Redmane, for all she knows, could be going in complete circles as her, Thomas, and her demon horse continue on their way. A few days pass and it seems more and more likely that they're lost. But whenever he's questioned, Thomas always says he knows where they are.

"Welcome to my old home," Thomas declares and pulls off the blindfold. Redmane is standing on the edge of a cliff, looking out into a wild and deep valley of trees.

The Forgotten Valley
It is amazing the places time seems to forget. This valley, once a small hub of timber trade, has fallen into history, only remembered by a few and visited by even fewer. Stretching out for as far as the eye can see are ancient and beautiful trees. As the wind blows through their branches, the valley shimmers in colors; brilliant reds, deep oranges, and bright yellows. A light mist rolls and coils along the valley floor, tracing a river. There's a soft rumble in the air and in the distance a roaring waterfall cuts through the side of one of the cliffs. Mist sprays up creating a shimmering rainbow in the cool light.

"My actual home is near the waterfall. The roar of the water and the damp chill from its spray was always soothing," Thomas comments. He sounds almost wistful.

"Wow," Redmane comments as she takes it in. "I assumed you lived in a tree house or else long abandoned stone ruins. But why the secrecy?" she asks.

"Nothing wrong with wanting privacy," Thomas non-answers. He heads to the left and after a bit of clearing, reveals a path leading along the side of the valley towards the waterfall.

"Most people put up a 'No Trespassing' sign or get a dog," Redmane points out as she follows. "There must still be a road into here, right? They didn't haul off timber through that narrow gap, surely!"

"Because you don't anymore," Redmane points out. "Just trying to get the history. Was it like this when you were growing up, or still bustling?"

"It was never very busy. Only a few lived out this way. Logging families, mainly," Thomas answers as he goes. Thankfully, the overgrown patch becomes a bit wider the further they progress, making it easier to both find in the undergrowth, never mind walk.

"Are they still here?" Redmane asks next, looking up into the trees. "Stalking us?"

"It's just the idea of a whole valley full of.. well.. Thomases," the knight says. "I bet you had a giant squirrel-monster for a pet."

"There is no such thing as a squirrel monst ... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!" Thomas begins to say. He should have been watching where he was walking, because he just fell down what looks like a rather deep hole in the path. Redmane can hear him sliding down what sounds like loose dirt.

"Hey!" the knight calls, dropping to her knees to look into the hole. "Are you okay down there? Why is this hole in the middle of the path anyway?"

"How should I know? I haven't been here in a long time! Just continue towards the house, I'll meet you there. I know where I am ... roughly," Thomas calls back up from somewhere.

"Great," Redmane notes, and gets back to her feet. She heads on, leading her horse carefully lest another patch of ground try to swallow them. At least she knows to head for the waterfall.

It's mostlyas Redmane walks along the path with only her horse for company. Every now and then, though, she could swear she hears a tree rustle somewhere far above her.

"Wind," the knight tells Rhiannon. The horse doesn't seem to care one way or another though. "At least we're out of the snow, eh girl?"

Redmane leaps to one side and starts drawing her sword. "Who goes there?" she calls out.

"Maybe there really are big squirrels here," Redmane mutters, sheathing her sword and taking Rhiannon's reins again. "Let's get to that waterfall."

Another hundred feet and Redmane sees a large shadow roll over her as she walks. And yet when she looks upward ... there is nothing there. A hundred feet ahead, she sees a tree sway ominously.

"Flying bears?" she wonders out loud. She keeps one hand on her sword hilt as she continues, still having to divide her attention between the path and the treetops now. "I hope Thomas isn't watching from somewhere and laughing at us."

Several large cracks echo above Redmane. Huge branches rain down just ahead of Redmane and quickly it's followed by a huge white ball of .. fur? It lands with a thud that is almost felt. Slowly, the creature rises up ... and up ... and up, until it reaches nearly ten feet tall. If Redmane had to guess, its shoulders are neat five foot wide. It's completely in thick white fur, the ripples betray that it's mostly muscle. His head is nearly feline, though with a blunter muzzle. As it's teeth draw back in a snarl, Redmane gets quite the view of some rather sharp meat-eating teeth. It rears its shoulders back and roars!

