Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Cornelia Funke.

Dustfinger wiped the blood his tunic sleeve for about the twentieth time. He was going mad with terror. The poor thing's entire body was trembling from the fear. He wrapped his smoke scented cloak tightly around his thin shaking body. Dustfinger curled up like a helpless, wounded kitten that had been kicked one too many times. The pain was unbearable, andthe fireeater continued sobbing into the hard cold soil.

He knew he had to do something about the gashes. He sure wasn't a doctor, but he was still concious enough to realize that he was loosing blood fast. Dustfinger reached for his backpack, made of worn green fabric. With trembling fingers, he pulled out a faded cloth and pressed it to his deepest of the wounds. The friction only caused him more pain, and he yelped as soon as the material came in contact with the slice. But he continued holding it there, as blood swirled with the hot tears pouring from his terrified eyes.

The boy knew that it would soon become dark, making him an easy meal for any passing wolf. If the nightmares didn't find him first, that was. Summoning up all his remaining strength, Dustfinger pulled some fallen leaves into a small pile. Trying hard to stop crying, he whispered a few fire words and tried to convince the flames to dance. No sooner did the fire spring to a blaze, Dustfinger keeled over gasping.

The pain was too much for him. Dustfinger let out a bloodcurling scream, but barely heard it. He didn't even think pain like this was possible. His fingers involintarily curled around his backpack and his eyes began to lose focus. Everything was fading in and out, back and forth. The forest was spinning, around and around in circles. He felt like he was going through a tunnel, traveling to fast for sense and then suddenly everything went black. The fire dancer lied on the ground, unconscious, with blood and tears streaming down his freckled cheeks and beads of sweat on his forehead.

A/N: sorry i know its short...chapter 3 coming soon