Hello, this is the second Fanfic I ever wrote. I now have 7 posted on the internet and about a million others locked up inside of my head. But, before I let those ideas be known, I want to take this story and bring it up to my current writing standards. Before, if you didn't read it, there was almost no connection to Mercedes Lackey's books, since I did not describe anything, and I'm trying to get a lot like her! :) Well, here is the chapter, after being changed for the third time!

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Naomi stumbled along the make-shift road with her head hung low and her coat covered with dirt, sweat and rain. It had stopped raining for some time now, but she kept thinking that she could still feel it constantly pattering on her once-lovely coat.

Above her, Raphill pumped his strong wings as he braced for a rough landing. :Naomi, there is a large stone building not far ahead, I can Feel the presence of people, but I'm not sure that they are awake, or if there is one of those 'Heralds' that you speak of.:

:Thank you Raphill. I'll quicken my pace a bit, I hope this one will let us in, I don't have much energy left.: Naomi raised her drooping head and picked up a trot.

:Naomi, why are you exerting yourself so much? We all know that the girl will probably die as soon as those arrows are taken out. The only thing that is keeping her alive right now is the fact that the arrows are stopping the blood so it doesn't flow out rapidly!: Senkousha, the Kyree hated stating the obvious, but it was the truth.

:I keep going because something is telling me to. Now keep up or we won't get there.: Naomi quicken her trot a little as she saw the stone building that Raphill was talking about rise above the next hill. Naomi and Senkousha turned off the road and headed up to the building to find that the opening to it, was blocked by a massive wooden door, that dropped only when the 'master' commanded.

Naomi had been worried that her rider would not make the night, but now there was at least a tiny bit of hope left for the poor girl. Her village had been set afire during the night by raiders a few days back and when she had fled from her house, she ran into the path of their archers. Seeing that she was headed for the stables and the road away from the town, they had hit her contiguously until she had dropped to the ground, unable to move. When they left, she had crawled her way to the stables, found Naomi and they had started on their journey. Since she had been struck with near to twenty arrows, Naomi had not thought she would survive even that night, but she did and for the first day, spoke to Naomi in a harsh whisper about how she needed to keep going, no matter what. Along the way, they had encountered two arguing creatures, Raphill, the gryphon, and Senkousha, the Kyree. they had joined the party when Naomi settled their battle over a dead deer that they had both helped in bringing down. They had said that in thanks, they would follow along and help with protecting the injured passenger on Naomi's back. She had been very grateful for their help.

Naomi stopped in front of the large wooden gate and opened her shields to find that yes, indeed there was a Companion and Herald in this building. She gathered her strengths and sent out a Mindcall. :Please open the gate..... someone, anyone. Please, my rider is badly injured. Is anyone there?: She called with all her heart and hoped that the someone that was in the building would answer her.

Beside her, Senkousha stared in wonder at the man-made stone creation.

:Who's there?: A husky voice Mindspoke to Naomi. He sounded grumpy, like she had woken him up out of a pleasant dream. :What do you want?:

:I'm a lost companion, and my rider is badly hurt. Please, open the gate, or at least send out a healer, I know there must be a couple in there! My rider will die out here if she doesn't get some dry clothes on, or has a healer fix her wounds!: Naomi said to the other voice, she was impatient and wanted her rider to get well, and soon.

:Alright, I will never disappoint another companion. I'll have my chosen let down the door. Step back unless you feel like getting squished as well.: The voice replied. Naomi could tell he was at least happy that the one who had waken him, was a fellow companion, even if he didn't know her.

:This is where Raphill and I leave. We guarded you against predators and are going to leave you to your journey. I know you will be happy Naomi, I just hope that the happiness comes from having your rider live. Good-Bye.: Senkousha nodded her massive wolf-like head and stalked off in the direction of which they had come. Raphill swooped and nodded his head as well, as if to also say farewell.

Naomi looked back towards the building and was just in time to see the wooden door touch the ground just ahead of her. She sprinted into the building, just as a man, with clothes that looked to of been thrown on, entered the grassed area inside of the building.

"Welcome companion. We will take care of your chosen and you can stay in the stables if you want. We have moire than one stall without a door, just for this kind of occasion." The man standing in front of her asked. He spread his hands apart. "What's wrong with your chosen?" He glanced at the slumped over figure who was strapped onto Naomi's saddle.

