Daine yawned. She was bored stiff listening to the mages talk. She had no idea what they were talking about anyways.
The girl was in a tent with several mages, including Alanna, Numair, and several Riders.
"Try and stay awake, won't you?" Alanna commented with a laugh. Daine scowled and sat up straighter. No one was paying attention to her or Alanna.
"Whatever happened to that mission earlier?" The young Wildmage wanted to know.
"Magic comes first." The knight told her, grinning.
"I'm no help here. Can I go?"
"No unless you can think of a good alibi for leaving."
"I already have. After all, we can't abort that mission can we?"
Alanna smiled. "Brilliant. But you can't go alone, so I'll just have to go."
"You're as bored as I am!" Daine accused.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." The Champion replied. "But I'd better tell Numair we're leaving."
The knight stood up and walked over to the mage. "Daine and I have to carry out that mission. Sorry, but we have to leave now."
Numair looked disappointed but nodded.
"Race you to the horses. Readysetgo!" Daine bolted from the tent, gratefull to stretch her legs.
Alanna stared after the teenager who was, by now, at the horses.
"She always does that," Numair informed her, smiling. "If you ever want to win, you have to be the one to challenge her."
"I'll remember that. Daine! Race you to the spot where I'm standing. Wow I won."
Numair chuckled as Alanna left the tent. There they both go. I hardly ever even get to see Daine now. I was hoping to spend some time with her.
"Master Numair?" The Rider mage was talking still.
"I'm sorry. I was preoccupied. Would you mind repeating that?"
"I can't believe we got away!" Daine exclaimed with a laugh. She and Alanna were riding north as originally planned.
Alanna smirked. "Numair would let you get away with anything. He did, didn't he?"
Daine blanched.
"Sorry. Too soon?" The redhead asked, sympathetic.
Daine nodded.
"He's worried about you, you know."
The younger girl looked up, shocked. "What? Why?"
"You're not doing so well. I mean, after Darius…" The Lioness trailed off.
Daine smiled weakly. She understood.
"Is he really that worried? He knows I'd never…"
Alanna sighed. "He's afraid that you'd do something-" she paused. "Drastic."
Seeing the look on her friend's face, she added, "He cares about you. He's never cared about anyone like this."
