Numair Salmalin, black robe mage, expert juggler, and generally a good guy was scared out of his right mind and well into the left one. The day had started out well, good breakfast, not to mention the business with Daine. If he hadn't been terrified, Numair would have given a low whistle.
So, after giving silent thanks to the Gods for getting him out of the saddle and setting up his tent, Numair disappeared into his tent to think about what Daine had said. "The Badger…" Numair muttered to himself. He took out a large tome titled "Lesser Gods and Goddesses" to look through it. No badgers. Drat. "If I knew the god's name, this would be so much easier." With this thought in his mind, he lifted the tent flap to go ask. When Numair did see her, asking about Gods was the last thing on his mind.
"Alanna!" Numair bellowed, trying (and failing) to keep the panic out of his voice, "Come quick!"
With Alanna, Onua, and a small assortment of animals behind him, Numair ran harder and faster than he ever had in his life. He didn't think about what his legs were doing, only of his goal.
'She isn't dead. She can't be dead. Not Magelet. Not Daine.' The same thoughts ran through his head as he dropped next to her, Alanna and Onua wearing expressions of shock, horror, and desperation on their faces. Numair grabbed Daine's wrist.
"No pulse." Numair whispered his voice as dead as Daine's still face looked. It was already pale, much too pale.
Alanna nodded, and purple fire gathered her hands, and she shoved it at Daine's heart. Numair rubbed the wild mage's hand, trying to rub warmth back into her hand. The magic did nothing, Alanna shoved once more as Numair's terror mounted.
"One more time Alanna. Please." Numair didn't even bother to try and sound rational. Alanna nodded, and prepared one last shove. This time it worked.
"You fiend!" Numair yelled, his voice shaking. He shook Daine as he held her. She was blessedly alive. "What on Earth possessed you?!"
((AN: We all know what happens now. Numair loses his temper. I didn't really want to write the "Numair losing his temper" bit, so I didn't! I was kind of surprised no one had already done this. It's when Daine almost kills herself trying to hear the dolphins in "Wild Magic".))