Adeena: Thank you for the reviews. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights.

Chapter Eight: Fights and Laughter

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Late morning/early afternoon, next day in camp

The rest of the party had gone into the village to get more supplies and another bedroll. They left Adeena behind, at her request, to care for the camp and the sleeping Kai-stern. She had made herself lunch and started the stew for dinner and was now sitting on the bedroll she had shared with Ruwalk the previous night, contemplating what Lykouleon had told her about Rath.

"Adeena!" shouted Kai-stern.

"Huh?" she asked, looking at him.

"Finally!" he said exasperatedly, "I called your name six times before you answered."

"Sorry" she replied. "I was thinking about something. Was there something you wanted?"

"Where is everyone?" came the first question. It was quickly followed by "Is there any food? Why are you playing nursemaid? What were you thinking about?"

"Alright, in order then. In town getting supplies. Yes. I volunteered. How to help Rath. Happy?" she asked getting up to fix him some lunch. "I'll be right back with something for you to eat."

"Thank you" he said, accepting the bread, cheese, apple and water she handed him. "Here. Maybe this will help you" handing her a small drawstring pouch. "Raseleane gave it to me before I left and told me to give it to you. Mmrph. This is good, really good. Thanks" as he continued eating.

She took the pouch, opened it and looked inside. What she saw inside made her smile. "Yes" she said, "this will definitely help" and turned her attention once more to the coming encounter with Rath.

"Hey! Adeena!" called Kai-stern.

"Wha?" she said, slightly confused by his calling her.

"Do you think you could focus on me until the others get back? I'd rather not go through a repeat of the trip back to Draqueen, if at all possible."

"Sorry. I'll keep you company while you nap if you'd like" she replied.

"Nap?! I just woke up!" he exclaimed. "Why would I be taking a nap so soon? I feel fine. I don't need a nap!"

"Really? Well then, how about I take a nap, while you rest? Fair enough?" she smiled as she pushed him back down onto his pillow and watched his eyes close once more. She then put her head on his shoulder, shut her eyes and fell asleep herself, after tuning in to his sleeping mind.

Shortly after falling asleep they both start the same dream -- they are relaxing in a summer garden, talking about old adventures and renewing their friendship. The expressions on their slumbering faces are of relaxed enjoyment, both wearing slight smiles.

This is the way Ruwalk and Rune find them upon returning to camp. While the rest of the party takes care of the supplies that were purchased, these two head over to check on the recovering Kai-stern and his nurse, only to see the two of them sound asleep with Crewger watching over them.

"I guess they're ok," said Rune. "Do you think we should wake them?"

Just then a malevolent spirit entered their dream. They tried to wake but couldn't -- the expressions on their faces showing their struggle.

[Crewger, get Lykouleon!] her dream self cried, somehow knowing that Crewger could break from the dream, and went back to fighting alongside Kai-stern, both trying to break free.

As Rune and Ruwalk watched, Crewger stood up and ran to Lykouleon. Ruwalk ran after, just in case Lykouleon couldn't understand what Crewger wanted of him.

"Wha?" asked Lykouleon as Crewger tugged on his clothes. "Crewger. Is something wrong?"

Just then Ruwalk arrived and cried "Lykouleon! Adeena, Kai-stern" trying desperately to tell him what was wrong.

As Ruwalk finished speaking, Lykouleon looked towards where the two mentioned were lying. As he watched, both the bodies jerked in reaction to something and a red welt appeared on Adeena's visible arm, as if she had been struck by a weapon. The welt went all the way down the forearm of her sword arm. Her welt was quickly matched by one across Kai-stern's forehead. This was not looking good.

"Lykouleon! Something needs to be done to help them," cried Ruwalk anxiously as Crewger started to whine.

The sound of Crewger whining got Lykouleon moving. Once started, he moved quickly, calling on his dragon as he reached their sides. Calling forth the light he touched both at the same time, releasing the light to break the hold the dream demon had on them.

As the light brightened the dream, banishing the demon, the two trapped fighters took stock of their dream selves. Kai-stern was bleeding from forehead and left arm. Adeena was bleeding from her right arm and both legs, having taken the brunt of the fighting.

"Think these wounds carried over?" she asked as she wiped some of the blood from his face.

"Only one way to find out" he replied with a grin. "Time to wake up, Adeena."



Later that evening, in camp

"How are you two feeling?" asked Rune, bringing Adeena and Kai-stern their dinners.

"Better than earlier" replied Kai-stern as he took his bowl of stew and started eating ravenously.

After watching Kai-stern for a minute, Adeena smiled, took her bowl and said "Much better, thank you. I'm glad someone else was able to finish making this. Is there any bread or drink, or do we get to try and drink anything left in our bowls?"

Laughter filled the air as Ruwalk and Kitchel brought the complainer, and her fellow invalid, bread and water. The laughter came from Rune, Ruwalk and Kitchel as Kai-stern tried choking on his stew. It became even louder as Adeena gave Kai-stern a very nasty, life-threatening look and he choked on his stew a second time. Adeena then turned her nasty, life-threatening look on the three who were laughing, which made them laugh even harder, at which point she decided to just ignore them and hope they would go away.

Too bad for her, Ruwalk and Rune only went away long enough to get their own food; Kitchel stayed at the cook fire. As Rune and Ruwalk sat down beside Adeena and Kai-stern, she gave Ruwalk another nasty look, causing him to drop his bread and try to inhale his drink. This caused Kai-stern to start laughing, which caused her to smile as she finished her dinner.

"It sounds like you two are feeling better" Lykouleon said as he came over to join them and eat his own dinner. "Care to share the joke, or should I just enjoy the fact that for tonight everything is fine?"

"Enjoy it but don't ask what caused it" replied Ruwalk, gathering the empty bowls. "I don't think either Kai-stern or I would like to repeat the experiences that started it. Don't you agree?" to Kai-stern.

"Definitely!" Kai-stern replied as he settled himself a little more comfortably on his bedroll. "Don't you go drifting away again Adeena. It wouldn't be very polite."

"Wha … oh, sorry. Didn't realize I was doing it again," she said, blinking rapidly as she refocused on those around her. "We need to hurry to our next destination. I'm getting a bad feeling, and it gets worse when I think about Cesia."

"Alright, we'll discuss what to do in the morning" commented Lykouleon. "Go to sleep now. We'll talk in the morning." So saying, he stood up, walked back to the cook fire and told the others the same. Ruwalk got up, took the dishes and went off to wash them.

When Ruwalk finished with the dishes and returned to his bedroll he found Adeena and Kai-stern sound asleep.

Adeena: What happens next? Good question. You'll have to wait a few more days for the next chapter. Please continue to review. *begging on hands and knees*