Disclaimer: I own nothing, as usual, but I would like to say thanks to the Starburst company for keeping me going as I was typing! FYI: my favorite flavor right now is lemon.
Ch. 11
Flynn watched Onua as they were walking, worried about what was on her mind. She hadn't said anything since he told her the story about Daine. Did she think less of him? He hoped not. He was just beginning to enjoy working for her.
Onua stared at the ground, thinking. Flynn was such a good boy, so how could he be involved in such an intolerable act? A human was a human, no matter what was wrong with them. Daine couldn't have been that bad… but she was, wasn't she? To run with wolves… and on all fours too.
She was paying so little attention to where she was going, she didn't see the root sticking up out of the ground. Flynn caught her arm just before she landed. She stood and looked at him. A boy this well-mannered can't really be that cruel…
"Thanks, Flynn." Her voice was soft. She opened her mouth to say something else, stopped, then looked away, deep in thought.
"What is it, ma'am? What were you going to say?"
Onua stopped walking, causing the ponies to stop and stare at her.
"Flynn, why did you even try to kill her? I mean, I know why, but why you? What led you to take aim at her?"
Flynn looked at the reins in his hand and sighed. He figured that she would ask this eventually.
"Well, ma'am, I didn't know I would be. You see, my da came to me one morning and said that we were going hunting. I figured there was an immortal out there so I didn't question him. That's just what we did. We got our gear together and set out. I asked him what we were going after, and he said that we were going to put a creature out of its misery. That really didn't give me any clues, so I asked him what kind of animal, and he avoided the question and said that times had changed, and so had some other things."
Flynn took a swig of his water jug and went on; "He sounded annoyed, so I didn't press him. It was then that we reached the wolf den. We set up our things and hid in a nearby tree. He told me that the wolves were out hunting and that when the wolves returned I would have to take the hardest shot I ever had. I thought it was an odd thing to say since I had already shot and killed a wolf, but I said nothing. So we waited, and eventually the pack leader came into view. I figured this was my target, so I took aim. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my dad shake his head, as if to say no, not that one. With my hands still ready to shoot, he moved my bow till I had a new target in my sight. I didn't know what I was seeing at first, but my vision focused more, and I could see it was a girl. I almost didn't recognize her, but when I saw her eyes I knew it was Daine. She was running to the wolves on all fours. I panicked, seeing her with them. My bow was still aimed at her, and I think I gasped or something, because they all froze and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with hate, and it was then that my father hit my hand, releasing the arrow from the bow. The arrow grazed her arm, and she yelped. They all ran away, faster than I had ever seen. I remember slipping from the branch, and after that my memory is kind of foggy. I remember waking up to my father standing over me, and he told me that I wasn't fit to be a hunter if I couldn't shoot the target I was assigned to."
Flynn's voice was filled with hate as he said the last part. He shook his head and sighed. "I was so angry at him. He told me to go out and find a job that I could actually do right. So I left, and so much time passed while I was out that I guess the bad memory faded. That was when I found you, and now here I am, and Daine hates me… not that I blame her."
Onua looked at him, and all the anger she had been feeling evaporated. He was a good kid, he just had a bad family. She gave him a sad smile.
"I didn't know how hard it was for you. But you are right about Daine. She probably isn't feeling very warm feelings towards you right now, but with some work, well, a lot of work, she might have a change of heart."
She looked around and her eyes widened.
"Drat! Flynn, we need to keep moving. We're running way behind schedule. We should be in Tortall in about three days, but at this rate we'll be there in a week! C'mon boy!"
Flynn smiled at her. He didn't know if she said that just to give him a break from the mood, but either way he was glad she wasn't still somber. He pulled on his reigns and led the horses onward, glad to have his story out in the open.
The trees sighed in the breeze as Daine and Numair made their way through the woods. The two made good time as they walked over tree stumps and through river beds. Numair had finally convinced Daine to participate in lessons dealing with her magic, and she was now working on calling forest animals to her. She had managed to summon a fawn and a chipmunk to her, and was now working on calling a larger animal, an elk, to them.
Numair was pleased with her progress, and sometimes Daine caught him looking at her oddly. She was so involved in her lessons that she didn't ask him about them.
The weather was making them feel invigorated, and when the elk came crashing through the brush, Daine squealed and clapped her hands in joy. A heavy force slammed into her. She turned and came face-to-face with Numair's shirt. She laughed as they hugged, and when they broke apart she saw pure happiness in his eyes.
"I know! I did it! I'm so excited too, Numair!" She jumped up and down.
Numair's were out of focus; he gave his head a little shake and smiled down at her. "Hmm? Yeah! Excellent work, Daine! Let's set up camp now, alright?"
Daine looked at the sky, which wasn't as dark as when they normally set up camp. She looked back to him, confused, but he was already unpacking.
"O…k… whatever you say, Numair." She helped him finish unpacking and went to catch some fish for dinner. When she came back she found him already asleep in his bedroll. That's odd, she thought. Maybe it was something he ate… She wrapped the fish in some leaves to save them for another time, then crawled into her own bedroll. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, waiting for sleep to come. She heard rustling and when she opened her eyes a crack she saw Numair sitting up, staring at her with a strange look in his eyes. She closed her eyes in a hurry, confused by what she had seen.
Daine fell into a deep sleep, dreaming fitfully. In her dream she saw Numair lying on a rock, apparently sleeping. Suddenly there were shadows looming over him, and just as quickly, he vanished.
Daine awoke and sat up in bed. What was that about, she wondered. She turned to look to see if Numair had woken up too.
He was gone.
Daine jumped out of her bed roll and looked around, frantic. Where was he?
Throughout the night she combed the nearby woods for him. She found nothing. Numair was gone, and Daine was alone.
Around dawn, Daine reached the edge of the forest. Her clothes were torn and her eyes were red, bloodshot, and streaming tears. She stumbled over a rock, and when she looked up, she saw a sight that made her mind relax, but her heart still burn.
There was Onua, sleeping, and Flynn standing guard, but dozing.
Daine stumbled foreword.
Flynn was supposed to be on guard duty, but the stress of the day made him drowsy. He sat on one of the packs and fell in and out of sleep.
He was sitting there dreaming about a new life in Tortall when he was jolted awake by something large slamming into him and landing on top of him. He propped up on his elbows and looked down. There was Daine, lying on top of him and sobbing into his shirt. He put his hand on her head and leaned down.
"Daine? What's going on? What on earth is wrong? Why isn't Numair with you?"
Daine sobbed harder. She sniffed and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. Whatever had happened, he thought, it was big.
"He-he's gone! I woke up and he w-wasn't there! I looked all over the forest and I can't find him! I don't know where he is!"
She buried her head in his shirt again, her tears soaking to his skin. He wrapped his arms around her and turned to see if Onua had woken up.
She had, and she was staring at Daine in horror.
