Chapter 1

Nil woke to the sunlight streaming into her eyes, waking her rudely from her slumber. Blinking her eyes, she shifted to avoid the beams of light streaming straight into her face. Even after being forced awake, she shifted to try and fall asleep once again. After a minute or two, after it was clear Nil couldn't go back to sleep, she groaned and forced herself out of the vines that made up her hammock. Swinging herself out of the hammock, she padded slowly to the window. Nil glanced out the window of her home and could see the ongoing bustle of her changeling village. Today was an important day, a day where all the people who had become adults at the age of sixteen would set out on their journey. Nil had been prepared for this day and had been packing for weeks but that didn't mean she was completely ready to leave her home and village of sixteen years.

After staring at the bustle of the people of her village for a few more minutes, she decided to head downstairs and meet with her parents before she was sent off. Sparing a glance to make sure she had all her belongings read, she grabbed her lute, given to her by her brother, and headed downstairs to the base of their home carved on the inside of a giant tree. As Nil moved down she carefully ran her fingers over the knobs of the tree's natural growth wondering where she would go.

"Nil, come over here!" called her mom from inside the kitchen area. She was busy dealing with Nia, her younger sister as she tried to avoid the mushed berries her mom was trying to feed her. Pulled out of her daze, Nil quickly hurried to where her mom was.

"Honeybee, I know you are ready to go on your journey. Just in case though, I prepared a couple of extra things for you!" her mom said with a slight grin and excited tone. Quickly she pulled bundles wrapped in leather for Nil, "now don't open them too quickly honey, they are for later." she berated. "I do have some treats and snacks for the road though. I'll give that to you when you are heading off though." she grinned and turned her attention back to Nia.

"you know, you didn't have to do this mom. I will be eating those snacks though, I already miss your cooking." Nil said as she went to grab at the leather-wrapped packages, "I will put them in my bag now!" Nil quickly ran over to her leather bag that her older brother Nox gave to her right before he left for his journey. She quickly stuffed the packages into the pockets and ran to give her mother and Nia a quick kiss and hug. "I have to go meet with father soon," said Nil "but first I have to meet with the elder to help come up with a believable identity for the upcoming journey. They say the first is the most important."

Her mother smiled and laughed, "I can still remember the first identity I made, it was hardly believable and I can't believe the elders even let me out of the village. I think they wanted me to learn the importance of a plausible identity"

Rushing out the door, Nil ran quickly through the trees that made up the rest of the village homes and provided safety and anonymity for their kind. So focused on reaching the elders in time, Nil missed the waves and calls from the other changelings of the village. As she reached the biggest tree in all of Fareworth village she slowed down and calmed her heart in preparation for meeting the elders. After a couple of minutes, Nil slowly calmed her heart and walked carefully toward the entrance of the tree. Each step she took seemed to echo inside the giant carved tree where the elders held their meetings. She started to climb up the ladder that would take her to the room where she would meet with Elder Yire. As Nil climbed, she focused on her breathing, she had an idea on a vague identity, but nothing that could hold up to the Elders probing. She hoped Elder Yire would at least let her use the last name she shared with her brother, who had returned for only a day after his journey before leaving. Carefully going through the cutout that would have her enter the room she searched for Elder Yire, unable to spot him from halfway through the entryway.

"Come in," she heard a gravely and low voice say from somewhere in the room. Carefully entering, she saw Elder Yire holding the shape of a dark fae. His skin was smooth and free of wrinkles but his voice betrayed his true age, although she knew he could have changed that as well. Carefully, Nil made her way over to him. She was holding the shape of a wood-elf instead of the featureless humanlike blob of foggy greyish white changelings were born as. She hoped that the elder would allow her to shape her identity around being a wood elf, for it was the shape her brother had shown and taught her to hold first.

"Take a seat," he said as he turned to face her. His eyes carefully looking at her held shape to see if he could find any mistakes in the form she was holding.

"Of course Elder" Nil said carefully as she moved to one of the carved wood stools that were waiting for her. She carefully took out the scroll where she had written ideas for the background and story as she journeys out in the world for two years, as was required.

Elder Yire took the scroll and opened it to slowly read through some of the ideas she had written up and thought out. Nil noticed that his eyes slowly roved over all the details as if scrutinizing her very thoughts when she wrote. She knew that he was only looking for any inconsistencies in her story because if people found out she was a changeling, it would be very bad. Especially if they found out there was an entire hidden village of them. Changelings were seen as important and dangerous in the outside world. This was due to the fact that changelings can change their appearance and your voice. They can also determine the specifics of the changes, including their coloration, hair length, sex, height, and weight. they can make themselves appear as a member of another race. All of this made them perfect spies which is what makes changelings dangerous. Elder Yire was looking out to make sure that no one in their village was hurt because someone messed up their cover story. This is why children were taught from a young age to know how to change and hold their shape.

After a moment of deliberation, Elder Yire said "these are fine ideas Nil, we can work on the specifics for the next hour or so, but you seem to have covered the basics."

"Your name will be Lucea Cloudweaver, and you have an older brother and younger sister. Your mom and dad work in their village as harvesters and your brother left home to become a traveling bard".

"Nil, you mist be careful to not let yourself lose track of the lies. Only lie when necessary, add as much of the truth as possible," said Elder Yire, looking at Nils face as she carefully listened to what he said.

"Be careful, you must not forget yourself and what you are. Other than that though, I think you will be fine," he said as he slapped the table.

"Of course Elder, I will be sure to follow your advice. Thank you," she said as she gave a slight bow. She stood up careful to not disturb the elder as he leaned back and closed his eyes. She walked as quietly as she could, and made her way to climb down the ladder. She quickly lowered herself down the later. As her feet touched the ground, she realized she still had to meet her father. With a quick look around her, she took off at a sprint to see him at the groves.