Disclaimer: I do not own anything that was written by Tamora Pierce. I just borrow them for awhile.

Daine looked at the sight in front of her in shock. Varice and Numair were in each others arms exchanging a deep kiss. Without a word she fled, heading towards the stables. When she reached the stable doors Cloud was waiting for her.

"What did the storkman do?" Cloud asked coming up to Daine.

"He's cheating on me with Varice, Cloud. What am I going to do?" Daine answered burying her head in Cloud's mane.

"I think you should let the people at him for hurting you like this. "

"Daine? What's the matter?" Her first human friend in Tortall, Onua asked her.

At Onua's question Daine burst into tears.

"Daine?" Onua asked again gathering the younger girl in her arms.

Still sobbing Daine answered, "Onua, he was kissing her".

"Who was?"

"Numair and Varice, I caught them kissing".

Onua stopped smoothing Daine's hair in shock, but continued holding the sobbing girl.

"What's this?" Alanna the Lioness asked.

Looking down briefly at the girl sobbing in her arms Onua said quietly, "Daine saw Numair and Varice kissing".

At her words Daine cried harder.

"What?" Alanna asked.

Onua nodded.

"I'm going to hurt him. I told him if he was going to start something with Daine, if he ever hurt her he would answer to me".

At her words Cloud grabbed Alanna's elbow between her teeth, shaking it slightly.

"Oh alright. I won't hurt him" taking a deep breath she asked, "Daine I'm heading home to Pirate's Swoop, would you like to come with me? Ll us. And Thom never stops talking about you. I would love the company".

Lifting her head from Onua's chest she sniffed, "I don't want Numair to know where I am".

"I was coming to ask you if you wanted to go with me to get more ponies for the Rider's. I can leave today as well. That way Numair will think you came with me".

"If you would like I could ask Gary if he would say that he dropped you off in Port Caynn on a boat to Carthak to visit Emperor Kaddar. That's sure to send him in a tizzy" Alanna added.

Daine nodded.

"That way Numair won't know which way you went. Why don't you saddle Moonlight and Cloud and I will tell Gary what to say. You don't have to grab your things, we can get things on the way".

Daine nodded and stepped away from Onua.

"I'll go tell Jonathan and Thayet what is going on. Cloud, take good care of Daine".

The pony nipped Onua's sleeve affectionately.

"I like her. She has good idea's" Cloud said to Daine.

"I like her too. I don't know what I would have done without Alanna and Onua" Daine answered the pony.

"Yes you do" Cloud said, matter of factly, "You would have run away to be with the people. It is a good thing that Onua came when she did. Now you are going with the Lioness where you can talk about what storkman did to you. Even though the people would have tried to comfort you, human's are best to comfort hurt hearts".

"Thank you, Cloud" Daine said hugging the pony, "I don't know what I would have done without you".

"Die" Cloud said with a snort.

Daine let out a little giggle and led the pony to Moonlight's stall so she could saddle them both.

Meanwhile, Alanna stalked to where Jonathan, Gary, Raul and Thayet were talking in the library with Onua at her side, she looked murderous.

"Alanna, what's wrong. I would have thought that being able to go home to George and the cubs would make you happy?" Jonathan asked.

"Oh it does. But that's not what I am mad at" Alanna said, looking to Onua to start.

"I found Daine sobbing into Cloud's mane getting ready to ride off. I stopped her and asked her what was wrong. She told me that she had just walked in on Numair and Varice kissing" at that Thayet gasped. Daine want's to get away but doesn't want Numair knowing where she is. If it were up to her she would probably go into the forest somewhere with the animals and we wouldn't ever see her again. As it is Alanna convinced her to go home with her, but if only Alanna went then Numair would assume that Daine went with her. So, I am going to go get more ponies for the Rider's today, I was going to leave sometime later this week but today will do".

"I was wondering Gary, you are heading to Port Caynn soon, right?" At Gary's nod Alanna went on, "If Numair asks, tell him you dropped Daine off on a ship bound for Carthak. Tell him, Daine was invited by Emperor Kaddar to come visit her. That way if Numair goes looking for her, like he should it won't be an easy task for him to find her. Jon, Thayet, Raoul I want you to start spreading rumors that Daine went to all three of these places so that no matter who he asks, he will get a different story. If he comes looking for her at Pirate's Swoop, I am going to send him on his way. I don't want him near Daine again unless he can fix this and based on how heart-broken Daine is right now, it will take a lot of convincing, especially if Cloud is nearby. She might take a bite out of him if he got within 10 feet of her".

"I can't believe Numair would do such a thing, he is madly in love with Daine. It doesn't make any sense" Thayet reasoned.

"Apparently he felt like being a looby, or he felt he could get more action on the side, you know how he was before Daine, the bachelor mage. It would serve him right if Daine did decide to go to Carthak and marry Kaddar" Alanna said angrily.

Looking at each other, Jon, Thayet, Raoul and Gary all nodded.

"We would do anything to help Daine, Alanna, you know that. You can count on us" Jon said.

"Good, we will leave before the next clock strike" Alanna said.

"I will leave then as well" Onua said.

"I should be ready then as well, I hope the girl doesn't make herself sick over him, we guys are never worth it" Gary said hanging his head dejectedly.

They all laughed and went their separate ways, all thoughts on the Wild Mage and Numair.