A.N Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed (and everyone who added me to favorites or alerts), it means a lot to me.

Chapter 2:

Black Drum

Kel approached the stables carefully, she had seen too many pranks pulled on innocent passersby in the last few days to go charging into a situation in which the Own were involved. She had thought that Corporal Wolset was just having her on again but when she stepped into the stables it was quite obvious that something was going on.

"There you are Lady Knight," one of the stable hands called as he ducked his head below the railings of the hay loft, "I was wondering when you would pop by."

"Why would you be wondering that, Polten?" Kel asked.

Polten disappeared into the hay loft and Kel thought that he had taken off until he came back with Corporal Wolset in tow. "This boy has been hiding up here since he sent a messenger off for you."

"Any why would that be Corporal?"

Wolset turned his eyes down to his feet and shuffled a bit, "it wasn't my fault milady."

"What wasn't your fault?"

"Sergeant Domitan's unfortunate accident," said Wolset and Kel could see that a smirk had formed on his down turned face, "how was I supposed to know that Black Drum would trample him if he accidentally fell into the beasts stall?"

"He did what?" Kel exclaimed.

"Well, you see, he was fussing over his pretty pony and I…asked him to come for a walk with me. So we were passing by Black Drum-Lord Raoul's beast-when Dom tripped and fell into the stall, and since the last prank that we pulled on Raoul well…"

"Well, what?"

"Lord Raoul has Drum on orders to attack any member of the Own who comes within two yards of his stall," a pleading look spread across Wolset's face, "how was I supposed to know that Drum has a special fetish for Dom?"

"You're an excellent actor Corporal, if I didn't know you so well I would have believed you," Kel shook her head in mock regret. "Is Sergeant Domitan still alive?"

Wolset chuckled and gestured in the direction of Black Drum's stall, "How am I supposed to know that? I rather fancied staying in one piece today so I didn't stick around to find out."

"Of course," Kel sighed as she began to make her way towards Drum's stall, "the men of the Own are always loyal to their commanding officers, but only until their welfare comes into question."

Kel had half expected to find Dom unconscious on the floor in Drum's stall but when she go there she was relieved to find that the stall was empty. That left two problems though, the first being the whereabouts of Dom, and the second being were had Drum disappeared to?

She didn't have to wonder for long as she soon spied a large black horse pacing under a rafter near the back of the stables. Raoul's horse was usually a placid creature, all he lived for were sugar cubes and carrots, the only exception to that is when he is asked to do something for his master. As she drew closer to the big gelding she noticed a boot hanging from the rafter that the animal was pacing under, closer inspection revealed a leg and an arm.

"Sergeant Domitan?" She asked, "what are you doing up in the rafters?"

Dom moved so that Kel could see his face below the rafter that he was clinging to, "what does it look like, mother, Raoul's beast has taken a liking to trampling me."

"I'm sure that Drum has good reason to be harassing you," Kel smiled as she reached out to hold Drum's bridle and stroke the side of his face. The horse stopped pacing and devoted his attention to Kel, though he kept one eye trained on his captive.

After a while Dom spoke again, "are you going to take that creature away so that I can get down from here or are you going make me stay here until Raoul comes to get his horse?"

"Is there a reason why I should take Drum away, Dom?"

"I already told you that the beast has a death wish for me," Dom groaned, "he's already trampled me in his stall and he bit a chunk out of my leg when I was trying to get away from him."

"I think that I will take him back to his stall then, he seems to have exacted enough revenge for one day," Kel began to walk towards Drum's stall and the big horse followed her without a cue. As soon as she had pulled the lock across on his stall door Dom dropped from the rafter, stumbling when he hit the ground, and hobbled across to Kel.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me Dom, if I hadn't had anything else to do today I would have left you up there and watched until dinner time."

Dom snorted and glared at both Drum and Kel, keeping his distance from the former. "That is a comforting thought, but if you will excuse me your ladyship, I think that I have lost more than enough blood and I should probably go lie down before I faint."

"Why, are you feeling faint?" Kel asked, her mood changing rapidly so that she was now concerned for her friend.

"Quite," Dom murmured as he leant against the stall opposite to Drum's.

Kel stepped across the gap between them and wrapped her arm around his back, "I think it may be better to take you to Neal, it's only across the other side of the practice courts, do you think you can make it there?"

"As long as we don't have to run I should be fine," Dom joked as Kel led him from the stables. Polten, who was still up in the hay loft, ducked his head under the rail as they passed and had been planning to say something about there closeness when he thought better of it and disappeared back into the hay loft.

It took a while for Kel and Dom to make their way across to the infirmary and they gained more than a few curious stares a long the way. As soon as they reached the door to Neal's office Kel took her arm away from Dom's back and knocked on the door to his cousin's office. When Neal poked his head out to see who had disturbed him Kel pushed the door wide open and gestured towards Dom. "He went too close to Black Drum again and you know the deal that Raoul has going with his horse."

"Of course I do," Neal grinned as he pulled Dom into his office and shoved him down into the visitor's chair, "it's something of a legend in New Hope."

"I see," Kel said as she studied Dom who had slumped over the arm of the chair, "if it's alright Neal, I really must be going."

Neal glanced back at his cousin before he answered Kel, "sure, Dom's injuries don't seem to be too bad. I'll probably have him patched up by dinner and I'll get some of the men to drag him back to his room so he can sleep it off tonight."

"Thank you, Neal," Kel smiled as she turned to the door, just before she walked out she spun back to face him. "Take good care of him," she mumbled and then she had disappeared.

E.N So...what do you think? I tried really, really hard not to make it a clone (I know from experience how annoying that can get, just reading the same plot, after the same plot, after the same plot)

Every review will get a response and I do accept unsigned reviews (so you don't have to have an account on the site to review, just click the'go' button at the bottom) Also, if you are reading this for the second time (after reading the original and now the rewrite) I would love to get your feedback but if you have already reviewed you can always PM me or submit an anon review (PM-ing is probably easier )

Thanks so much,

-Jess-

I have decided to continue-or atleast put this chapter up-thanks to your reviews (Sheryl, Sheba244, Heather the Writer, Aly-Of-Tortall13, oirishgoddess, 'Lisha and kittykatloren)

Here's chapter two (this is actual a complete rewrite so if you've already read this chapter...it isn't the same as before)

Disclaimer: All recognizable things belong to the goddess Tamora Pierce, the horse who is the inspiration for Black Drum's character however, is all mine!