:My rider has been hit with close to twenty arrows. We've been traveling for more than four days. Can you help us, or will we have to leave?: Naomi asked. She hoped with all her heart that they had found the right place, finally. The girl on her back was getting weaker, she could feel it and she might not be able to last much longer if left for a couple more days.

"You're chosen is very lucky to have lived this long. Is he a healer himself, or have has he been trained to be able to perform simple healing tasks?" The man asked. His voice was soothing, for some odd reason, Naomi was falling for the slight Empathy he was sliding into his voice. She was probably just too tired to really notice anything.

:No, she's not even my chosen. I am an outcast companion who has come back after long consideration. I have not yet had the honor of hearing my choosing call. I'm not sure how she has lived for this long, but it is truly a miracle.: Naomi explained. She was getting anger and anxious. Why was he stalling when he knew that this time was precious, it could mean life or death for the young girl on her back.

"Oh," he paused. "I'm sorry for the mistakes I have spoken. Raven, will you please take, um," He stuttered as he realized he did not know her name.

:Naomi.: She replied adding some urgency to her Mind Voice as he quit using his empathic gift to help her calm down

"Naomi, to the stables and see that she is taken care of? Healers!" He exclaimed waving at the people robed in green behind him. "Please help her rider out and off that saddle, and get her to the nearest surgery room. I hope you're rider will survive." The man said while watching his green- robed healers work at taking the injured rider off the companion, then followed them into the castles nearest door and left his Companion, Raven, take care of her.

:Come with me please Naomi. I'll show you to the stall that you will be staying in for your stay here. You needn't worry about your tack, the stale boy will look after it.: Raven said to her. He led her to a large stable at the other side of the courtyard. :You can have the third stall. It doesn't have a door, so you'll be at....: Raven stopped as he turned his strong white head around to look at Naomi out of the corner of his sapphire-blue eyes. He turned his whole body around to look at her, and knocked down a shovel in the process. His hooves chimed furiously as he moved his legs as he turned sharply. :You cannot be a companion!: Raven's eyes lit up with anger and Naomi could see the fire rise in him. :You're pure black and not un-touched white, you're eyes are not the sapphire-blue they are supposed to be, they're deep, unbreaking violet! What kind of creature are you?:

:I'm sorry for not telling you Raven, I know that companions aren't supposed to be black, but I have always been this way. I have tried to become white, by exerting my mage powers, but I only turn black again, if I get any where with that. I'm the complete opposite of a real companion.: Naomi dipped her head in sorrow and her forelock dropped in front of her eyes.

:Well how can that be?: He paused for a moment, :I've never seen a companion like you. How come there hasn't been any other incident of this happening in history? How do I know that you aren't just a spirit horse karsites have created and sent to kill us?: Raven exclaimed.

:I don't know how to explain it, or even give enough reason for you to believe me. I've always looked in waters and found a black horse staring up at me. Who knows, maybe I was created by the karsites, I just know that when I was younger, I was banished from Valdemar. I've haven't been accepted by many companions. Can't you please be the first in, I don't know how long?: She looked at him with her pleading, strange purple eyes and waited for an answer.

:If you were banished from Valdemar, why are you here again?: Raven asked eyeing her carefully.

:My rider brought me here. I was out of Valdemar for a few years, then after I got caught by some Karse hunter, I was bought by my rider that I have now because the Karse thought I was a regular horse. I'm very grateful to her. She doesn't know I'm a companion. And I wasn't planning on telling her, but I guess now I'll have to. Do you believe me yet? Will you please trust me?: Naomi said glancing at him.

:I'll have to think about it. I'm not really sure who you are yet. We'll see if you are really who you say you are while we wait for your rider to heal. For now, you need rest, and so do I. But I must say that now you have to sleep in a closed in stall, for reassurance reasons.: Raven said walking away from Naomi. 'We'll defiantly have to keep an eye on you.' He thought.

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Well? I made it slightly longer by adding part of the second chapter to this one. And, if you have read this fic before, then you will notice that yes, I did get rid of the original 'Will Power' and I'm now going to rewrite it as a new 'Will Power' that way you all know when I rewrite a new chapter instead of having to go and look through the fic. Will update soon.