The moon was just beginning to peak out from under the clouds when the Nuatomins arrived for the season's meeting. Heat hung in the air, the last moments of warmth before the cold season arrived. But Aapo's icy glare at Nal m'se and the other matriarchs for being late cut through the humid weather. Nal m'se ignored Aapo, for the emergency at the tribe had taken precedence over leaving precisely at mid-sun in order to arrive earlier. As a result, they ended up leaving when the sun had begun to set later in the day, the latest they had ever begun the journey to the seasonal meeting. Regardless of the annoyance emanating from Aapo and the Alkse tribe, Nal m'se slowly strolled to the stones, taking her seat among Aapo and Fa as if everything was completely normal.

"I didn't realize that there are such awful snowstorms in the mountains, even though the hot season has not ended yet," Aapo remarked sarcastically. "Unless, of course, there is another reason why you are late."

All the matriarchs bristled, except Nal m'se, whose face remained serene. "We are heading into the cold season soon, and the mountains are always unpredictable. One day it's snowing, the next day there is excessive heat. However, that is not the reason why we arrived late."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is the reason?" Fa inquired hesitantly. Unlike Aapo, he always made sure that he was respectful to the elderly woman.

"A girl in our tribe fainted the day before we were about to leave. We had to have our medicine woman examine her to make sure she was alright. We then had to decide whether we should bring her to the gathering or not," Nal m'se explained. This answer sufficed for Fa, but seemed to fuel Aapo's frustration.

"You mean to tell me that you are late because one girl in your tribe fainted?! How absurd!" Aapo shouted. "And why would you need to decide whether she comes or not? Obviously she should stay behind if she fainted."

"Because the girl was Celisae, the one who weaved all dresses for the alliance," Nal m'se replied.

 Aapo's jaw shut. He clearly was not expecting that answer. Hushed whispers erupted in the crowd.

"Silence!" Aapo commanded once he had regained his composure. The murmurs ceased. The echo of Aapo's voice faded, melting into a tense silence.

"Are the dresses completed? We were going to make the alliance at this meeting," Fa reminded.

"Yes," Nal m'se said. "Let the girls come forward." Sa k'u, Taavi, and Abarra emerged from the crowd to join Ul m'ka, who already stood in the front since she was a matriarch. Lachina and Fairuza stepped out from behind Aapo to join the others. Nal m'se nodded to the matriarchs to get the dresses. Zi m'pelev, Si m'ta, and Ke m'jak each grabbed a bag, and pulled out three gowns. The dresses glowed shyly in the dark, just enough so they were visible, but not overly assertive with their presence. The crowd gasped, the first time anyone besides Celisae, Nal m'se, and Gea had seen the dresses.

"Here they are," Nal m'se announced, and the crowd began to pound their feet on the ground in approval. The girls gazed at the dresses soon to be presented to them.

"They're lovely," Fa said. Aapo gave a slight nod in approval. The mothers beamed with pride. All eyes turned to the girls. Taavi stared at the ground, like someone frozen in time. Sa k'u forced a smile, but failed to feign satisfaction. Lachina didn't even attempt to contain her disappointment in the dresses. Her very specific instructions had clearly been only partially followed. The crowd's excitement disintegrated as they saw the girls' expressions.

"What do you think?" Nal m'se asked the girls. At first no one replied, not wanting to seem rude in front of everyone that was gathered.

"It's so boring," Lachina finally burst out. "I wanted some pizzazz. I gave her very specific instructions in order to make sure the dress was exactly what I wanted." The Eredst and Nuatomins gasped in horror at her harshness, but the Alkse people weren't the least bit surprised. She was always such a diva.

"Sa k'u?" Nal m'se asked.

"It's nice," Sa k'u choked out halfheartedly.

"And you, Taavi?"

Taavi's eyes fixed on Nal m'se. "Neither gems nor fine fabrics define me," Taavi stated. Abarra looked embarrassed.

"Well, I think it is perfect," Abarra declared, and all of the Eredst cheered in agreement. She crossed over to the dresses. "They really are quite charming," she continued. She reached out to Ke m'jak, who held the starlight gown. The matriarch handed the dress to her. Abarra turned it around, examining the work that had been done. 

Suddenly, Abarra ripped the other dresses out of the hands of the two other matriarchs. She leaped onto one of the rocks.

"Everyone stay right where you!" she ordered. "Nobody move, or else I will burn you with the light in these dresses!"

"Abarra, what is the meaning of this?" Fa cried. "Get down from there!"

Abarra's kind expression turned to a scowl. "You fool! You do not control me! I bow to no one. I have the power of the sun, moon, and stars in my hands!"

Aapo, Fairuza, Fa, and the matriarchs backed away while Sa k'u and Lachina dashed into the crowd, terrified. Only Taavi remained in place, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

"Abarra, what is going on?" someone from the Eredst tribe demanded.

