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"Zypher, past tha time it be fer choosin a nexus ye." Xavier looked at his charge with a critical eye. "Nimbus o'de clan yur sire be. Choosin yur duty be."

Zypher nodded. He knew his duty, it had been ingrained in him. "Ach, Xavier, me Nimbus knowin why me nexus named not be." Zypher looked at the older clansman. "Chosen be he."

"What name be called he?"

"Cygnet, Cygnet Cylc."

"By the devels and daemans! a Cylc be choosin ye yur nexus to be?"

Zypher nodded. He had the same reaction from his sire.

"Mad ye be? Old blood be not aflowin in tha veins of he. Kilt he be by the bindin we will see." Xavier grabbed Zypher under the chin and force him to look up. "And yer nexus true be he, Kilt ye'll be alongside."

"Knowin' be me and we be true. Gads, Xavier it be hard enuf as it be."

"Knowin yet he yur nexus to be that chosen of ye he be?"

Zypher shook his head.

"Of a time in mind fer tellin him ye?"

Zypher shrugged.

"Tellin soon must he be. Be goin' here along with ye?"

"Aye."

"Flekka, be here yet too?"

"Aye."

"Afore a seven day passing ye count taken yer chosen ta Flekka be done ye. Ye'll be 'prenticin under him anyways, ye and yer nexus."

Zypher nodded.

"Ye'll make a good Nimbus, Zypher.... We of the clan trust ye all ready and ye be not yet full growed. If he be yer choice, and he be of the old blood, and he be willin, tha clan will accept him, Cylc or not."

"Thank ye Xavier. Ye've been a good stemere ta me."

Xavier held Zypher for a minute then dematerialized. Zypher laughed to himself. The clan was getting nervous for Xavier to come here in person. The clansman had been his surrogate father since his birth. The Nimbus sired the next Nimbus, but the Stemere raised him. Zypher stepped out of the shower, grabbed the towel he had placed on the sink, then proceeded to dry off before stepping back into his room. Cygnet was watching television, stretched out across his bed.

"You should be doing your homework Cyg."

Cygnet glanced up at his roommate, then back to the screen. "Yeah, I should, but this was smuggled in. I got it off one of the older guys. It's about cults. There have been some strange happenings in the hills. Some reporters investigated and this is the result."

"Cults huh? What kind now?"

"Oh, this one is really strange. It's said they worship the moon and believe they're lycanthropes."

Zypher sat on the bed beside Cygnet and watched.

The newscaster continued... "The leader of the group is chosen in a bizarre ritual where he weds the goddess they worship called Unara and commits a sex act while the rest of the group watches, children included." she went on to explain the other various rituals while the boys watched.

Zypher was intrigued, Cygnet wasn't sure what he felt.

"Do you think there are people who really do things like that?"

Zypher looked at Cygnet after Cyg asked the question. "Yes."

Cygnet rolled over and looked at his best friend. "Why do you say that, Zypher?"

"Because it takes many types to people a world. Many different beliefs and rituals. Does your family have any rituals?"

"My family is very religious, you know that."

Zypher nodded, he did know. "Have you ever thought about what it would be like to participate in a ritual like that?"

"Not really... You?"

Zypher nodded.

"Really? You'd want to be naked in front of a bunch of people and have sex?"

Zypher blushed. "Nudity is only a state of mind. I've been sitting on this bed beside you for better than an hour nude."

Cygnet blushed. "Yeah, but it's just us."

"I'm not ashamed of my body or it's functions. Are you?"

Cygnet shrugged.

"Can you take a piss while other guys watch?"

Cygnet shook his head.

"How 'bout a shit?"

Cygnet turned crimson. "Have you?"

Zypher nodded.

"Our bodies have certain functions that are natural. My clan..." Zypher wasn't sure how to go on, this was as close as he had been to talking to Cygnet about becoming his nexus. Cygnet waited, expectantly. "My clan has rituals that deal with the body's functions."

"Such as..."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Cygnet nodded.

"Well, watching people urinate and defecate is normal. It's easy to potty train children if the whole of the clan approves of you taking a shit... And people come to watch. I learned to whiz standing up because all the men whizzed standing up. My stemere taught me about sex, by me watching copulation."

"That's weird."

Zypher laughed. "Yeah, I guess it is, when you've not been raised in it."

"So anything else?"

