his paw. "What this? Oh its not that good," he said blushing slightly, "But I wanted to ask if I can take a picture before you set off, of all three of us?" He asked slipping a silver camera out of the black case.

Leana laughed and moved across the floor to hug Russet, "Of course you silly skunk a picture is a perfect idea."

Smiling Russet pulled a Tripod out of a chest and set it up with the camera on top. Once he had aligned it with Leana and Eliki and set the ten-second timer he hurried over to stand between them and smiling they held onto each other as you do when in a photo and with a flash the camera took their picture. The three friends gathered around the camera to look at the picture on the small screen on the back.

"Hey that's not a bad picture," Eliki said smiling as he looked at it, "We do cut an unusual pose though a skunk and two felines how odd can you get." He said with a laugh

Russet batted at his ears and raised his tail slightly, "I can leave you with a parting gift if you like Eliki?" he said with an evil grin.

"Now Russet no spraying him, I have to sit in a car with him for four hours you know." Leana said sitting down in a chair as Russet hit a button and soft- calming music began to flow out of the stereo.

"You are right Leana it would be most unfair of me." Russet said with a grin sitting down in a chair and lifting the lid off of a small tray. "It would be unnecessarily cruel of me to subject you to that, I'll do it next time, Bonbon?" he finished holding up a small glass bowl filled with sweets.

Leana smiled and accepted one but Eliki flomped down onto the beanbag next to Russet's chair and glowered at his twin and the skunk, "Meanies!" he accused them.

Russet chuckled softly and scrtiched his ears softly, "Awe I didn't mean it I would never spray my friends, I save that for people who try to harm them." He said offering Eliki the bowl.

Eliki smiled and took a paw full rolling onto his back and munching on the milk bottles he had snaffled. "Good I'd hate to have to take a bath in Tomato Juice."

Russet shook his head, "Actually it is rather relaxing to tell you the truth." He said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair obviously lost in a memory.

"What!" Eliki exclaimed looking up at him, "Why would you need to bathe in Tomato Juice I thought you sprayed others not yourself or is your aim that bad?"

Russet growled playfully and leapt over the arm of the chair to wrestle Eliki down but he soon found himself pinned down under the snowkitten admitting defeat by lowering his ears to single it while Leana sat by and laughed. "Now explain yourself you naughty Skunk thing." Eliki said mock growling softly.

"Russet squirmed for a moment but then stopped, "Well you can't expect me not to get any on me can you?" He said with a grin as he tipped Eliki off him as he let his guard down and leaped back into his chair, "So usually when I have to spray someone I wind up having to take a bath in tomato juice as well."

Leana chuckled, "Let me guess," She said, "You have a bath tub in the basement and a store of tomato juice on stand by just in case?"

Russet looked at her in surprise and nodded, "Yes how did you know?" he asked

"Lets just say it was a lucky guess," She said with a smile, "It just seemed like a prudent thing a family of skunks would do be prepared."

Russet nodded and smiled popping a sweet into his muzzle and chewing. "Yes we were always prepared for a family member coming through the door and smelling grandma insisted, she said it saved time having to go out to the shops when all you wanted to do was get rid of the smell." He said with a grin.

The three friends spent another twenty minutes talking together in the living room of Russet's home before the badger fixing the snowkittens car came in to tell them that he had finished. Russet paid the badger and helped the snowkittens put their bags into their car and then it was time to say good bye.

Leana came up and gave Russet a hug, "Take care now Russet, we'll see you in a couple of weeks ok." She said, Russet murmured thanks and watched as she clambered into the driver's seat.

Eliki came over to stand before Russet, "Thank you Russet for finding my painting and for being a great friend and host, I just hope we can live up to your level when you come see us."

Russet smiled and embraced the Snowkitten, "I am sure you will and I will look forwards to it, have safe journey now and speak to you soon." The skunk said smiling then Eliki had climbed in the car as well and Leana was backing it over to the other side of the driveway. Then she had turned it and with a final wave the two snowkittens drove out of the gate and down the lane while Russet stood on the porch and waved.

Russet smiled sadly as he walked down the drive and closed the gate, he turned and looked up at his home. It felt emptier now and as he looked up at the damaged roof he sighed and headed for the door to make some phone calls and see about getting his poor abused house repaired.

The End