The celebration began at the first flicker, and by the red-orange flicker of evening, it was decided.
Tentative, Leucan glanced one last time at Bou and and Aucomis and then lifted her head high, and allowed herself to be herded offstage with other a'ehra.
They were made to wait backstage a bit, where they looked at each other in silence and began to eat the treats they'd been given. Leucan looked around and saw the Getten girls here, as well as all of the Poller kids, the eldest of which was fidgeting and scratching at his ear with obvious anticipation. She didn't like the Pollers. She wished she wasn't the only Affries. Oh, if only Bou —
"Children," called Mama Gem, and then they were moved off again, this time rounded toward the Folding, and despite herself Leucan began to feel a little excited. The Folding was a beautiful building, and she had always wanted to enter it. Everyone made sure to scrape their hooves on the brushes outside and when they entered they made dainty kwip kwip kwip noises on the floor, which was made of marble from Sedimoreal.
They were not made to admire it for long, however — quickly they were brought into an adjacent room, where they were lined up and spoken to by a stranger who announced himself as "Tennel" and said, "Welcome to the Folding, young ones."
"Hello, Tennel," they said in obedient unison, and now there was Trant Poller saying, "When will we get our raddles?"
The children laughed nervously but their ears perked and it was clear even to Tennel and Mama Gem that this was what everyone was waiting for.
"You'll get your raddles after you are graded," Tennel explained with a broad smile. He was a huge, heavyset old man who would have been more intimidating if some of his teeth weren't missing, and if he weren't polled.
"Graded," Trant echoed with disgust. "How long will that take? While we were just standing there behind the stage I saw the henra were already getting their raddles!"
"You are not a henra, but an a'ehra," Tennel said with patience. "And for a'ehra, grading is very important. It will determine in which wing of the Folding you will be, and once you know that, then you may have your raddle."
They were made to wait backstage a bit, where they looked at each other in silence and began to eat the treats they'd been given. Leucan looked around and saw the Getten girls here, as well as all of the Poller kids, the eldest of which was fidgeting and scratching at his ear with obvious anticipation. She didn't like the Pollers. She wished she wasn't the only Affries. Oh, if only Bou —
"Children," called Mama Gem, and then they were moved off again, this time rounded toward the Folding, and despite herself Leucan began to feel a little excited. The Folding was a beautiful building, and she had always wanted to enter it. Everyone made sure to scrape their hooves on the brushes outside and when they entered they made dainty kwip kwip kwip noises on the floor, which was made of marble from Sedimoreal.
They were not made to admire it for long, however — quickly they were brought into an adjacent room, where they were lined up and spoken to by a stranger who announced himself as "Tennel" and said, "Welcome to the Folding, young ones."
"Hello, Tennel," they said in obedient unison, and now there was Trant Poller saying, "When will we get our raddles?"
The children laughed nervously but their ears perked and it was clear even to Tennel and Mama Gem that this was what everyone was waiting for.
"You'll get your raddles after you are graded," Tennel explained with a broad smile. He was a huge, heavyset old man who would have been more intimidating if some of his teeth weren't missing, and if he weren't polled.
"Graded," Trant echoed with disgust. "How long will that take? While we were just standing there behind the stage I saw the henra were already getting their raddles!"
"You are not a henra, but an a'ehra," Tennel said with patience. "And for a'ehra, grading is very important. It will determine in which wing of the Folding you will be, and once you know that, then you may have your raddle."
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