Daine awoke with a jolt. She had been having the strangest dream that a magical world called Tortall had spells, and lots of animals. Even what people that her dream self talked to spoke of someone called a Wildmage. Her dream self almost met this girl, had only just seen her talk to an animal, and was rudely awakened, while thinking mildly, "that's what I can do too…"

"Daine…DAINE get up! You are going to be late…." said Cloud, her white and gray cat. Cloud bit her. Daine was instantly awake. "You graduated high school with top honors," Cloud continued "and if you're going to be late for your first day of college and then not get a job, and then not be able to feed me, or any other animals living here, then I might just have to go and work my charms and get picked up by some rich person who can." Cloud turned up her tail and began to wash herself.

"Nice speech."

"Thank you."

Daine rolled her aching body out of bed and got ready to go. Luckily she had laid out everything that she needed the night before.

Running to the bus stop in the rain was slow work, and Daine barely made it to the bus. Once on, she realized there were no seats except to a grumpy looking man who seemed to be in his late twenties.

"Don't drip water on my papers! You'll ruin them!" the man said, without looking up.

"Sorry."

"You should be." He looked up. Daine was looking remorseful, somewhat like a sad puppy. The man sighed. "Hello, my name is Numair." he smiled at her.

Daine looked up, startled. "My name is Veriladaine, but most call me Daine."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same to you."

They rode in silence for a while, neither looking up. Finally, the bus stopped and they stood up at the same time saying, "This is my stop."

Numair smiled at her again.

Once outside the bus, Daine consulted a map. "Cornell, Cornell…" she muttered.

Numair apparently hadn't left her yet. "I'm going there too. Care to join me?"

"Um, sure?"

"Is that a question or an answer?"

"An answer. My first class is with someone named Professor Salmalin, in room 3H. Do you know where that is? or the general direction?"

"You are a student!"

"Yes."

"Okay, go down this street, take a left, and you will see the building. If you enter through the front doors, then you go down the hallway, take a right and then a left… Are you following?"

"Yes. I think." said Daine.

"Good. Then go to the very end of the hallway, and you are there!"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." He left, disappearing down a side street, practically running.

'Odd' thought Daine.

…

The rain was slowing to a drizzle as Daine entered the school. 'Hmmm, I need to go left, and then right er, right and then left… This is hopeless!' she thought to herself. She took a left, and bumped into a very short woman with purple eyes. "I am so sorry!" said Daine "Um, could you tell me how to get to Professor Salmalin's class? I'm afraid that I'm somewhat late…"

"A newbie are you? My name is Alanna, I am head of security and do a bunch of other things that you probably don't want to know about." She said.

"Right…"

A man walked into view, spotted Alanna and came over to where she and Daine were talking.

"Already torturing students, my dear?" asked the man, grinning and slinging an arm around Alanna's waist.

"This is my husband, George." Alanna said, jerking a thumb at him. "Anyway, to get to Professor Salmalin's class, go up this hall, then take a left. It will be at the end of the hallway."

"Thank You!" Daine said as she trotted off towards her first class.