Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Tamora except for the ones I made
up.
A/N: This chapter isn't very nice to Daine either, but I love Daine so it will all work out trust me. I just need enough to make Numair very angry. dun dun duuun
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Karracatach flew, the claw clutched in his talons, anger at Daine's imprisonment still heavy in his mind. It was almost evening, but the hawk flew steadily on through the night, not stopping to eat or rest. At dawn, he saw underneath him a huge stretch of water. It was larger than anything he had ever seen before, and he marveled at the hugeness that the two- leggers had crossed. Karracatach's wings were sore, and he was tired from flying so long without stopping. Settling down on a handy tree branch, the hawk closed his eyes for a brief nap to prepare to cross the Inland Sea.
About an hour later, the Carthaki hawk woke, ruffling his feathers and squinting out to sea. What he saw continued to awe him-he had never been farther than his own plateau and its surrounding woods in his life. Getting down to business, he got a better grip on the claw, twining its thong around his talons. Then he launched himself of the branch, spreading his majestic wings in flight. Refreshed, Karractach sped away on the errand that was so important to the greatest of all the People.
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Daine woke at dawn to the sound of soldiers stirring all around her. Her back ached and when she touched one of the welts pain flamed up. She bit her lip and slowly got up, groaning with pain as she stretched.
What's wrong? Zek asked.
Nothing, I'm just sore. Zek was still worried, but Daine's repeated assurances that everything would be fine convinced him in the end. I have to be strong, Daine thought, If only for Zek's sake. So, when breakfast was brought to her, (Porridge again, Daine thought) she got up the nerve to ask Barone some questions.
"Where are you taking me?"
"I can't tell you that, little one," the man answered, and Daine wondered at how silky and cultured his voice was. "What you don't know can't hurt you."
"Oh but it can."
He laughed. "I admire your spirit, but I'm under strict orders not to tell you anything."
So he's not their real leader, she thought. To change the subject, she asked, "Who was that man yesterday morning?" Barone smiled and called to someone.
"BRUTUS!" To her horror, Daine saw the bearded man walking over, each step heavy and determined. "Brutus, Lady-Sarrasri" he spat the word out and Daine cringed, "wants to know about you." This question seemed to heavily offend the man, and his face clouded in anger.
"Don't ask stupid questions," the man growled, and his whip flicked and cracked an inch away from her face. She retreated nervously but bumped against the invisible barrier.
"Now, now, Brutus," the leader said patronizingly, "You're scaring her." This statement enraged the man even more. He vented it on Daine, and before she knew it, the heavy leather whip had lashed her hand, cutting a deep, red mark across it. Pain flamed up her arm and she gasped. Now Barone was angry. They had to return her to his master in one piece, not in ribbons! He drew his sword, pointing it at the huge man beside him. "Leave," he said, his voice a threatening, low growl. "Now." Brutus backed up and then fled. He turned to find Daine on the ground, leaning back on air, breathing heavily. Her hand was bleeding freely, and she seemed in shock. He frowned- that didn't seem like her.
Daine's vision had clouded over. She saw a mist, and in the mist figures moved. Her father held her mother, who was trying desperately to get at something, then collapsed and sobbed into his arms. She saw the badger, arguing with the Graveyard Hag in Mithros' court. And she saw Kaddar (how strange), arguing with one of his generals. Everyone seemed to be arguing. Then that picture faded into another one-Daine shuddered to see a vast army of ragged men assembled on a plain, the otherwise clear sky clouded with camp smoke.
Barone reached down a hand. "Here, let me help you up," he said.
Zek had had enough. These people were hurting Daine, over and over, and he couldn't do anything. Now this strange man was reaching out, threatening her once again. He emerged from behind Daine's hair, chittering angrily, and leaped onto his hand, digging his heavy, tree climbing claws into the man's skin. He yelped and shook his hand, trying to dislodge the marmoset.
Daine woke from her visions to Zek's angry chitters. Horrified, she watched as he scratched Barone's hand and was shaken back and forth. "Zek!" she cried, and, suddenly furious, leaped up and grabbed the soldier's hand. Zek jumped to her shoulder, claws bloodied. Daine stood still, ready to defy the man's anger for the sake of her friend who had protected her.
"Well, well, well." Barone leared, suddenly appearing more ferocious than he had before, holding his hand, which bled a little from the tiny cuts that Zek had made. "Looks like you have a companion after all." Daine hugged Zek to her chest. "Don't touch him," she hissed.
"But I'm afraid I must." He reached for Zek, and Daine lashed out, her nails coming in contact with the soft flesh on his face, and scratched down. Suddenly, she had an idea that would stop Barone. Quickly, she made her mouth like the muzzle of a wolf and snarled, baring her teeth and snapping them together threateningly. The result was instantaneous. Barone backed away, horror and fear written all over his face. Once he was a safe distance away, Daine changed back and stood, crooning softly to the shivering Zek.
Barone watched in awe from a distance as his captive coolly changed her mouth back to normal and stood cuddling her monkey. He had heard of her power, but that he had never imagined. To be able to partly change! He shuddered. It was like a demon had appeared before him, human except for the half-wolf face. What could she do to him if she tried? He lifted a hand to his face, where the scratches were slowly oozing blood, and, for the first time, wished that his master had sent someone else to take care of this, this. this devil-child. He shook his head at the doubts that were now filling it, and signaled for the march to continue.
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A/N: Daine gets her revenge! Told you it would come out alright.
P.S. Shadowweaver: Thanks for reviewing. I'll hurry up and write more
Spice: Soon, soon, they'll be happy.
