Chapter Four--Thoughts of You

Authors note: Woot! (which is an acctual word now, may I add) I finished this next chapter before the Holidays! It's my longest yet, almost 2000 words! Featuring quite a bit of Daine's thoughts this time, including her long awaited epiphany. It always kind of bothered me that she just miraculously realized her feelings for Numair when he kissed her, so...I made this little chapter leading up to it. Also some sweet Numair-stuff involving a bunny! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: None of it's mine. Don't sue.

The afternoon heat wore on as the pair plodded wearily along the path. Occasionally they would stop to take a quick drink from their quickly-emptying canteens, or to check the map. The hours wore on as they marked the scant progress they had made. Silver blooms of light flashed in and out as the Badger and the Duckmole ventured ahead and returned to their charges off and on.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, and exhaustion became known, it was decided that they should stop and rest for lunch, and wait for the hottest part of the day to pass. They chose a seat beneath the sole tree in sight; a hugely leafed oak tree that looked as if it had stood for eons.

Daine plopped herself down, stretching out her legs in front of her. Groaning inwardly as she felt how light her canteen was, she spared a small sip before leaning her head back against the trunk of the old tree.

Numair followed suit, settling down beside her. His own canteen was even lower than Daine's; the air making empty sloshing sounds as he moved it to his lips. He wiped his brow on his sleeve, and ventured a wane smile at his student.

"Magelet, we're about a day or so away from Mauler's swamp. It's far to hot to make any progress for at least another hour. We may as well use the time to catch a bit of rest. After the night he had spent recently at Temptation Lake, he had found himself on the shorter end of alertness. The dratted lake was well deserving of it's name, and the night spent beside it's shores was one of the least restful he had experienced since the war had begun. Not, he added, that it wasn't altogether the most pleasant he had enjoyed in a far greater time, but not entirely of any help to his already exhausted nervous system. Daine, he had been pleased to note, had slept the night through, and not mentioned it since.

Daine had been rummaging in their packs, and produced a roll and slab of cheese for both. Handing one to her tall friend, she smiled. "Eat this, 'fore you fall asleep. We'll need the energy to get as far as we can by nightfall." Correctly interpreting his weary posture, she ate her own meal in silence. Just as she herself was drifting off to sleep, she felt the warm weight of a body curled against her side that she hadn't felt since leaving the Mortal realms. Startled, she sat up and smiled at her guest.

A dusky brown canine stared at her with wise brown eyes. A coyote, she remembered. We had them in Snowsdale. She smiled and held up a hand to her new friend.

The coyote god licked at her fingers before nestling in by her side. "Your companions, the Badger and the Duckmole felt you were lonesome for the People. They are busy safeguarding your way. We have come to give you company." The girl looked around and saw several other gods of her People friends had joined them. A white lynx had settled herself regally at the girl's feet, and a large raccoon curled up besides her head.

Daine grinned happily and settled down against the tree. "That was very kind of them. But...it's so hot here, and you all are from places so much cooler. Aren't you uncomfortable?" Already thought was growing difficult, her eyelids sinking lowly. Her mind seemed to weigh the equivalent of Cloud, but she wanted to be sure her new friends were not endangering themselves.

"Hush, pup. The Badger was right; you worry about foolish things. We are Gods, heat doesn't bother us. It is necessary for you to return to the Mortal Realms, and you need to be well rested. We take it upon ourselves to ease your journey, and would not do it if it were at cost to ourselves." The coyote, who seemed to be her spokesman scolded her gently.

"Daine!" Numair's voice was soft, and filled with awe. The girl turned quickly to him, only to see the man sitting with a large, snowy white rabbit besides him. The rabbit cocked it's head to one side, as if asking what the matter was. Numair just stared back at his; dark chocolate eyes blinking in surprise.

"Why so surprised, Stork-man?" The rabbit asked as it hopped closer. "You are friend to the girl-who-is-People, who is also our friend. The People know you, and trust you for that. Unless you do not wish for my company?"

"No, stay please. I didn't meant disrespect, I was just surprised. Mostly animals prefer Daine's company. He smiled gently at his Magelet. Looking back cautiously at the rabbit, he stratched out a hand to run gently along his back. "So soft!..." he whispered happily. He tried to pass the event off nonchalantly, but his voice betrayed how pleased he was that Daine's friends approved of him. Not like that, he scolded himself mentally. Never like that! They of any can't know of those feelings for her, or she would know straight off! His worried thoughts rambled on in the pattern they had devised over the past weeks, until the rabbit nudged his nose into his side.

