"So I think that we should go to the den before seeing Maura. Do you agree?
Numair?"
Daine looked at her companion. Numair was lost deep in thought and obviously hadn't heard a word she said. She called his name a few more times without success. Sighing she spoke to his mount Spots.
Could you speed up for a moment please? I want to get his attention. The horse gave a soft whinny-laugh and gave a quick trot. Numair, who had a tendency to drop the reins while riding smoothly and who usually managed to get his balance back when Spots suddenly sped up, slipped off the saddle and landed with a thump on the ground. Glaring up at his student and loved one he stood up and brushed himself off.
"I assume there is a point to your rash and evil act?" He drawled as he remounted. His piebald mount turned to look at his rider, then tossed his head and let out another whinny-laugh. Numair grimaced at him. "You've been spending too much time with her." He grumbled. "She's turning my own mount on me."
Well, he should have held onto the reins. Daine's mount, Cloud, commented dryly.. Having spent almost all her life with Daine, the gray pony had a strong sense of humour. The blue-gold scaled baby dragon behind Daine trilled her amusement Grinning, Daine relayed this to Numair then repeated what she had originally said.
"I see where that would be a good idea. But still we might want to send a message to Maura, that way she will be expecting us and we won't have to wait for a bath."
Daine tensed. She wanted to get to that den. The dragon chirped her concern. "I'm fine, Kit." She murmured.
"Numair," She said, once she knew her voice would be steady. "Maura knows we are coming and there is a sick person in Brokefang's den who needs our help!"
Numair looked sideways at Daine. She was so tense that her fingernails had changed to the claws of a wild cat.
"Daine, hands." When she blushed and changed them back he managed to convince her to at least send Sunclaw, a golden eagle they had met on their first trip here, with a written message. Then they headed to Brokefang's den when something occurred to him.
"Daine?" She turned to look at him, "Have Fleetfoot and Russet ever been able to reach you over long distances like that before?" The wolves had contacted Daine five days away from the palace.
She opened her mouth then closed it and tilted her head to the side. "Come to think of it. No. That's also outside my usual ten mile range."
They both sat in thoughtful silence for a bit. Numair was about to speak when they reached the den. Dismounting and stepping inside. Both humans froze at the girl in front of them.
"Mithros, Minos, and Shakith." Numair whispered. The girl had the same length of hair as Daine but it was slightly darker, almost black. The girl's eyes were closed but she had the same shape of face. She looked to be about the same height but she was curled up so it was hard to tell.
We all mistook her for you at first. Brokefang spoke coming up to lick her hands. She can do somethings that you can and others that you can't. She smells like she has magic fire like the stork-man but she talks like you. Inside our heads.
Daine looked down to stare at her friend. He rarely spoke so much. She glanced back at the girl and had the weird feeling of looking at a mirror and a picture at the same time.
Daine looked at her companion. Numair was lost deep in thought and obviously hadn't heard a word she said. She called his name a few more times without success. Sighing she spoke to his mount Spots.
Could you speed up for a moment please? I want to get his attention. The horse gave a soft whinny-laugh and gave a quick trot. Numair, who had a tendency to drop the reins while riding smoothly and who usually managed to get his balance back when Spots suddenly sped up, slipped off the saddle and landed with a thump on the ground. Glaring up at his student and loved one he stood up and brushed himself off.
"I assume there is a point to your rash and evil act?" He drawled as he remounted. His piebald mount turned to look at his rider, then tossed his head and let out another whinny-laugh. Numair grimaced at him. "You've been spending too much time with her." He grumbled. "She's turning my own mount on me."
Well, he should have held onto the reins. Daine's mount, Cloud, commented dryly.. Having spent almost all her life with Daine, the gray pony had a strong sense of humour. The blue-gold scaled baby dragon behind Daine trilled her amusement Grinning, Daine relayed this to Numair then repeated what she had originally said.
"I see where that would be a good idea. But still we might want to send a message to Maura, that way she will be expecting us and we won't have to wait for a bath."
Daine tensed. She wanted to get to that den. The dragon chirped her concern. "I'm fine, Kit." She murmured.
"Numair," She said, once she knew her voice would be steady. "Maura knows we are coming and there is a sick person in Brokefang's den who needs our help!"
Numair looked sideways at Daine. She was so tense that her fingernails had changed to the claws of a wild cat.
"Daine, hands." When she blushed and changed them back he managed to convince her to at least send Sunclaw, a golden eagle they had met on their first trip here, with a written message. Then they headed to Brokefang's den when something occurred to him.
"Daine?" She turned to look at him, "Have Fleetfoot and Russet ever been able to reach you over long distances like that before?" The wolves had contacted Daine five days away from the palace.
She opened her mouth then closed it and tilted her head to the side. "Come to think of it. No. That's also outside my usual ten mile range."
They both sat in thoughtful silence for a bit. Numair was about to speak when they reached the den. Dismounting and stepping inside. Both humans froze at the girl in front of them.
"Mithros, Minos, and Shakith." Numair whispered. The girl had the same length of hair as Daine but it was slightly darker, almost black. The girl's eyes were closed but she had the same shape of face. She looked to be about the same height but she was curled up so it was hard to tell.
We all mistook her for you at first. Brokefang spoke coming up to lick her hands. She can do somethings that you can and others that you can't. She smells like she has magic fire like the stork-man but she talks like you. Inside our heads.
Daine looked down to stare at her friend. He rarely spoke so much. She glanced back at the girl and had the weird feeling of looking at a mirror and a picture at the same time.