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Description
Drumbeats echoed over the foothills. All three of the younger Tengu looked sharply at Kirin. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. "You know your duty," he said flatly. "Go on."
The Three looked at him and then at each other. The expressions on their faces puzzled Ariana; they seemed reluctant and unhappy for some reason. In unspoken agreement, they came over to her.

"Here," Tic said as he hastily pulled off one set of prayer beads from around his neck and looped them three times loosely around her wrist. "Take these to remember us by, Ari-chan."

Tak nodded and took her other hand. "No matter what the elders say, we are still your friends."

Toe stood there for a moment, raising and lowering his feathered crest nervously before throwing his arms around her and gathering her in for an abrupt hug. It was like being mugged by a feather pillow but Ariana gamely patted his back and murmured, "Aw, thanks."

"Why didn't we think of that?" Tak asked disgustedly.

Tic snorted. "Because he's the smart one."

"Farewell, Ari-chan," Toe said softly as he released her. He and his brothers trotted off into the trees and disappeared.

Description
Drumbeats echoed over the foothills. All three of the younger Tengu looked sharply at Kirin. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. "You know your duty," he said flatly. "Go on."
The Three looked at him and then at each other. The expressions on their faces puzzled Ariana; they seemed reluctant and unhappy for some reason. In unspoken agreement, they came over to her.

"Here," Tic said as he hastily pulled off one set of prayer beads from around his neck and looped them three times loosely around her wrist. "Take these to remember us by, Ari-chan."

Tak nodded and took her other hand. "No matter what the elders say, we are still your friends."

Toe stood there for a moment, raising and lowering his feathered crest nervously before throwing his arms around her and gathering her in for an abrupt hug. It was like being mugged by a feather pillow but Ariana gamely patted his back and murmured, "Aw, thanks."

"Why didn't we think of that?" Tak asked disgustedly.

Tic snorted. "Because he's the smart one."

"Farewell, Ari-chan," Toe said softly as he released her. He and his brothers trotted off into the trees and disappeared.