After eating, Daine visited with the ponies and horses. She silently talked to the People that were around her, and then headed off to find Numair for her lesson. Usually, out of the two of them, Daine would be the one refusing to do the lessons. As much as she loved working with her magic, sometimes she just wanted to sit and talk with the People without shape shifting and things like that.

Sometimes, though it was Numair who didn't want to do the lessons. He would often times be absorbed in a book or wanting to get a spell down right before moving on to anything else. Today, Daine was dragging Numair's nose from under a book and into the awating sun.

It was a gorgeous day. The sun wasn't too hot, but still warmed faces, the wind blew gently giving everyone a slight breeze to relax in, and all of Daine's friends were content- the birds chirped a soft melody to one another. Daine understood their songs and smiled as they conversed amongst each other.

The wild mage really felt like doing a shape shift today, but had decided to wait until lessons. Now she could barely suppress the urge to change into a bear and scare Numair into lessons for the mage was taking his precious time. Numair lazily floated while Daine urgently trudged on, he stopped and said hello to people along the way, and he halted his stride to take in the beauty of the earth.

Daine got fed up with his dawdling, she imagined herself as bird. She thought of how great it felt to soar, and slowly (though not as slow as her first shape shifts) she became a bird- a beautiful eagle to be exact. Daine hopped onto Numair shoulder and pecked him mercilessly in the head.

She's so sweet.

Numair grinned and shifted into a black hawk and chased after Daine. Daine didn't mind. She knew he was only playing, and as grown up as she was for her age, she always still had time to play. They soared through the brilliant blue sky and smiled as only birds can smile. Eagles were quick and agile so Numair was having fun trying to catch up with her.

Numair looked back at Daine , who was now flying after him, wanting revenge (in a flirtatious kind of way.) Daine suddenly gave a cry of pain with her eagle's vocal cords. It was one of the most horrid sounds that Numair had ever heard. He did not know the source of her pain, though. That is when he saw an arrow embedded in her side before she plummeted at deadly speed toward the ground.

Oh, gods no. Please no!

Numair could do nothing. He couldn't use his gift in his present form so he dove after her. The whole time he was thinking, Please, Daine hang on!

Daine must have called on other birds even from her now delirious state; either that or the birds had come to her rescue without Daine's call. Numair could believe either one, but all that mattered to him was the birds that came swooped under the wildmge and gently rested her onto the ground. Numair couldn't see how they did it, but now was not the time to question what had just happened.

It must be the gods. He thought. Little did he know, her Da had sent hose birds, and without them she would have died upon impact to the ground.

Numair landed close by (in his clothes.) He sprinted to Daine and dropped to his knees by her bird body. Now in human form he could contact Alanna, but she reached him before he had a chance to.

"Numair, is something the matter with Daine? The animals are going crazy. We thought she would be taking lessons with you." The Lioness said.

"Yes, Alanna, she hurt. Someone got her by an arrow. I don't know how or who, but she's still a bird. I don't know where the people are that shot her, but we're in the woods. Not too far away from the Palace."

"Numair, first get her back to human, then put your cloak on the wound and apply pressure. I'll take cloud and I'll be there in a moment." Alanna knew that Cloud would find her human more accurately than any other animal would.

"All right." Numair said. He put his fingers together and the fire vanished. He was sweating and shaking, two things he never did unless her was shot or drained. Why was he doing it now?

Because you love her. A voice said in his head. Numair shook it out of his mind and focused on the writhing bird in front of him. He tried to coax Daine out of the eagle shape, but she wouldn't change back into her human self.

Alanna arrived with Cloud about five minutes later. By then many, many animals had crowded around the girl and the frantic Numair.

The Lioness shooed the other animals away and dropped next to Numair. Daine was still in eagle shape, and Alanna was no wildmage. She could not heal a bird as Daine could.

Alanna summoned her magic and called to Daine.

Daine. I need you to change back into a human. She said gently but firmly.

Pain…arrow…

Daine, turn back into a human. The Lioness's voice was more urgent. The girl was losing blood-fast.

Hurt…

Verlidaine Sarasrri, change back NOW! Alanna screamed.

Daine knew even in her current state, to not upset the Lioness so she slowly but surely changed back- wings became arms, beaks became mouths and soon a naked human Daine lay before Numair and Alanna.

When Alanna pulled the arrow out in a quick motion, Daine screamed her pain, and so did the animals. Numair carefully placed his cloak over Daine's body and they set out for the castle.

Please, gods. Keep my magelet safe. Numair prayed to any gods that were listening.

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Sooooo. What did u think better or worse than the last chapter?? Please review this is my first!!!!