Abarra's turned her gaze to the forest behind, and a sickly smile spread across her face. Out of the shadows of the looming trees, figures began to emerge. As they stepped into the light, all in the clearing gasped. It was the Shaso tribe. Giants, perhaps eight feet tall, came forth, hauling their massive bodies toward the tribes. They closed in, lifting their imposing clubs as a threat to anyone who attempted to leave. The Shaso warriors halted a few yards away from the people, who cowered merely by their presence. 

Nal m'se gave a knowing look to Abarra. "You have wanted power for a long time, haven't you, Abarra?"

Abarra defiantly made eye contact with the wise elder. "You just always think that you're so great. Well, after six decades of having you in charge, I think that it's time for someone else to take charge for a change. You're not as wise as you think you are." She turned her fury onto Aapo and Fairuza, failing to look as calm as they would have hoped. "You should know, Aapo, that if you take power, it will one day be taken from you. You should have known that the Shaso would return one day to seek vengeance on you for stealing their land from them three decades ago." Finally, she turned to face Fa and the Eredst. Fa had venom in his eyes as he stared up at Abarra. She simply looked down at the others, with fake sympathy. "And you, I'm the most disappointed in you, letting these fools control the tribe. It is time for a true leader to take charge!" 

At last, she nodded to the people. "It is time. You will all bow to me now."

Nobody budged. Nobody got down. No one bowed.

Abarra's fury intensified. "YOU FOOLS! BOW!" She glared into the crowd, daring them to keep standing. A Shaso warrior shoved a woman over. She fell to her knees with a grunt.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Abarra called out to the woman. The Shaso began shoving people to the ground.

But Abarra wasn't satisfied with the "submission" from the lowly. She turned to Nal m'se, the single person who stood in her way to ultimate authority.

"BOW!" she commanded. Nal m'se held her menacing stare. 

"No, Abarra," Nal m'se calmly responded. Abarra's wrath grew. 

"BOW!!" she yelled, like a child having a temper-tantrum. 

Nal m'se turned to the other matriarchs, as if she had become disinterested in what Abarra was saying.

"I had a feeling that this would happen," Nal m'se said. "Something didn't feel right about this alliance."

Abarra grabbed the dress of sunlight and pointed it at Nal m'se.

"Put the dress down Abarra," Nal m'se told her.

"You do not control me!" Abarra yelled. She strained, willing all the power of the sun to scorch the elder. Nal m'se smiled slightly.

Nothing happened. Abarra was stunned for a moment. Perhaps she used the dress wrong?

"I suspected this would happen, so I made duplicates of the dresses," Nal m'se revealed. "Those are not  the real sun, moon, and starlight  dresses."

Abarra was very taken aback by this news. She grasped for words, as well as a new plan. Abarra searched the crowd for the incompetent spy. Her venomous gaze found her target, the one who had failed in his duty. The crowd parted for Ix k'eh, who slowly made his way to the front.

"YOU!" Abarra screamed. "Why didn't you tell me that these were fakes?!"

"Because we just got here," Ix k'eh protested. "There was no opportunity."

Nal m'se took a deep breath, trying to hide her shock and sorrow. 

Ul m'ka gaped at her son. "Ix k'eh!" she exclaimed. "What....what's going on Ix k'eh?"

Ix k'eh scowled at her. "I'm useless to the tribe. Sa k'u will become a matriarch, but I'm just another warrior. And I will always just be another warrior unless...." Ix k'eh turned to Abarra.

Tears welled in the eyes of Ul m'ka. "She promised power, didn't she? She promised you the world, but at the expense of us, your family," Ul m'ka lamented. Ix k'eh bit his lip, staring at the ground.

"Enough of this chit chat," Abarra boomed. She turned her wrath onto Ix k'eh. "Where are the dresses?"

Ix k'eh snapped back to life. "The dresses are back at the caves. I can take you there."

"Where are they located?"

"I saw Nal m'se put them in the weaver's cave," Ix k'eh said. Nal m'se drew in another sharp breath.

"I'll deal with your incompetence later," Abarra spat, turning back to Nal m'se. "Well then, you will come with me to the mountains. I will get the dresses there, and take care of you once and for all."

Abarra nodded to a few warriors, who joined her by the stones.

"Sfrin, gather a small group of warriors that know the way to the mountains to come with me to find the dresses. We will bring the leaders and their families with us. I'm sure that once they see the dresses, and the power they wield, they will gladly give up the 'entitlement.' Gliscor, stay here and guard the people. Make sure that no one leaves."

"Yes, Abarra," the leaders of the Shaso tribe said in unison.

A sinister grin spread across Abarra's lips. "I think everything will work out just fine. You may have tripped me, Nal m'se, but in the end you'll be the one who goes down."