"You really want to know huh?"

"Yeah, are you like in a cult?"

"It's not a cult. Its not a religion, really, but there is some worship and rituals involved."

"Like what?"

"Like I have to choose a nexus."

"What's that?"

"A person to whom I'll be closer to than anyone else. When the rites are all finished my nexus will know my body inside out as I will know theirs."

"Really?"

Zypher nodded.

"When will you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Choose your nexus."

"I've already chosen him."

"A guy? I thought it would be a girl." Zypher shook his head, then drew his knees up to his chin and hugged them. He was fully exposed to Cygnet, who didn't seem to mind his nudity.

"No, the nexuses are the same gender."

"Are you excited about the ritual?"

Zypher nodded.

"Is your nexus excited?"

Zypher took a deep breath and looked at Cygnet.

"I don't know. I haven't asked him to join with me yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I wasn't sure how he would take the offer. I've been putting it off entirely too long."

"So when are you going to ask him?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Zypher blanked his face, preparing for rejection. "Cygnet Cylc, nexus o'me do ye willin be?"

"What would I have to do?" His tone was low, curious.

"I'm not sure. We would be 'prenticed together to learn to work together. You would be the stemere to my son, I know that much. But as to what happens to get us to the final ritual I don't know, except it takes years. You'd have to spend the summers with me and my clan."

"What's your clan like?"

"A huge family. The Nimbus is the head. Then there are the Elders and Stemere on the male side. I'm not familiar with the female side as the women are off limits to me."

"Just to you or to all the men?"

"Just to me until I am bound to my nexus."

"Will it hurt?"

"I don't know."

Cygnet closed his eyes and thought about it.

"What do I have to do to be your nexus?"

"Say yes. Then I'll take you to Flekka."

"Flekka? The councilor?"

Zypher nodded.

"Why him?"

"He's who I'm to 'prentice under."

"I'll be your nexus, Zypher, on one condition."

"What?"

"You never tell my family."

"Na' by me lips be they told."

Cygnet smiled at Zypher and wondered exactly what he had agreed to do... But he knew, what ever it was, his family would not approve, especially with a Strakus involved. Both boys finished their studies and waited until they could go to Flekka.

Zypher was knocking on Flekka's door an hour after curfew, their usual hour of getting together. Cygnet had grumbled at the hour when Zypher told him, but he followed.

"Who'es'et?" Flekka asked sleepily.

"Serys, it be Zypher." The door opened just enough for Zypher and Cygnet to slip through. "Serys, me Stemere tole me ta bring he ta ye." Zypher indicated Cygnet.

"An who he be ta ye, Kyomylis?" Flekka eyed the youngster with interest.

"Ach, ye wound me... Tha clan be awaitin his choosin. Tha nexus o'me he do be." Zypher smiled mischievously. The clan cant was difficult to follow until you were well used to it. This was Cygnet's first exposure.

"Wounded well ye should be, fer shame, Kyomylis. He no nexus ta ye can be. O'de clan he do not be."

"O'de clan not he be taday. If tha blood be in tha veins o'he, my nexus so shall he be." Flekka looked at Cygnet, sizing him up.

"Boy, know ye what yer choosin ta do?" Cygnet looked at Flekka as he tried to assimilate the language. "Do ye be knowing what he be asking of ye?"

"To be his nexus."

"And means that what to ye?"

"I don't know."

"Are ye saying that ye be agreeing with out aknowin what ye are ta do?"

"I think so."

"Kyomylis, do this wisdom be? He knows not of ye or me or we. Clan he be not. Much trainin fer he, an more fer ye."

"Wisdom it be. Cygnet me nexus to be. No other will me have... Less he be not o'de blood."

"Cygnet. Tested ye must be. Do ye agree?"

Cygnet nodded.

"Ach. Will it be yea or nay yet we to see... Strip fer tested ye will be."

Zypher had told him not to dress fully because he would be stripping, so this was slightly expected. Cygnet pulled off his shirt and pants. Zypher was already nude.

"Face ta face stand." They stood as directed and waited for the next direction. The testing ritual was very simple. Flekka mused as he rummaged in a drawer to find the charm. It was the tooth of an animal tied to a string, suspended from a metal ring about 12 inches across. Then he pulled out the Klaive -- a small dagger with spiritual significance made of silver. Flekka grimaced as he held it, the silver burned his hand he was so sensitive to it, although the old blood ran thin through his veins. "Ach... If'n ye not be true, Cygnet, we will try to save ye. If'n ye be true... No question will there be."

