When I woke up this time, Daystar was still awake.
"Better now?"
Daystar asked the dumbest questions. Of course I was not better. That was the third time I cried myself to sleep. W ell maybe I was a little better. But for some odd reason I didn't want Daystar to worry about me.
"Yes."
I went over to sit on the window seat. Nightwitch followed me.
"You aren't better, are you?" Nightwitch said. It was a statement not a question, so I didn't to answer. And because only witches can understand their cats, I didn't have to worry about Daystar hearing.
"You don't like her, do you?"
"Of course I like my cat."
He meant Wren. I knew that, but didn't want to tell him I didn't like her after all she had done. Daystar sighed.
"I know you like your cat. I was talking about Wren."
"No, I don't like her, if you must know. She's too nosey."
Daystar didn't say anything. I didn't say anything else. We just sat there in awkward silence. I didn't mind. What did I want Daystar to be if not my friend. Isn't that what I thought of him? He was clumsy, but he had almost always been nice to me. Actually, I couldn't remember a time when he wasn't nice.
Why was my mind confusing me? But was that little voice my head. No, it told me, I'm your heart.
"Shiara." Nightwitch said.
"What?" I asked, not wanting to be interrupted.
Daystar looked at me like I was crazy and talking to myself. I pointed at the cat. I guess he understood because he nodded, but still looked at me like I was crazy.
"Are there dragons here?" she asked.
"Uh… yeah. Why?"
"Well there are a whole lot outside. And they don't sound happy."
"What!? We have to get out of here!"
"What is it?" Daystar asked. I remembered he couldn't understand Nightwitch.
"There are a lot of dragons outside who aren't here for a ball. Wren! We have to get out of here!"
Wren came running in.
"Why?"
"Dragons."
"Oh. That's not good. Kazul called and said that they were very angry about you being here and that we should ovoid them as best we can."
"Then we better get out of here. Help me carry him."
Wren began to mutter something, but I clasped my hand over her mouth.
"No spells!" I hissed, "They can feel magic."
Wren and I half-dragged half-carried Daystar out of the room. Before we left I grabbed the sword. I knew we were going to need it.
"Do you have a back door?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound as scared as I was. I didn't want to run into any of the dragons I had seen before.
"Yeah. Let me lead."
When we were about fifty feet away from the cottage, it erupted into flames. Hopefully they hadn't searched the house before they burned it. When they headed back, it was obvious they didn't.
"Good." I said after we stopped to take a break.
"Good! Good! You think that's 'Good?' They just torched my house!" Wren exploded.
"No, that's not what's good. What's good is, now they think we're dead. That will prove to be an advantage because they wouldn't look for us." I couldn't believe she didn't get that.
Wren just shook her head and walked away to be by herself.
"You could be a little nicer couldn't you?" Daystar said when I turned around.
"What? You know I'm right."
"Yeah, but that was here house that just got destroyed."
"Sor-ry." I said sarcastically.
Daystar just shook his head and tried to fall asleep. I sat down on a stump close to him. Nightwitch came over to sit on my lap. I felt like talking to someone.
"Nightwitch, do you think I'm mean?"
"No, of course not. Wren just isn't nice."
"But she helped us before."
"Probably she has a crush on Daystar, just like you." Nightwitch answered matter-of-factly.
"What!?" I practically screamed. Very loud. A bird flew away. And I woke Daystar up.
"What is it now?"
"Um… nothing." I knew I was blushing.
Daystar sighed.
"We better move now."
"Right." I said and shoved Nightwitch off my lap.
"Hey!" She said.
"You deserved it. And I do not."
"So you don't, but that's no reason to go pushing me around."
"You don't what?" Daystar could understand me.
"Just a lie Nightwitch said about me." I wondered if was much of a lie or if she was right. I didn't have much time. Daystar didn't need both Wren and me to help him, so I was stuck with helping him. I really didn't mind.
"Wren you better carry the sword." I said.
