FOREVER TIMELESS
Brokefang sat with his back to the mouth of the cave staring down at Fleetfoot. The grayish female wolf was finally asleep but the wound in her side still bled freely no matter what he or the rest of the pack did. He did not want Fleetfoot to die. It would not only be hard on the pack but also on their human friend Daine who could communicate with them and heal their wounds. Fleetfoot had been part of the original pack that Daine had spent time with before she discovered her abilities. Daine's family had been killed by bandits, only she and her horse, Cloud, had survived. Daine had sought refuge with the only people she knew she could trust. His pack. Daine had not known then that she possessed what humans called Wild Magic, a magic that was thought only myth by most scholars and men with magic fire (who were called 'mages' by humans). Daine had much more wild magic then anybody else that she and her friends knew and it had gone unchecked causing her to go mad and fully believe that she was wolf. It had been Cloud that had brought her back. Nibbling and biting Daine's arms until she was forced to walk on two legs. Now Daine lived at the palace with her knew friends and had more control over her magic. She had visited a few years earlier and had shown the pack her new healing and speaking abilities. While visiting and stopping humans from digging holes in the ground and destroying the land, Daine had discovered a new gift; shapeshifting. She could change into any animal at will. Not only could she make the full shift but she could mix different animals in her shift to suit her purpose. She had discovered that during a war the year after her visit. Now he wished she was here to help Fleetfoot.
Where is this pack-mate of yours? A voice was asking in the distance. It spoke the way Daine could. Inside his skull instead of out loud. It sounded like Daine but didn't have the same smell behind it. It felt familiar and strange at the same time.
In the cave up a head. That was Russet, a reddish male of the pack. Who was he talking to? Was it Daine? Brokefang stood up and stared at the entrance. He could make out two shapes in the distance One was definitely Russet while the other was human. The human was female, about the same height has Daine but with darker hair and less gray in her blue eyes. She had the same feeling of connection that was Daine's wild magic. Did she have wild magic too? Or was it really Daine? He always thought like this when Daine was around so it must be her. He started to wag his tail when he realized that the human girl's sent was completely different from Daine's. Daine smelled like mountains and horses while this girls smelled like water and all animals. Who was this girl. He stood his ground as she neared the cave entrance but felt a small voice in his head urging her to trust her.
Hello pack-brother, The girl held out her hand for him to sniff, greeting him in the same manner that Daine did. As a fellow wolf. Russet told me that one of your pack members is hurt and badly. Brokefang wagged his tail at her and noticed that she spoke differently than Daine. Daine had a slight bit of an accent from her mountain home while this girl did not sound familiar at all. Turning he led the girl to Fleetfoot, hearing her sharp intake of breath at the wolf's wound.
Who are you? He asked her watching with interest as she rested a hand on Fleetfoot's cut and closed her eyes exactly the same way as Daine did. You look familiar and sound familiar but you smell different. I am Brokefang, the pack leader.
I am Vanadine. The girl replied absently focusing on the wound. That was something that Daine could not do, concentrate on healing and speak to others at the same time. I met Russet in the forest and he said the same thing after acting like he knew me. Who is this Daine that he keeps talking about? She added the last bit after Fleetfoot's cut was closed and she had opened her eyes. Fleetfoot woke up and looked at the girl.
Daine!?! Fleetfoot stood up instantly and started to lick the girl when she caught her sent. You aren't Daine. Thank you for healing me. Do you know Daine? Are you one of her human friends?
Vanadine was about to reply when her eyes closed and she swayed. Brokefang took a step closer concerned. This never happened to Daine and Daine had healed worse wounds than Fleetfoot's. He was about to ask if she was alright when the girl collapsed into a heap at his feet and the rest of the pack arose with a start. His mate, Frostfur muttered something about humans until she noticed that girl was unconscious. Surprisingly enough it was Frostfur that suggested he send to pack members in search of Daine for help. With a soft bark of agreement he chose Russet since he had met the girl first and Fleetfoot then volunteered since she was feeling refreshed thanks to the girl. Giving his consent he watched the two wolves leave then turned to stand watch over the girl.
Vanadine looked around her. She was in the same garden again. The one she dreamed of everytime she fell asleep or collapsed. It was beautiful with almost any plant and flower imaginable in it. It always felt as familiar as the house at the end of the path behind her did. She turned to look at the house. This time two people came out of it. One woman had bright blue eyes and shining blond hair and smiled at the man beside her as they sat at a table with a badger and duckmole. The man she sat with had curly dark brown hair with two horns sticking out of it. Frowning, Vanadine noticed on closer inspection that the mans skin was tinged with green. These people felt as familiar as the house and the garden though she had never seen or met any of them. Making up her mind she started toward them to ask their name and see if they were the answer to her forgotten child hood. As soon as she reached the house she blacked out and was sure that the people had not seen her.