"Foolish mortal man." The rabbit spoke to Numair's ears alone, for which he was profoundly grateful. "Worry not; the People stay out of human affairs such as you toil over. Yes, we love the Wildmage; but your emotions are yours to choose to give away." The listener was giddy with relief, as well as a brief flash of horror as he realized that if these animal friends of Daine could guess, who else might have ventured an idle wondering? He barely heard the rabbit's next words. "...As silly and misguided as your worries may be." Shell shocked, the mage simply shook his head, convinced he must have heard incorrectly. Besides; what would rabbits know of such things? And as he drifted off to rest, beneath the shade of the First Tree, in the midst of the blistering humidity of high noon, the man could have sworn he heard a rabbit chuckle.

A few feet away, stretched leisurely out against the same tree, Daine herself was deep in thought. Thoughts, it so happened, about her teacher. Earlier that week she had contemplated the growing amount of time she spent thinking of him. She had passed it off as mere concern for her friend. And certainly, there was plenty to worry about. Even aside from this hellish war, Numair had changed since the fall of the barrier. She couldn't name what, or why; but she noticed the difference. He seemed so much quieter, so much less open with her. She regarded him as the one human she could trust completely, and it hurt that he no longer felt that he could trust her with whatever was bothering him. It was not only mental seclusion that had changed, however. The extra space he continually made sure was between them did not escape her attention. Not only did the developed distance between them cause worry about her friend; but at the back of her mind was always the nagging suspicion that her increased awareness of the tall mage had to be more than mere concern. Her mind buzzed and stomach flipped whenever she thought of him; she lost her train of though whenever they accidentally touched. And the underlying suggestions these ponderings brought to light worried her far more than anything else.

Throughout the many months since the fall of the Barrier, they had been wandering the realms, and doing everything in their power to return to their country and friends; to fight the war the raged even here among the Gods. Each day was fraught with difficulties and dangers. Her mind should be focused solely on the task at hand; concentrating on staying alive, and watching her back, as well as those of her friends. How well she knew that the slightest distraction could mean her life, or someone else's. Why then, were her thoughts taking such dangerous diversions?

Her earlier contemplations had led her to uncomfortable reasonings, made all the more troublesome by the hard core of truth that lay inside them. Perhaps those nagging suspicions would not have bothered her, had they not struck a cord of truth in her mind. And so she found he had to admit; or be lying to herself, (and truly, she thought; it's fair stupid to try to fool your own self!) that perhaps, just maybe, her thoughts towards her teacher were just the slightest bit more than friendly. And this realization fully irked her.

I am not a young girl, to have a foolish crush on her teacher! He is my friend, for years! Yes, I am aware that all the ladies at court swoon over him at balls. I am also fully aware that he has more than his fair share of court beauties to occupy his time! And that nearly all of those ladies fit into the same category: mature, beautiful, voluptuous blondes! Of which I am certainly not.

Certainly, she knew that Numair could have any one of the ladies at court, she had seen the way they sighed after him at balls. And admitting to herself; she couldn't well blame them. He was quite the picture, even without all the wealth and power that she knew was also a factor to many. She also knew that he would never look twice at a girl like her for anything but a student, or a friend. Therefore, there was only one thing to do. Ignore these confusing, and obviously futile emotions that could only be the product of sleepless nights and a frazzled nervous system, and squash them beneath her boot.

Besides, she thought bitterly. No respectable would ever want Sara's bastard. The cruel taunts of the villagers in Snowsdale still haunted her thoughts, and these words were made all the more painful now that they had a face to them. Numair was by far her best human friend; perhaps her very best friend. She prized his trust and respect above all else; and to think she might lose that if she confessed her new feelings for him…it was a risk she was not willing to take.

And yet...she could not shake the look of awe and joy he had shown when the rabbit explained how the people felt about him. Daine, of course, had known; but had not known it meant so much to him. She remembered his happiness that the rabbit would choose to stay with him, and her mouth betrayed a sad smile at remembering a whisper she had overheard among the court gossips. "I wonder if her men have to tolerate the beasts in bed with her as well…I can't imagine she would keep them for very long, were that the case. Not that she'd be able to anyway." It didn't appear as though Numair would mind sharing a bed with a few furry mammals; should the situation arise…she immediately scolded herself for the thought. This had to stop. She could not keep brewing like this on things that were never meant to be. And yet, as she drifted off to a heat-induced sleep, her mind would not let go of the image of his perfect face, eyes alit with awe and delight as he stroked the rabbit by his side.

Authors Note: Alright, that's it for now. The Holidays are coming up so I won't have much time. I also have no idea what to write the next chapter about, so suggestions would be more than helpful...(hint hint). Keep up the reviews, they help me write faster!