It seemed that the rest of them felt that a celebration was in order. More glasses and steins appeared, and a tapped keg. A couple of the band members fetched their instruments and began some impromptu dance music. Dancing around the fire began, not at all hindered by the fact that there were very few females to partner with; it seemed that cowboys in a dancing mood would dance with each other, or with a broom or a coat, or with nothing at all. The beer flowed generously, the rejoicing became more general, and it wasn’t long before Giselle was able to slip away from her well-wishers and go sit in the shadows outside her vardo to look up at the stars, and breathe, and think.

“That was the Hu-Huk,” said Fox, strolling around the side of her vardo. “White men call him the Thunderbird. I never dreamed that he would come to me here, in this strange land.”

She didn’t need to ask him what he meant; he had probably been thinking about that giant birdlike Elemental all afternoon and evening, and just as probably had been waiting with customary patience for her to be free to talk about it. “The One with the Thunder in his wings and the lightning in his claws,” she replied, with a nod, and then steadied herself as a wave of giddiness hit her. “He was . . . like nothing I have ever seen before, except . . . except maybe once, when I might have seen a storm dragon.” She blinked a little. “I think I am a little drunk.”

Fox sat on his heels next to her, and peered into her eyes without touching her. “Only a little, but I think it was wise of you to leave the celebration before that changed to ‘falling down.’ Wait a moment.” He got up, went off, and came back with a bucket of drinking water and a dipper, set the former down next to her and handed her the latter. “Water will help. It was a very good day.”

“It was a very, very good day,” she agreed, following his advice and drinking three dippers-full of water, slowly. “I was always a little afraid to call the great ones, before. Mother warned me of the consequences if something went wrong.”

“Hmm. The storms that angry great ones can bring are . . . dangerous,” Fox agreed. “And the danger would be not only to you, but to anyone else unfortunate enough to be in the area. But you conducted yourself well, and you have pleased them. It is good.”

“Oh yes,” Rosa said, approaching from the direction of the party. “Oh yes, it is very good. I brought you some bread and cheese I got from the cook tent. You shouldn’t go to sleep with nothing but beer, water and that vile drink the Captain loves so much in your stomach. You’ll regret it in the morning otherwise.”