Cygnet paled at the thought of possibly dying.

"Cyg, tis better fer ye tested be. If'n ye stand as nexus and be not true, death will be fer ye and me."

"Fer ye an only ye, Zypher." Cygnet whispered.

"Hold the ring here and here." Flekka placed their hands, the soft underside of their wrists exposed. "Look yer nexus in the eye, Kyomylis, an keep him there."

Zypher had witnessed this ritual, but Cygnet had not. He found Cyg's gaze and held it as the blade slit his wrists. Ach! Tha pain! The silver Klaive seared his flesh as his eyes misted up. Then he felt the warm spurts of his blood oozing into his palms. Cygnet's eyes flared with the pain as Flekka slit his wrists as well. A single tear trailed from his eye.

"Steady now... Do'na let go, no matter wha' 'appens." Flekka cautioned. Soon the filament within the ring had absorbed much of the blood, but it dripped stickily off their fingers and onto the floor.

"Pray ye we, honor thy word, honor tha clan. Spirits o'de deep, arise and tell us true. Spirits o'de trees, blood be drawn . Spirits o'de air, blood do spew. Spirits o'de fire, blood o'de dawn. Spirits o'de ice, test ye these two. Mark he o'de blood by yur talisman."

Cygnet's face paled, but his gaze never faltered. Several Elders of the clan had been called to witness the ritual. Xavier stood behind Cygnet watching Zypher. Flekka finished the incantation and the ring glowed silver in their hands. Their hands burned as their combined blood burned away the resin over the silver that made it safe to handle. Blood from both boys dripped off the charm which swung in a wild arc, first to Zypher, then to Cygnet. Eventually it would settle to Zypher's side, but if it settled near the middle then Cygnet possessed the old blood. Minutes later the charm's arc had narrowed considerably, but was showing no indication of staying on Zypher's side.

A mist swirled up from the charm around the ring. The words began as a whisper, but was repeated thrice:

"Vagabond born, wanderlust bred, Blood be true truth be said. Kyomylis marked be this day, The other's life past be fey. Marked be he this day too, Power strong old blood true.

The ring became ice in this hands. Zypher held it yet, although he felt like he was going to pass out. There was nothing for him but Cygnet and the pain. Nothing else existed outside the circle they made.

Cygnet cringed at the cold seeping from the ring to his hands. His arms felt like lead, he wanted to go to sleep. He hurt. Maintaining eye contact with Zypher became difficult, but he managed.

At the end of the third circuit both boys collapsed. Xavier caught Cygnet, Flekka caught Zypher. They gently lay the boys down in the bloody floor.

"Who do the boy be?" One of the Elders asked.

"That one be yur Kyomylis, and this one his nexus." The elder's eyes shot up.

"The nexus be chose?"

"Chosen he be."

"Binded be they?"

"Nay. Binded not, tested just."

"Tha blood yet flow... Binded they could be." The elder looked up at Flekka. "Needed they be?"

"Nay, Elder, needed nor missed."

"Protect them will ye?"

"Aye."

"Bind Kyomylis to nexus."

Flekka nodded and turned to his drawers to find something to bind them with. In minutes he found a sheet to be cut into strips. An elder produced the salve and spread it on their slit wrists to aid in the healing. Xavier lay Cygnet on top of Zypher then began to wrap them like one large mummy, beginning with their wrists -- blood to blood. They were wrapped belly to belly, groin to groin. Zypher opened his eyes for a second while they were being wrapped.

"Be he true?" The weak voice was the barest whisper.

"Aye. He be true. Strong too."

"What ye do ta we?"

"Binding, Kyomylis to nexus."

"Classes?"

"Flekka be tendin it. Bindin is started, ye'll be binded afore ye return here."

"Binded true?"

"First bindin and awakenin, luna be right."

"Ach... Do me Nimbus know ye awaken me?"

"Nay, Kyomylis, yer Nimbus knows not. Yur nexus be o'de blood, knowin not we o'de clan."

"Nother clan? Morin we?"

"Ach... Morin we. Many morin we. Sleep now. Time fer talkin later."

Zypher closed his eyes and let the weakness flow over him.