"Yaaah!" Redmane roars back, drawing her swords. "Back off, snow-kitty!" she warns.

The creature flexes its huge pawhands as it slowly paces back and forth before Redmane, blocking the path to the waterfall. It continues to rumble gutturally.

"Okay, so you're a guardian," Redmane says, and sheathes her swords. "I'm a friend of Thomas'. Here, you can smell him on me, can't you? Friend?" she says to the beast in her best animal-soothing voice.

The creature starts shaking lightly along with making an odd chuffling noise ... it's ... it's laughing. Its eyes narrow and someone it seems like it's actually smiling. "You must be Muirenn," it rumbles and crouches down enough to bring itself to her height. "He sent word a few days ago that he would be returning with a friend. Well, among a few other things."

"He what?" Redmane asks in surprise. "Figures! So was his falling down a hole planned out too?"

"Along with trying to scare you," the creature comments right before it resumes its chuffling.

"I don't scare easily, and he should know that," Redmane says, taking the reins of her scary horse. "So, are you going to take me to the house now, or do I have to answer a riddle or something?"

The creature booms with laughter. "I was going to point out you never asked," it says after it finishes its fit of amusement. "But, you are close. I am Lyne, which in the old tongue of my kind, roughly means 'Avalanche'."

"I was going to ask your name, before you made it a question," Redmane points out. "So, Lyne, what's your place here? Caretaker, guardian... neighbor?"

"I keep watch for an old friend," Lyne answers and drops to all fours, which seems to be easier for it to move around on.

"Thomas or someone else?" Redmane asks, leading Rhiannon along. "And what would have happened if I wasn't his friend?"

"Thomas. As for your other question, you would have been asked to leave," Lyne rumbles as he seems to choose to walk along with Redmane. The roar of the waterfall grows ever closer. Redmane estimates in about five minutes she should be there.

The woman reaches over to try and scratch Lyne behind the ears. "Does anyone else live here?" she asks.

"Not for a long time," Lyne answers as he tilts his head in range of being scratched. "The Fey moved on because it is a difficult place to reach. My kind are nomads and have long since moved on as well. We prefer colder lands."

"I wonder if Thomas lived here alone then for a time," Redmane muses out loud. "I'll ask him, but I probably won't get a straight answer of course."

"Yes, my father lived here alone for a time," Lyne comments as they turn a corner. Mist swirls and fills the air and the waterfall seems so close that Redmane could almost reach out and touch it. "His home is on the other side. This path basses behind the waterfall."

"Your father?" Redmane asks in surprise, and then looks to the mist-shrouded path. "And.. how slipper is that path?"

"What, do you not see the resemblance?" Lyne says and rumbles with an amused purr. "The path is mossy and wet, so take care with your steps."

Redmane looks from the path to her horse. "Ice-steps, Rhiannon. Come on," she tells the mare, and starts to cautiously lead her behind the falls.

Lyne hangs back and allows Redmane to walk the path alone now. The path leads to a cut-out passageway that leads behind the waterfall. The walls and floor are coated thickly in moss; no surprise given the damp and cool air here. Redmane and Rhiannon can feel their feet slip now and then, but it isn't so bad as to cause much trouble.

"This is ridiculous," Redmane complains each time she recovers from a slip. "Is he a man or a dragon sitting atop a pile of gold?"

Redmane finds she could ask him herself because she can see him leaning against the rock wall just outside of the passageway. After a quick glance towards Redmane, then an apparent moment of counting, he comments, "You're five minutes earlier than I expected."

"What did you think would keep me that much longer?" the knight asks, with one eyebrow arched.

"I figured Lyne could occupy you for a bit," Thomas answers and waves his hand dismissively.

"Really?" Redmane asks, and gestures to continue on. "Because he'd be captivated by my radiance and not want to leave me, or to ask me about my relationship with you? I didn't ask him if you'd ever brought anyone else here."

"Or perhaps that you wouldn't be able to resist his charms," Thomas adds with an impish grin. "He learned from the best."

"Mmm," is Redmane's only comment. "So, is this the house? A damp cave? Or do we get to see daylight again?"