A/N: This chapter isn't very nice to Daine either, but I love Daine so it will all work out trust me. I just need enough to make Numair very angry. dun dun duuun
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Karracatach flew, the claw clutched in his talons, anger at Daine's imprisonment still heavy in his mind. It was almost evening, but the hawk flew steadily on through the night, not stopping to eat or rest. At dawn, he saw underneath him a huge stretch of water. It was larger than anything he had ever seen before, and he marveled at the hugeness that the two- leggers had crossed. Karracatach's wings were sore, and he was tired from flying so long without stopping. Settling down on a handy tree branch, the hawk closed his eyes for a brief nap to prepare to cross the Inland Sea.
About an hour later, the Carthaki hawk woke, ruffling his feathers and squinting out to sea. What he saw continued to awe him-he had never been farther than his own plateau and its surrounding woods in his life. Getting down to business, he got a better grip on the claw, twining its thong around his talons. Then he launched himself of the branch, spreading his majestic wings in flight. Refreshed, Karractach sped away on the errand that was so important to the greatest of all the People.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Daine woke at dawn to the sound of soldiers stirring all around her. Her back ached and when she touched one of the welts pain flamed up. She bit her lip and slowly got up, groaning with pain as she stretched.
What's wrong? Zek asked.
Nothing, I'm just sore. Zek was still worried, but Daine's repeated assurances that everything would be fine convinced him in the end. I have to be strong, Daine thought, If only for Zek's sake. So, when breakfast was brought to her, (Porridge again, Daine thought) she got up the nerve to ask Barone some questions.
"Where are you taking me?"
"I can't tell you that, little one," the man answered, and Daine wondered at how silky and cultured his voice was. "What you don't know can't hurt you."
"Oh but it can."
He laughed. "I admire your spirit, but I'm under strict orders not to tell you anything."
So he's not their real leader, she thought. To change the subject, she asked, "Who was that man yesterday morning?" Barone smiled and called to someone.
"BRUTUS!" To her horror, Daine saw the bearded man walking over, each step heavy and determined. "Brutus, Lady-Sarrasri" he spat the word out and Daine cringed, "wants to know about you." This question seemed to heavily offend the man, and his face clouded in anger.
"Don't ask stupid questions," the man growled, and his whip flicked and cracked an inch away from her face. She retreated nervously but bumped against the invisible barrier.
"Now, now, Brutus," the leader said patronizingly, "You're scaring her." This statement enraged the man even more. He vented it on Daine, and before she knew it, the heavy leather whip had lashed her hand, cutting a deep, red mark across it. Pain flamed up her arm and she gasped. Now Barone was angry. They had to return her to his master in one piece, not in ribbons! He drew his sword, pointing it at the huge man beside him. "Leave," he said, his voice a threatening, low growl. "Now." Brutus backed up and then fled. He turned to find Daine on the ground, leaning back on air, breathing heavily. Her hand was bleeding freely, and she seemed in shock. He frowned- that didn't seem like her.
Daine's vision had clouded over. She saw a mist, and in the mist figures moved. Her father held her mother, who was trying desperately to get at something, then collapsed and sobbed into his arms. She saw the badger, arguing with the Graveyard Hag in Mithros' court. And she saw Kaddar (how strange), arguing with one of his generals. Everyone seemed to be arguing. Then that picture faded into another one-Daine shuddered to see a vast army of ragged men assembled on a plain, the otherwise clear sky clouded with camp smoke.
Barone reached down a hand. "Here, let me help you up," he said.
Zek had had enough. These people were hurting Daine, over and over, and he couldn't do anything. Now this strange man was reaching out, threatening her once again. He emerged from behind Daine's hair, chittering angrily, and leaped onto his hand, digging his heavy, tree climbing claws into the man's skin. He yelped and shook his hand, trying to dislodge the marmoset.
Daine woke from her visions to Zek's angry chitters. Horrified, she watched as he scratched Barone's hand and was shaken back and forth. "Zek!" she cried, and, suddenly furious, leaped up and grabbed the soldier's hand. Zek jumped to her shoulder, claws bloodied. Daine stood still, ready to defy the man's anger for the sake of her friend who had protected her.
"Well, well, well." Barone leared, suddenly appearing more ferocious than he had before, holding his hand, which bled a little from the tiny cuts that Zek had made. "Looks like you have a companion after all." Daine hugged Zek to her chest. "Don't touch him," she hissed.
"But I'm afraid I must." He reached for Zek, and Daine lashed out, her nails coming in contact with the soft flesh on his face, and scratched down. Suddenly, she had an idea that would stop Barone. Quickly, she made her mouth like the muzzle of a wolf and snarled, baring her teeth and snapping them together threateningly. The result was instantaneous. Barone backed away, horror and fear written all over his face. Once he was a safe distance away, Daine changed back and stood, crooning softly to the shivering Zek.
Barone watched in awe from a distance as his captive coolly changed her mouth back to normal and stood cuddling her monkey. He had heard of her power, but that he had never imagined. To be able to partly change! He shuddered. It was like a demon had appeared before him, human except for the half-wolf face. What could she do to him if she tried? He lifted a hand to his face, where the scratches were slowly oozing blood, and, for the first time, wished that his master had sent someone else to take care of this, this. this devil-child. He shook his head at the doubts that were now filling it, and signaled for the march to continue.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
A/N: Daine gets her revenge! Told you it would come out alright.
P.S. Shadowweaver: Thanks for reviewing. I'll hurry up and write more
Spice: Soon, soon, they'll be happy.