"Mithros, Minos and Shakith!"
Daine yelped and dropped the book she was reading at the sound of Numair's curse. Turning to glare at her black haired friend she noticed that he was staring at a stone in front of him with a look that would have shattered a mountain.
"What in the name of the Goddess are you cursing at Numair Salmalin?" She aske with mock anger as she walked over to look curiously at his stone. "What has this innocent little stone done to you?"
"Innocent? Innocent!" Numair asked, turning to stare incredulously at the light brown haired, blue-gray eyed girl before him. Daine was grinning at him, obviously amused at his reaction. He looked at her with a mock hurt expression. "This innocent stone reflected my spell back at me! Nearly took my eye out!"
"Well," Daine laughed, "If that were true I would have been hard pressed to tell Thayet that I ruined her beautiful ball gown by stopping a gapping wound in your head an hour after we were supposed to be at a banquet."
"The banquet!" Numair spun around so quickly Daine almost fell over trying to get out of his way. He was always like this. He could remember every word of a complicated spell that he had heard once years before, but couldn't remember that he was invited to a royal anniversary banquet two days after being invited.
"Well? What are you standing there for?" Numair was now at the door. "We have a banquet to get to."
Daine opened her mouth but abruptly closed again. She got that far off look that she always got when communicating with animals. She soon bore a look of confusion then worry on her face.
"Daine?" he asked, his little magelet had begun to move around the room pulling on breeches under her gown and filling a small bag with travel gear.
"Numair," She said briskly, "Get a hold of Alanna and Jonathan. We have to go."
"What are you talking about?" He asked confused. "You just told me yourself, we have a banquet tonight."
"Numair!" She said exasperated. He had spent more than four years with her and still didn't understand. "Just do it! There is a human at Brokefang's den. She somehow healed an injury that Fleetfoot had aquired due to a rival pack and is now lying unconscious on the floor! We have to go!" She was now completely changed and heading out the door.
"Alright! Alright!" He said. He had no need to change since he was only wearing a black tunic and breeches having no need to dress regally. "I'll get a hold of them. I'm sure that Jonathan will understand the reason we won't attend the banquet."
"Numair." She growled in warning. "That girl could be dying. This is no time to be trying to make me feel guilty."
Brokefang sat with his back to the mouth of the cave staring down at Fleetfoot. The grayish female wolf was finally asleep but the wound in her side still bled freely no matter what he or the rest of the pack did. He did not want Fleetfoot to die. It would not only be hard on the pack but also on their human friend Daine who could communicate with them and heal their wounds. Fleetfoot had been part of the original pack that Daine had spent time with before she discovered her abilities. Daine's family had been killed by bandits, only she and her horse, Cloud, had survived. Daine had sought refuge with the only people she knew she could trust. His pack. Daine had not known then that she possessed what humans called Wild Magic, a magic that was thought only myth by most scholars and men with magic fire (who were called 'mages' by humans). Daine had much more wild magic then anybody else that she and her friends knew and it had gone unchecked causing her to go mad and fully believe that she was wolf. It had been Cloud that had brought her back. Nibbling and biting Daine's arms until she was forced to walk on two legs. Now Daine lived at the palace with her knew friends and had more control over her magic. She had visited a few years earlier and had shown the pack her new healing and speaking abilities. While visiting and stopping humans from digging holes in the ground and destroying the land, Daine had discovered a new gift; shapeshifting. She could change into any animal at will. Not only could she make the full shift but she could mix different animals in her shift to suit her purpose. She had discovered that during a war the year after her visit. Now he wished she was here to help Fleetfoot.
Where is this pack-mate of yours? A voice was asking in the distance. It spoke the way Daine could. Inside his skull instead of out loud. It sounded like Daine but didn't have the same smell behind it. It felt familiar and strange at the same time.
In the cave up a head. That was Russet, a reddish male of the pack. Who was he talking to? Was it Daine? Brokefang stood up and stared at the entrance. He could make out two shapes in the distance One was definitely Russet while the other was human. The human was female, about the same height has Daine but with darker hair and less gray in her blue eyes. She had the same feeling of connection that was Daine's wild magic. Did she have wild magic too? Or was it really Daine? He always thought like this when Daine was around so it must be her. He started to wag his tail when he realized that the human girl's sent was completely different from Daine's. Daine smelled like mountains and horses while this girls smelled like water and all animals. Who was this girl. He stood his ground as she neared the cave entrance but felt a small voice in his head urging her to trust her.
