The cool, clean water caressed Neeris' unmoving body as the first rain of the season fell. She enjoyed its refreshing touch, but knew that finding shelter would now be terribly important.

Soon the rain would start to pummel the ground with the force of countless tiny feet. Savouring the gentle rain for only a moment more, she set about her work. Tree branches lashed violently at her arms and face and the underbrush tickled her feet and legs as she moved, but Neeris hardly noticed nor cared. Now was not the time. She worked diligently in the damp earth and mud, tripped often by the roots of plants as if a cosmic practical joker were constantly extending his leg.

As she finished, Neeris allowed herself a sigh of relief before she huddled into her shelter, lying in wait for the eventual wrath of Thunder and his inseparable cousin Lightning.

It came quickly. For a moment, the rain stopped its downward march toward the earth, the gate from the heavens closed. Then, brilliant light filled the sky as Lightning showed her beautiful gift to the creatures of the earth below while Thunder, ever the later of the pair, shouted his joy at being released, mirroring his cousin's enthusiasm. Neeris could only cower in fear of their unchallengable might.

For hours the two danced together, displaying their grace and beauty, laughing loudly like children while Draganor sent tears down from his lofty perch.

Eventually, their stamina died, the dance finished. Both Thunder and Lightning retreated back to the heavens where they could rest, and Draganor regained his composure. Neeris left her shelter then, the sky now blue and peaceful. She searched for a rainbow, but could find only wisps of clouds. Was Gaina not happy?

Wanting to be certain she had made no mistake, Neeris scanned the sky again, letting the sun warm her bare body. Still, she saw no rainbow. The sun massaged her back gently with its inviting heat, but she could no be relaxed by it. She had seen no rainbow; this worried her. What could she do? Every time Draganor had shed tears in the past, Gaina made a rainbow in the sky to lift his spirits. For as long as she could remember, this had always been the truth. Yet, there was no rainbow today.

Confused, Neeris had no idea what she could do.

It was then that she noticed the woman walking slowly toward her. Her long sky-blue hair was wild, untouched by a comb or brush, and she wore was Neeris thought to be the prettiest white robe. What filled Neeris with such awe, however, was what the woman held balanced between her hands: a rainbow. She smiled at Neeris, and when her hands parted, falling to her sides, a true rainbow instantly appeared in the crystal-clear sky, shining in rightful pride of its spectacular colours.

Neeris jumped back, startled by its sudden materialisation. As she realised who stood before her, however, she ran toward the woman, inadvertently knocking her down, shouting "Gaina!" the whole time.

On the ground now, cushioned by the gentle touch of a bed of leaves, the woman laughed, saying " No, child, not Gaina." She gently pushed Neeris away and sat up. "My name is Calais," she informed her.

"Calais," Neeris echoed, whetting her lips to speech after over a decade of solitary silence. "You made rainbow," she said. Calais looked up, perplexed. She grinned.

"I guess I did."

The leaves rustled, clapping their approval of the happy spectacle. Neeris laughed heartily and helped her new friend up.

"My name--" She tried many times to pronounce the word she was looking for, but only a choked gurgle escaped. Finally, sighing in frustration, she settled on "my name Neeris." A small smile crossed Calais' lips.

"Well, Neeris," she told her, "we need to get you some clothes." She looked Neeris up and down. "You're indecent, dear." Neeris simply looked at the priestess with a quizzical expression on her face.

"In descent?" she tried. Pausing, she laughed.

All around, the trees and animals laughed with her.