The "tour" eventually took Frux, Pebai, and Hambia all the way up the Nidus's crater, through tunnels and along walkways that wound their way around and up. Pebai insisted on keeping them warm whenever they were outside, and since it didn't seem to cause her any harm-- and she, being half Fire dragon, was most suited for such magic anyway-- Frux let her. Hambia put on a great show of being sullen and bored, but Frux refused to tell her which room was hers, so she was forced to walk with them, or, more accurately, ride on Frux's shoulders and listen to him and Pebai talk, answering every now and then when a question was directed at her. Despite the act, she didn't really seem unhappy to be with them, and Pebai was positively delighted.

Frux himself was as content as he'd been since he heard about the Flurry flight. He was here, at Nidus Ryslen; he would soon be adopting new children, this time ones actually related to him; and he had at least part of his current family with him. That was enough to make anyone content, at least for a while.

They wound up, at last, at the very top of the crater's bowl, walking along the wide walkway there in the dim snowiness of evening. Snow was piled up on either side, against the human-height guard rails, and there was only just room for Frux and Pebai to walk side by side-- though not enough room for Frux to be entirely comfortable with his wingless and pregnant girl craning her neck to peer over the edge. There were occasional crags leading off to the side, on the outward edge of the walkway, apparently for watchdragons. Only every now and then were they actually manned, and each time they passed a watchdragon hunched in the snow, he or she looked entirely miserable to be there. Pebai kept casting them sympathetic glances and-- unless Frux was much mistaken-- the occasional heat spell.

Probably because of all the snow, and the occasion of this "vacation" to someplace obviously in celebration of the season, talk turned to winter festivals on Avengaea. Frux had never actually taken his four to one, though he'd been to a couple. Midwinter or winter's solstice was one of the four holidays all dragons celebrated; bondings took place on it, as well, as a magical and good-favored day. The different breeds celebrated it differently, of course. Frux's best recollection was, not surprisingly, of a Light village's celebration. It wasn't a family outing, as Frux's parents wouldn't have been caught dead out of Sanctuary on a night like that, much less in a peasant village. Frux didn't actually do much for holidays, with his family, except occassionally be forced to play host when the seasonal gathering of Sanctuary's top officials took place at their house.

Instead, as they walked, he summoned up memories from a Winter Solstice he'd spent with Tantra and her family, years ago, and put a little of his magic to work to better illustrate his words as he described it. Light dragons, no matter what other magic they possessed, were the best illusionists of the Avengaean dragons: they could manipulate their element, light, to show what they wanted it to show. Frux, with his generic magical education, was no exception, and he'd made use of the ability to entertain children many times before.

Trying to remember the details of the little Light dragon village, Frux painted the air with his memory of the main village lane-- though he was careful to shrink it down to the size of the walk. He didn't want anyone stepping over the edge on accident. On the craggy outpost platforms, he put the small cottages those dragons had lived in-- small compared to the great houses of Sanctuary, not the tiny things humans would dwell in-- windows aglow with a friendly light, doors draped with woven cloth and sprigs of evergreen. The spaces between them were with strung with magically lit lamps, shaped like glowing snowflakes, moons, and symbols for the goddess Asuka. Streamers and chains of silver snowflakes blew in a non-existant wind, and illusory dragon kits skipped through the snow around himself and his adopted daughters. They were transluscent, ghostly, since Frux didn't remember their exact features, but they were obviously enjoying themselves, chasing dancing balls of light and laughing, though the laughter was silent.

Frux had visited other breeds' celebrations of the winter season in his studies. Fires, for example, predictably danced around massive bonfires, while Airs held snow games and aerial dances; Waters made ice sculptures and shared stories in massive get-togethers, while Earths had their solitary days, full of deep thoughts and private prayers. Celebrations in the cities were more modern than the rural festivities, with parties, feasting, and shows of affection between friends and family. Those were what Frux was most accustomed to, having spent his life in the city until moving to the warm valley of Nidus Avengaea and then to Driolo-- which, after all, virtually had no winter, and with so many different cultures present, would hardly hold celebrations anyway. Even so, despite his experience and what he was used to, his favorite was still Tantra's village's festival of lights.

Pebai seemed to like it, as well, though he had a suspicion she might enjoy the Fire celebration even more. Still, she looked around at the illusions with an enchanted smile, impressed by the sights. Even Hambia, for all she pretended disinterest, was still paying attention.

"Where is this?" Pebai asked after a few minutes of taking the illusion in. Frux had to concentrate hard to answer her while keeping the images from wavering.

"Tantra's home, ten years ago. We all visited, a year or two after she bonded, for the winter holidays. Tantra still visits, now and then."

"Why didn't she ever take us?" Pebai asked again, sounding a little disappointed.

"She probably would have," Frux replied, a little amused, "if we'd been at the Nidus whenever she left, and she thought you were interested."

"Very much! We never do anything for solstice, at school."

"We're doing something, right now," Hambia pointed out dryly.

"Well, we never have before," Pebai countered, then went back to looking around happily. "We should. It's-- relaxing. All the cool, and seeing the snow, and I bet being part of a festival would be so much fun...."

"Well, you're an adult, Pebai," Frux commented, smiling a bit. "You can partake in whatever festival you feel like, now."

"It wouldn't be the same without-- without the family," Pebai said, looking down. "Ontellonji and Brio would love it, too, and Hambia--"

"Would probably sit and watch, taking notes the whole time," Hambia supplied with some amusement in her voice. "It's an idea. Maybe next year."

"Maybe," Frux nodded. "For now, we have whatever Nidus Ryslen has planned-- and the hatching."

"And the hatching!" Pebai agreed happily, and Frux let the illusion fade as they headed back inside.