You choose the gold door and open it. Inside, you hear something that you hadn't expected; someone is singing. You close the door behind you and walk further into the room. Two ferilons, one green with blue fay wings and the other orange, brown, pink, and yellow, are singing a deceptively simple song. The green one sings tenor while the brown one sings alto. They finish their song and turn to regard you. Neither seems very surprised to see you standing there.
"Welcome, traveler," the green one says. "I'm Rathan and this is my mate, Shara. Who are you?" You tell Rathan your name while Shara listens. She seems to have some song going through her head because her fingers are tapping out a beat on her thigh. Shara notices you look and smiles.
"I always have some song or other running through my head," she explains. "Because I love music so much. The songs keep me from being bored." You smile, recognizing the feeling. You wonder if the ferilons would know any of the songs you like to sing. Before you can ask, Rathan asks, "Would you like to join us and sing for a little while? You can always explore other places later." You nod eagerly and listen as Shara starts a song. Rathan joins in, weaving a surprisingly delicate harmony through the melody Shara is singing. You join in and, together, the three of you create a three-part harmony. It sounds very lovely.
Suddenly, Shara changes the tune and Rathan follows, never missing a beat. You struggle a bit to find the tune, but find it quickly. The three of you repeat this melody over and over, each time adding something new. You've never had a chance to improvise a song like this and you relish it. Finally, the song is over and all three of you are parched. Rathan walks over to the cupboard in the back of the room. He grabs three glasses and fills them in the spring running next to the cupboard. He brings the cups back and hands one to you and Shara. You drink deeply and thirstily; the water is cold and very refreshing.
When you finish your glass, Shara takes it back to the cupboard and lays it on the shelf. When she comes back, she suggests, "Why don't you start a song and we'll join in? That way, you can sing a song you like." You nod and start singing a simple round you know, called Frere Jacqua. Rathan is the first to start and Shara starts a few beats after he does. The three of you sing this song several times, improvising each time. Finally, you start a new song and the two ferilons join you in a haunting three-part harmony. When this song is over, you look at your watch and realize that you've spent a long time here. Rathan notices you looking at your watch and says, "We've kept you here a long time. You seem anxious to go exploring more. It was nice to meet you and you're welcome back anytime." Waving good-bye the two ferilons start another song as you walk out the
door, waving back at them.
