Disclaimer: You all know I don't own anything so why bother saying it.
A/N: Please review?!
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Daine had trudged the whole day, thinking about Numair. Had he got her message? Would he understand it, if he did get it? The most chilling thought was that Karracatach had delivered the message, Numair had understood, and that he wouldn't come help her. She dwelt on this for hours. After all, he had every reason to despise her now-what made her so sure that he would come? Again and again, she ran over the possibilies in her mind, and her conclusion was always that it all depended on Karracatch. If he could only get her claw to Tortall.Surely Numair wouldn't stop Alanna or Onua from coming for her? Or would he? Zek had noticed her anxiety, and tried to comfort her. That was when she had explained their real situation to the tiny primate. His response had been decided.
Don't worry. He'll come.
Do you really think so?
Of course.
Daine had reached up to cuddle him, and he snuggled her hand from where he perched on her shoulder.
Now the stars were out, and Daine lay, turning her position from her stomach, to each of her sides. She was sore from walking all day, and the stinging on her back had renewed. She sighed. If only.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In his throne room, Jonathan of Conte sat with his friends, discussing Numair. Thayet, Onua, Alanna, and he had all noticed the mage's total decrease in spirit. They were all worried about him, asking themselves what on earth was wrong with him. Onua had an idea, but she was definitely not telling her friends.
"I don't know what's wrong with him," Alanna said, "It's like he's lost all interest in life."
"It's Daine," Jon said. "It started when he heard about Daine." He glanced at Thayet.
"You're right," Thayet said, revelation on her face. "It did start then."
For both her friends' sakes, Onua acted quickly to dispel any idea they might have of what she was pretty sure was the truth. "He's probably just worried about her," she said. They nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think he quite believes that Daine just left," she continued.
"But why else." Jon started, but didn't end the sentence. All 3 of his companions shrugged, they didn't know.
Suddenly, a harsh, echoing, violently majestic cry was heard outside. They all looked automatically towards the window, which they had opened to let in the cool night breeze. All 4 were surprised when a large bird landed on the sill, outlined with stars. Alanna, her wits quicker than the rest due to her sword training, summoned her gift, and light filled the room. The friends saw a large brown hawk, perched and blinking, evidently searching for something in the room. And in its talons.
"Go get Numair. Tell him its urgent!" Jon ordered, and a servant ran to comply. The hawk jumped a little as the door closed, but remained where he was, shifting his weight from foot to foot. None of the assembled moved, afraid of chasing away the brilliant bird. Then Alanna whispered, "Is that what I think it is?" She didn't need to say what she was talking about. "It is," Onua comfirmed, in an equally low voice.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Two minutes later, Numair came in, looking hurried but unattached and disinterested, as he had for the last 3 days. When he saw what his friends were staring at, his eyes widened and he straightened, hope coming into his eyes. "Daine?" he asked, incredulous. But, a minute later, he realized that the bird didn't have that intelligent spark in his eyes that Daine had when she transformed into an animal. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Little did he expect what happened next.
The hawk flew to his shoulder as if it had always done so, and dangled a string in his face. Surprised, Numair looked at the fierce bird questioningly. Then, focusing on the object that it held outstretched, Numair realized with a gasp what it was. He paled, then flushed, and his friends watched awed as all the old fire returned to his eyes. He reached for the thong and the bird reluctantly let it go. Holding the claw like something precious in his large hands, Numair looked again at the bird. Then down at the claw, then back again. "LINDHALL!" he roared, his voice magically amplified, almost deafening the people present, and the hawk screeched and fluttered up, coming to rest on the throne above Jon's head, where it sat, delicately preening its feathers.
The mage Lindhall Reed appeared panting at the doorway a few minutes later. His hair was rumpled, and he had his reading glasses perched on his nose. Blank scrolls stuck out of the pockets of his robe. He had obviously been reading late.
"Numair, what is it?" he asked, surprised at seeing his friend so quickly revived. But before the mage could supply an answer, Lindhall's gaze had fallen on the bird of prey that still sat on the throne. "Ah." he breathed. "A most interesting bird.". But with Numair so worked up, his attention couldn't remain on his favorite subject for long.
"Lindhall!" Numair said. "Look!" He held up the claw.
"But," Lindhall mumbled, not making sense, "that-Daine! How.What? The claw.That bird. What does this have to do with me?" he asked, exsasperated.
"That bird just brought me this," Numair said, holding the badger's claw up somewhat triumphantly.
"And." Lindhall still didn't get it. Now Onua spoke up. She had guessed Numair's intention. "Daine would never part with that unless it was an emergency. So we need to know where she gave it to that magnificent creature that is looking so comfortable over there."
"Ah, I see," Lindhall mumbled. Then he spoke clearly. He had evidently found whatever his mind was searching for. "The Carthaki hawk," he said, sounding like an encyclopedia, "has a unique social structure to animals, with one being the leader of the whole group, and no other ranks. It is fast, intelligent, and has amazing stamina." He paused a little to let that sink in. "It lives," he continued dramatically, "in only one area-the south of Carthak." His audience sat, stunned, until Alanna burst out with, "Oh, Goddess!"
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A/N: So, you like? I'll update as soon as possible.
Thanks for reviewing!
KetchupFiend: I'll finish this ASAP so you can know the whole story! Thanks!
Shadowweaver: Hmm. Why would Daine take a horse if she could turn into one at will?