"You don't live here anymore, you just grew up here," Redmane notes with a grin. "And no, that's just my way of letting you know I'm ready to leave this cave."

"And here I was hoping you would grow some fungus. I'm in the mood for mushrooms," Thomas quips with a grin. He waves for Redmane to follow and quickly disappears around a corner.

Leading Rhiannon, Redmane just mutters, "Melons I could have tolerated, but mushrooms?"

As Redmane exits the cave and turns the corner, she sees one of the largest trees in her life! It's easily fifty feet across in its trunk and as for height ... that is anyone's guess. About thirty feet up, she can see that a home has been build as a ring around its trunk. From where she stands it looks to be two stories high and made out of immaculately carved wood, glass windows, and even stonework for chimneys and the like. Even if no one lives here ... it sure looks like someone is taking care of it. Thomas is ahead and sauntering towards a spiral stairwell that has been lowered from the extended porch that surround the house.

"I knew it!" Redmane yells, smiling and laughing. "I just didn't think it would be a mansion in a tree!"

"And you call yourself a giant," Thomas teases as he ascends the stairs. "Are you going to stare or are you coming up?"

"Do you have a stable?" Redmane asks first. "And where's Lyne, doesn't he come here?"

"There's a small barn around back," Thomas notes as he continuesupward, "For visitors to use. I hope it was shovelled recently. And Lyne will be along, I'm sure. Cats, waterfall ... went a different way."

Redmane takes Rhiannon around to the barn and gets her settled before climbing the stairs to the giant treehouse.

By the time Redmane reaches the top of the stairs, Thomas is already quite a ways away and leaning against the rail. He looks out into the valley with an expression that's hard to classify ... it's a mix of being at peace, being uncomfortable, and being lost in old memories.

"So, you probably covered every inch of this place before leaving, didn't you?" Redmane asks when she catches up to him.

"Several times," Thomas comments as he continues to look out into the valley. Behind them there is a thud and the deck shakes slightly as Lyne lands on its surface.

"Hello Lyne," Redmane greats the big fluffy creature, smiling cheerfully. "So, how did you and Thomas meet?"

Thomas is most fatally hugged by the huge creature. Well, not entirely fatal, but at least embarrassed. As the creature releases him, he says, "/He adopted me when my family was killed. I was just a cub when we were forced from the mountains in a storm. The fey thought we were invading and attacked us. Of course ... we fought back. There were so many deaths in those days. He brokered the treaty that stopped the bloodshed. And since it was custom of my kind to leave the children who cannot survive on their own to die ... he took me in."

"And he raised you?" Redmane asks, looking at Thomas in a new light. "That's a big commitment."

"It's not that hard to raise someone who quickly is strong enough to knock down a tree," Thomas points out as he goes back to looking out over the valley. "Well, except if it requires dicipline. That's a bit difficult."

"I'm still pleasantly surprised," Redmane notes. "And here I was thinking you didn't want a family at all!"

"Pah, it wasn't a family!" Thomas insists and grumbles. "I was just ... helping."

"He calls you father," Redmane notes, still grinning as she leans her elbows on the railing.

Thomas goes stiff, then slowly lowers his arms. "No, I don't," the man admits. "I never intended to adopt someone, it just ... there wasn't. If you had seen him. I couldn't let him die. For a while he was all I've had. Even I have to admit that ... it helped me through some harder times."

Smiling still, Redmane stands up straight and pulls Thomas into a big hug of her own.

"He's shorter and uglier, but his soul is not so unlike my kind. Free," Lyne explains, "He made sure I could survive. He taught me the ways of the Fey. He even showed me parts of the world beyond these mountains."

Thomas goes mpghghpht! when hugged and tries to push his way out. "It wasn't that big of a thing to do," the man argues. "You're both over-reacting."

"Sure it wasn't," Redmane says, and gives Thomas a kiss on the cheek. "So, how about a tour?"

"Not in front of ... him!" Thomas says, looking a bit red and flustered. He even waves his arms wildly at Lyne. Then after a couple deep breathes, he says, "But, right, a tour. Yes. I guess since you're here..."