Disclaimer: Uh…*gets poked* Right! Tamora Pierce owns stuff and so do I; unfortunately she owns Tortall and many characters referred to in this fic (but I own the plot, yeah baby!).

What's up with the cat-chick?

She's weird, dates back to Ailin's time and has a thing for Wave walker's chosen. I think there's a lot up with her.

The Wavewarrior

Chapter 5

Ђ first day of classes, practice courts Ђ

"…And that, you newbies, is how you fall," the tall Yamani, Hakuin, finished explaining as the first years fell slapping the ground. He beckoned to one of the new boys, Alan of Jesslaw, "Now I'm going to throw you, and you have to fall correctly, understand?"

"Throw me?" the young boy squeaked, watching Hakuin nod, he shuffled forward.

Watching Alan soar throw the air and smack into the ground, Selenia sighed perturbed. She shouldn't be here, she looked over her shoulder to the older pages being drilled, I should be over there or doing what I came to do. Tensing her calf muscles, she prepared herself to jump, going up onto the balls of her feet. Thankfully she had been given the option of shoes or not during training. Coming down slowly she sprung up and out over the fence. This action caused many exclamations of surprise, awe and anger.

"Whoa" "How'd she do that?" "Get back here, page Selenia!"

Zak turned to look at the commotion to see Selenia sprinting back to the pages wing, leaping off walls and people when necessary. "Oh no…" He then dropped the staff he had been using and began chase. The hoots, whistles, laughter and cheers coming from the pages drowned out Sir Padraig's protests at his and Selenia's behaviour.

'Sheesh, she can run,' Zak thought watching the blur that was Selenia top the rise of the hill. His lungs burned but he kept running top speed chasing the cat-girl. "Selenia!" he called out hoping she'd stop.

Selenia's steps faltered and she turned back to look at the dot of tan that was getting slowly larger. She focused her eyes, 'Zak', she thought as a mixture of feelings of emotions ranging from relief to irritability swept through her. 'Best wait for another day…' sighing she began to walk back down the hill to where the boy had stopped, head over hands on knees breathing heavily. He looked up, his emerald eyes looking at her with disbelief.

"Never…do…that…again." He managed to say as he straightened.

"Sorry-" "Why?" He interrupted.

"I…" no, she couldn't say why really she bolted, "…was bored. I know all of what they're doing."

"That's no excuse," the lordly voice of Padraig came as he topped the rise, face red. "You two, my office after lunch."

"Yes sir," they replied as he guided them back towards the courts. Upon reaching the courts, both of them blushed and Padraig raised his brow at the laughing Hakuin and the pandemonium of pages.

"Back to your assigned drills." He stated causing the pages hurry back to their original drills. "Selenia, you may practice with the older pages, if you wish." He conceded smoothing back his hair. "These children are going to give me a heart attack." He muttered as the girl found a staff and partner.

Ђ classrooms Ђ

"So what did you two get?" Derrin asked as the three of them walked to their first class, math.

"Two bells labour, in the pages armoury." Selenia answered for once subdued.

"One today, one tomorrow." Zak added just as blandly as they entered the class, "And an essay on 'the proper behaviour for pages in the and around the training courts'."

Derrin whistled low as he sat, earning a pointed look from the Mithran priest in charge. The class went as it should, with the priest quickly learning the new pages names and their lesson then flowed uninterrupted. The elder pages were used to Master Yayin's brisk teaching style, but one look at Selenia and the other first years proclaimed their awe. Soon they were on their way to the class and then the class after that until they came to Lindhall Reed's class.

Ђ dealing with magic and immortals Ђ

Selenia walked into the class alone. Both Zak and Derrin went next door, with a handful of other pages, to work on their Gifts, she however was not Gifted.

Slowly stepping into the class as other non-Gifted pages rushed past her into seats she was taken aback. Aquariums lined the walls and were occupied by different creatures, the majority of which she hadn't seen in all her 796 years.

"Yes they are magnificent, aren't they?" an slim middle-aged man, well he looked middle-aged, asked coming up beside her. Nodding she then found a seat near the back where she could observe a large turtle and faced the front. The man who spoke to her was at the front of the class, a bird skeleton perched on his shoulder and a grey basilisk beside him. He turned to the pages and spoke, "As many of you know I'm Lindhall Reed one of your instructors in dealing with magic and immortals and this is my partner Tkaa, a basilisk. We will show you what you need to know about dangerous immortals and mages who refuse to live according to the Crown."

"Now," the whispery voice of Tkaa began, "what are immortals? Some may act like monsters, such as spidren or hurroks. But, as you can see in me and even some of your class mates," continued pointing out Selenia, making her blush, "many are not. We are here to discuss troublesome immortals and just because they cause trouble does not mean they are monstrous." Lindhall then took over.

"Every species has different customs and personal rules. You, as the Crown's representatives, must understand these different cultures to help bring them to peace. Now if we may begin." The class then began with eagerness and they discussed all sorts of different cultures that they may meet in the future. Selenia despite the many odd looks she was given during the class was upset when it ended. Zak and Derrin stood waiting for at the door.

"…only one line left, maybe even next week all this will pay off." Zak said to Derrin who was looking at Selenia who had frozen in mid-step.

"What did you say? Does this have to do with that…statue? Why are you doing this?" the questions poured forth from her as the two boys pulled her to next class.

"Nothing that concerns you, so don't worry." Derrin spoke curtly not wanting to reveal secrets after Selenia's behaviour from the day before.

 They filed into the classroom covered in maps. At the desk sat a red-headed man who looked to be in his early thirties. As the pages sat he stood shaking out his long mage's over robe. Smiling he began the class in a laidback fashion. It soon became apparent to Selenia that this must be Thom of Pirate's Swoop, one that she could not slip up around despite his easygoing manner. Taking a breath she listened to the other pages chat with their teacher concerning matters from centuries before to current events. As the class finished and the pages grumbled as they went to the last class, Etiquette, with the elderly Master Oakbridge. In that class, Selenia was scolded for wearing sandals instead of boots despite the fact that she did not have a pair of boots yet for her cat feet. Sighing, she explained that to Master Oakbridge and she got out without another essay. When the time came for her and Zak's punishment work, she was very irritable. As they bell rung signalling that their work was done for the night she glared at him, wanting to know how he did that every day. His response did little to improve her mood.

"Well, let's just say that I just live with it because there are greater things than my weariness out there." Turning towards the Gallery of Portraits as they exited, he left her to find her own way back to the pages wing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yes, general confusion and pandemonium of sorts. I don't know when #6 will be up because I haven't even done a synopsis of it. Um…*pokes self with the dart of inspiration*…hopefully the creative juices will begin to flow.

R&R

~Sarai-IceElf~