Hello pack-brother, The girl held out her hand for him to sniff, greeting him in the same manner that Daine did. As a fellow wolf. Russet told me that one of your pack members is hurt and badly. Brokefang wagged his tail at her and noticed that she spoke differently than Daine. Daine had a slight bit of an accent from her mountain home while this girl did not sound familiar at all. Turning he led the girl to Fleetfoot, hearing her sharp intake of breath at the wolf's wound.
Who are you? He asked her watching with interest as she rested a hand on Fleetfoot's cut and closed her eyes exactly the same way as Daine did. You look familiar and sound familiar but you smell different. I am Brokefang, the pack leader.
I am Vanadine. The girl replied absently focusing on the wound. That was something that Daine could not do, concentrate on healing and speak to others at the same time. I met Russet in the forest and he said the same thing after acting like he knew me. Who is this Daine that he keeps talking about? She added the last bit after Fleetfoot's cut was closed and she had opened her eyes. Fleetfoot woke up and looked at the girl.
Daine!?! Fleetfoot stood up instantly and started to lick the girl when she caught her sent. You aren't Daine. Thank you for healing me. Do you know Daine? Are you one of her human friends?
Vanadine was about to reply when her eyes closed and she swayed. Brokefang took a step closer concerned. This never happened to Daine and Daine had healed worse wounds than Fleetfoot's. He was about to ask if she was alright when the girl collapsed into a heap at his feet and the rest of the pack arose with a start. His mate, Frostfur muttered something about humans until she noticed that girl was unconscious. Surprisingly enough it was Frostfur that suggested he send to pack members in search of Daine for help. With a soft bark of agreement he chose Russet since he had met the girl first and Fleetfoot then volunteered since she was feeling refreshed thanks to the girl. Giving his consent he watched the two wolves leave then turned to stand watch over the girl.
Vanadine looked around her. She was in the same garden again. The one she dreamed of everytime she fell asleep or collapsed. It was beautiful with almost any plant and flower imaginable in it. It always felt as familiar as the house at the end of the path behind her did. She turned to look at the house. This time two people came out of it. One woman had bright blue eyes and shining blond hair and smiled at the man beside her as they sat at a table with a badger and duckmole. The man she sat with had curly dark brown hair with two horns sticking out of it. Frowning, Vanadine noticed on closer inspection that the mans skin was tinged with green. These people felt as familiar as the house and the garden though she had never seen or met any of them. Making up her mind she started toward them to ask their name and see if they were the answer to her forgotten child hood. As soon as she reached the house she blacked out and was sure that the people had not seen her.
"Mithros, Minos and Shakith!"
Daine yelped and dropped the book she was reading at the sound of Numair's curse. Turning to glare at her black haired friend she noticed that he was staring at a stone in front of him with a look that would have shattered a mountain.
"What in the name of the Goddess are you cursing at Numair Salmalin?" She aske with mock anger as she walked over to look curiously at his stone. "What has this innocent little stone done to you?"
"Innocent? Innocent!" Numair asked, turning to stare incredulously at the light brown haired, blue-gray eyed girl before him. Daine was grinning at him, obviously amused at his reaction. He looked at her with a mock hurt expression. "This innocent stone reflected my spell back at me! Nearly took my eye out!"
"Well," Daine laughed, "If that were true I would have been hard pressed to tell Thayet that I ruined her beautiful ball gown by stopping a gapping wound in your head an hour after we were supposed to be at a banquet."
"The banquet!" Numair spun around so quickly Daine almost fell over trying to get out of his way. He was always like this. He could remember every word of a complicated spell that he had heard once years before, but couldn't remember that he was invited to a royal anniversary banquet two days after being invited.
"Well? What are you standing there for?" Numair was now at the door. "We have a banquet to get to."
Daine opened her mouth but abruptly closed again. She got that far off look that she always got when communicating with animals. She soon bore a look of confusion then worry on her face.
"Daine?" he asked, his little magelet had begun to move around the room pulling on breeches under her gown and filling a small bag with travel gear.
"Numair," She said briskly, "Get a hold of Alanna and Jonathan. We have to go."
"What are you talking about?" He asked confused. "You just told me yourself, we have a banquet tonight."
"Numair!" She said exasperated. He had spent more than four years with her and still didn't understand. "Just do it! There is a human at Brokefang's den. She somehow healed an injury that Fleetfoot had aquired due to a rival pack and is now lying unconscious on the floor! We have to go!" She was now completely changed and heading out the door.
"Alright! Alright!" He said. He had no need to change since he was only wearing a black tunic and breeches having no need to dress regally. "I'll get a hold of them. I'm sure that Jonathan will understand the reason we won't attend the banquet."
"Numair." She growled in warning. "That girl could be dying. This is no time to be trying to make me feel guilty."