Dindi
The next day, the Initiates from the Rainbow Labyrinth Tribe were joined by another group—about a dozen Initiates from Sycamore Stand, along with their chaperone, Zavaedi Brena.
Among the new Initiates were the sisters Gwena and Gwenika.
The new group didn't wear the woven wraps like the others. Instead, they wore grass skirts and round wooden headdresses painted bright yellow. But they also painted the same symbols—black kohl across their eyes like blindfolds, and rope designs stenciled around their wrists and ankles.
Gwenika held on tightly to Dindi's elbow as they walked.
Dindi felt awkward, like a goat on a leash. But still… a small part of her felt happy. Someone besides the fae wanted her company.
And most important of all—Puddlepaws liked Gwenika. However, Miskymew said that Gwenika couldn't see her, and it was too much work for the neko to make herself visible. Yet Dindi had no trouble seeing the other pixies that accompanied Gwenika's pets. Miskymew flew away many times leaving her cat behind.
The furry little traitor had moved to ride on Gwenika's shoulder.
As Gwenika scratched behind his ears, she said, "I had to leave all my pets with Grandma."
"Though maybe that's a good thing." She sighed and bent under the weight of her backbasket. "With all the Upper Back Bloat Spasms I've been having, I probably won't live long enough to care for them anyway."
They stopped an hour before sunset to eat and set up camp by a river.
The adults from both groups were deep in conversation and didn't bother reminding the Initiates about the No Talking rule.
The boys had all gone off hunting together.
Jensi gave Gwenika a polite nod, but his eyes lit up when he saw Gwena.
"Everyone in your clan says great things about you," Jensi told her. "They say you're the best dancer since someone called the Corn Maiden. They say you'll join the Tavaedi for sure."
"It's too soon to say," Gwena replied, though she looked pleased.
Gwenika bit her lip and looked away.
"Who is the Corn Maiden?" Dindi asked.
The name made her shiver, deep inside.
"You've never heard of the Corn Maiden?" Gwena looked surprised. "But she's famous in the Rainbow Labyrinth too!"
Jensi and Kemla looked at each other, confused.
"No," Jensi said.
"Maybe your people call her something else," said Gwena. "She was the best dancer who ever lived." Gwena blushed. "I'm not saying I dance like her. That's just what people say."
The Corn Maiden.
Dindi's heart pounded.
Should she say something? About the doll? About the Vision?
Maybe Gwena knew more. Maybe she could explain if the corncob doll really meant something important.
But… what if Dindi was wrong?
She didn't want to sound foolish.
Or worse—what if they laughed at her? Or called her a liar?
She wished she could call the Vision again. If she could be sure the magic was real, it would be easier to talk about it.
Until then, maybe it was safer to stay quiet.