"Sure." She was still mad at me, but this time I didn't care at all.
As I handed the sword to Wren, it brushed my burned ankle. Hard. My ankle gave way and I feel on top of Daystar, just missing Nightwitch.
"Ow."
"Be more careful," Wren said as she took the sword and helped me up.
After we got underway, I started thinking about what Nightwitch said to me. Did I have a crush on Daystar? Some part of me screamed yes, but the no that came from the rest of me almost completely covered it. But it was still there. But how could I have a crush on Daystar? He was just my clumsy dumb friend and that was all.
"Daystar, do you think I'm mean?"
"No. Where did you get that idea?"
"From what you told me earlier."
"You're not mean. Maybe a little inconsiderate sometimes, but never mean."
I smiled. I felt better. I didn't know why. But with so many whys in my life, that was just another one of them. Most of them, I realized, revolved around one thing. I just couldn't thing of what it was. Another thing I needed to remember, only couldn't. But this one was the same as the other one. But what was that?
"Can we stop?" Daystar asked. I realized he was breathing really heavy.
"Hold on. Wren! Stop! Daystar needs a break!"
When we stopped, it wasn't very comfortable. There were trees every where. And broken branches. Daystar fell asleep again and Wren climbed a tree to see where we were going. I sat down and looked at my burned ankle.
It wasn't much better than it was before and it was starting to swell where the sword had hit it. I realized that I had been leaning on Daystar more than he had been on me. Actually, I hadn't helped him at all, he had been helping me. And I was too caught up in my thoughts to notice.
After Daystar had sleep enough we started to leave again.
"Shiara, I don't need any help this time."
I nodded. I thought I didn't need help either, but as soon as I got up my ankle gave out again.
"Ahhgg!"
"Shiara, are you ok?" Daystar was immediately at my side. Wren just stood there looking bored. I suddenly didn't trust her with the sword. Not at all.
"Daystar, maybe you should take the sword, just in case we get in trouble or something." I added so he wouldn't be suspicious.
"Ok. Wren, I can take the sword back now."
Wren scowled at me, but gave it back anyway. Wren did not like me. I bet she liked the fact that Daystar listened to me even less. Daystar helped me up and made me let him help me. I didn't argue. My ankle really hurt. And I didn't think what Wren did help much. Wren 'accidentally' stubbed her toe so she'd slow down.
I wanted to talk to Daystar, but with her there, I couldn't. And then my head felt fuzzy. I laid my head on Daystar's shoulder and concentrated on walking. They were talking about something, but I couldn't tell what it was. Then my head got even fuzzier…
When I woke up Daystar was standing over me dripping water on my forehead. My mouth felt dry and I had a bad headache. I tried to sit up, but Daystar made me lay back down.
"Water." I said.
Daystar gave me something to drink. I began to feel a little better.
"Are you ready to go?" Daystar asked.
"I guess."
I wouldn't have to do much but limp. As long as I didn't get another fuzzy head. I laid my head on Daystar's shoulder again and closed my eyes, but this time I listened to their conversation. All they talked about was what the different dragons were like. At least Wren didn't mislead Daystar about that. She said they were horrible creatures and that all they did was cause destruction.
Soon we stopped for lunch on a grass hill. Below it was a little stream where we got some fresh water. I wasn't very hungry and ate only a little, but Daystar and Wren ate a lot.
They seemed perfect for each other. Dumb, clumsy, and pigs. I didn't like thinking of Daystar and Wren together. Why? Daystar wasn't mean, like Wren. No, that wasn't it. My mind felt like it was about to snap into place, but suddenly I felt awful. I limped down to the stream and threw-up.
I dunked my head into the water and laid down on the bank. I heard Daystar come down the hill after me. He didn't say anything, but just sat down with his back against the hill. I crawled over and put my head on his lap. He stoked my hair and I slowly started to fall asleep. Just before I fell asleep, the little voice told me I knew. I'd tell him when I woke up. If he was still there. But I knew he would be.