A/N: Please review?!
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Daine had trudged the whole day, thinking about Numair. Had he got her message? Would he understand it, if he did get it? The most chilling thought was that Karracatach had delivered the message, Numair had understood, and that he wouldn't come help her. She dwelt on this for hours. After all, he had every reason to despise her now-what made her so sure that he would come? Again and again, she ran over the possibilies in her mind, and her conclusion was always that it all depended on Karracatch. If he could only get her claw to Tortall.Surely Numair wouldn't stop Alanna or Onua from coming for her? Or would he? Zek had noticed her anxiety, and tried to comfort her. That was when she had explained their real situation to the tiny primate. His response had been decided.
Don't worry. He'll come.
Do you really think so?
Of course.
Daine had reached up to cuddle him, and he snuggled her hand from where he perched on her shoulder.
Now the stars were out, and Daine lay, turning her position from her stomach, to each of her sides. She was sore from walking all day, and the stinging on her back had renewed. She sighed. If only.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In his throne room, Jonathan of Conte sat with his friends, discussing Numair. Thayet, Onua, Alanna, and he had all noticed the mage's total decrease in spirit. They were all worried about him, asking themselves what on earth was wrong with him. Onua had an idea, but she was definitely not telling her friends.
"I don't know what's wrong with him," Alanna said, "It's like he's lost all interest in life."
"It's Daine," Jon said. "It started when he heard about Daine." He glanced at Thayet.
"You're right," Thayet said, revelation on her face. "It did start then."
For both her friends' sakes, Onua acted quickly to dispel any idea they might have of what she was pretty sure was the truth. "He's probably just worried about her," she said. They nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think he quite believes that Daine just left," she continued.
"But why else." Jon started, but didn't end the sentence. All 3 of his companions shrugged, they didn't know.
Suddenly, a harsh, echoing, violently majestic cry was heard outside. They all looked automatically towards the window, which they had opened to let in the cool night breeze. All 4 were surprised when a large bird landed on the sill, outlined with stars. Alanna, her wits quicker than the rest due to her sword training, summoned her gift, and light filled the room. The friends saw a large brown hawk, perched and blinking, evidently searching for something in the room. And in its talons.
"Go get Numair. Tell him its urgent!" Jon ordered, and a servant ran to comply. The hawk jumped a little as the door closed, but remained where he was, shifting his weight from foot to foot. None of the assembled moved, afraid of chasing away the brilliant bird. Then Alanna whispered, "Is that what I think it is?" She didn't need to say what she was talking about. "It is," Onua comfirmed, in an equally low voice.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Two minutes later, Numair came in, looking hurried but unattached and disinterested, as he had for the last 3 days. When he saw what his friends were staring at, his eyes widened and he straightened, hope coming into his eyes. "Daine?" he asked, incredulous. But, a minute later, he realized that the bird didn't have that intelligent spark in his eyes that Daine had when she transformed into an animal. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Little did he expect what happened next.
The hawk flew to his shoulder as if it had always done so, and dangled a string in his face. Surprised, Numair looked at the fierce bird questioningly. Then, focusing on the object that it held outstretched, Numair realized with a gasp what it was. He paled, then flushed, and his friends watched awed as all the old fire returned to his eyes. He reached for the thong and the bird reluctantly let it go. Holding the claw like something precious in his large hands, Numair looked again at the bird. Then down at the claw, then back again. "LINDHALL!" he roared, his voice magically amplified, almost deafening the people present, and the hawk screeched and fluttered up, coming to rest on the throne above Jon's head, where it sat, delicately preening its feathers.
The mage Lindhall Reed appeared panting at the doorway a few minutes later. His hair was rumpled, and he had his reading glasses perched on his nose. Blank scrolls stuck out of the pockets of his robe. He had obviously been reading late.
"Numair, what is it?" he asked, surprised at seeing his friend so quickly revived. But before the mage could supply an answer, Lindhall's gaze had fallen on the bird of prey that still sat on the throne. "Ah." he breathed. "A most interesting bird.". But with Numair so worked up, his attention couldn't remain on his favorite subject for long.
"Lindhall!" Numair said. "Look!" He held up the claw.
"But," Lindhall mumbled, not making sense, "that-Daine! How.What? The claw.That bird. What does this have to do with me?" he asked, exsasperated.
"That bird just brought me this," Numair said, holding the badger's claw up somewhat triumphantly.
"And." Lindhall still didn't get it. Now Onua spoke up. She had guessed Numair's intention. "Daine would never part with that unless it was an emergency. So we need to know where she gave it to that magnificent creature that is looking so comfortable over there."
"Ah, I see," Lindhall mumbled. Then he spoke clearly. He had evidently found whatever his mind was searching for. "The Carthaki hawk," he said, sounding like an encyclopedia, "has a unique social structure to animals, with one being the leader of the whole group, and no other ranks. It is fast, intelligent, and has amazing stamina." He paused a little to let that sink in. "It lives," he continued dramatically, "in only one area-the south of Carthak." His audience sat, stunned, until Alanna burst out with, "Oh, Goddess!"
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A/N: So, you like? I'll update as soon as possible.
Thanks for reviewing!
KetchupFiend: I'll finish this ASAP so you can know the whole story! Thanks!
Shadowweaver: Hmm. Why would Daine take a horse if she could turn into one at will?