Laleh, or short Lal, is one of the most promising danceress apprentices in Tehuioy at the time the human children arrive in the town. Here we see her sneer over her shoulder at the dreamy looks some passerby casts at her graceful form dancing past.
Her competitior is the young Tanaz ibn Ardach. Their mistress and teacher, Chaman ibn Nikbin, is in a quandry: Both are good danceresses. In that regard Laleh is superior, being stronger and with an endurance far beyond the norm for a fenwa. However, she is boastful. And not only amongst her peers, but also in public! The fenwas control over the fenekim society is based on the simple expedient that every fennekim will do everything to protect and be of service to a fenwa. The danceresses thus, being the embodiment of the carefully groomed outward image of calm gentleness and harmony, can't afford one amongst their ranks that plays games of favourites in public and to showoff their true skills and strengths. Here it is where Tanaz shines, behaving demure and obedient in public, but being just as sharp and agressive as all other fenwas are. But she is a bit clumsy. For a human, being as "clumsy" as her would mean a huge improvement usually. But amongst the danceresses, her casual stumbles or delays are a source of ridicule.
When the human girl Anne manages to surprise Chaman, Laleh and Tanaz, the mistress of the danceress guild notices full well that Tanaz does not lash out at the human girl, whilst only Chamans intervention prevents Laleh from barging in on the human girl.
Laleh assumes that Tanaz is to be punished when the sandcolored fenwa is sent to protect one of the human boys, mocking Tanaz even more. Being ignored by the younger fenwa needles her. And when one day the human girl Anne beats her at the training lessons Laleh reigned supreme in, though having had only a few months of training and not the handful of years Laleh has, Laleh is mortally shamed. But before her temper boils up and lets her explode in a flurry of fury and fangs, Anne gifts her the victory based on a technicality, saving Lalehs face.
Baffled, the proud young danceress thinks for the first time in her life about how others might see her. A change starts, at which's end she, too, gets tasked to be the guardian of somebody, whilst officially serving as their charges linguist and translator.
