They met at dawn the day before the contest. They gathered by the river.

They brought sweetrolls. It's what you do.

Chip, the challenger nodded to the bodyguard and hype otter Sela. Sela had a stack of fish tins ready to go.

Sam was there with an apron full of spices, and she gave each otter a kiss. Sela stiffened, and Chip embraced it.

River flaped down to join them. Around her neck four necklaces drooped low, all loose for the otters in front of her. She placed a beaded necklace one at a time on each of the three otters. Chip felt the tiny dragon in the center of the beads. Nithe, the dragon god of luck, war and mercantilism among other things was represented there.

“You’re going to need luck,” River said to Chip, “and I can only give you so much. Now I need to ask you all an important question.”

Sam held hands with Chip and Sela as they nodded to her.

“This has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and I’m so happy that I ran into the three of you and..” she trailed off, holding back tears.

The raft, as one gave her a group hug.

“River, you’re one of us… if you were an otter.. we would probably,” Sam blushed, a full body motion.

“Sela and I agreed that if you were an otter, well you’re like family now and you’re always welcome with us,” Chip said as tears streamed down his face.

“Thanks, that does make this easier,” River said, pulling out of the otter love pile.

River drew up to her full height, spreading her wings.

“I can do something special for the three of you,” River said, “I want you to think about this. I can create a bond between the three of you, usually it’s just a bond between two people, and one has to be the druid. I have asked Sela to become my ranger, and it is similar to the ranger bond.”

Now, it was Chip and Sams turn to leave the otter group hug and stare down their raft mate.

“Sela? I didn’t…?” Chip said.

“No one had ever asked me about it and now that I’m thinking about it. I know what you’re thinking Chip, I haven’t said yes or no yet.”

Sam gripped back onto Chip. Sela slumped down.

“The ranger bond is… it’s permanent,” River said,” And I can bond more than one ranger.”

“If you bond all three of us then… we wil feel each other… always?” Sam said, reaching out to Sela, stroking his face.

Sela brightened.

“Are there rangers that don’t fight… and maybe just do a lot of cooking?” Chip said. Chip had a bemused look on his face.

“Because that kinda sounds like polygamy with extra steps,” Chip said, putting out a hand for Sela to grip.

“What’s polygamy without complications, right?” Sam added standing in between the two.

Sam and Chip both regarded River like the last sweetroll at the table. Sam squeezed his hand, as if begging him to say what they both thought.

“Can you bond all three of us?”