Daine woke to a searing pain in her forehead. She blinked and cringed at the light theat slanted through her window. People were moving around outside of her rooms. Did they have to be so loud?

With a sigh she stood up, feeling slightly nauseous. Still dressed, she set about finding and opening the door with her eyes still shut. She shuffled out into the hall, knowing she must look at badly as she felt.

"You look horrible." Daine recognized Darius's voice. "What happened to you last night?"

"I don't remember much. It's too early to be asking n' answering questions."

"You never were a morning person."

"Gee, what gave it away?"

"Hmm. Maybe it was that day you threw your breakfasts at me. Or the day you punched me for saying 'good morning. Or-"

"I give up. Where's the food?"

Darius led her down the hall, speaking softly. When he opened the door to the dining room, Daine instantly regretted getting up at all. The room was unpleasantly loud, with people calling to each other and laughing like hyenas.

She took a seat opposite Numair. Darius sat next to her on one side and Miri on the other.

"What happened last night?" The younger girl asked her friend.

"I have no idea, just that we drank too much. Buri's not coming from her rooms until her hangover goes away."

"Hangover? Is that was this is? I thought I was dying."

Miri grinned. "I threw up," she confessed.

Daine throat felt dry. She poured herself a glass of juice, but she still needed more.

Numair smiled at her. "Enjoying your first hangover?"

"No." A nasty thought came into her mind. Numair was drinking some kind of coffee, and he winced every time someone was too loud.

Daine plugged her ears with her fingers and grinned.

A sudden howl pierced the air, making everyone who had been out drinking last night yell.

Numair glared at her. "You are pure evil."

The girl shrugged and went back to her food. She picked at it, not feeling very hungry.

When Miri's face turned a light shade of green, Daine pulled her out of the room. She held back the older girl's hair as she vomited behind a potted plant.

"Thanks," Miri whispered. Daine nodded. "Think we should see if Alanna has anything to help?

"Gods yes! I'll be sick again if we don't get there soon!"

As it turned out, Alanna did have something for hangovers. Unfortunately it was a vile liquid that Daine doubted she would keep down.

"Chug it as fast as you can and pray you don't vomit it up." Alanna advised. Both teens did as they were bidden. Their headaches and nausea vanished instantly, but the taste of the medicine lingered.

"Race you to the dining hall," Daine challenged.

"You're on!"

Daine won of course (thanks to deer legs) but nearly ran into the door. Miri laughed when she caught up.

"No fair! You cheated!"

"No one ever said I couldn't shift. Sides, I would've won anyways."

"Yeah right." Daine stuck her tongue out before vanishing behind the door.

"Out of our way! We're stealing the orange juice!" Miri called.

The young wildmage took the juice with a grin.

Numair was watching. She was still a child at heart. Yet she was mature. Something burned in his mind; a memory that he couldn't remember.

He shook his head and drank the coffee, knowing he would always love her, but could never have her.

He was about to ask Alanna for her hangover cure when the door burst open.