The next morning, Daine woke early to bird calls and the bleating of sheep.  But something wasn't quite right.  She sat on her bed for a moment before realizing what the problem was.  An animal outside was hurt. 

            Standing, she donned stockings, britches and a light shirt.  She didn't even bother waking Numair, knowing that he would need his sleep if he was going to do what she asked.  Putting it out of her mind, she strode to the door.  As she opened it, there was a gasp, and it became plain that Rand was on the other side.

"Sorry." Muttered Daine.

"It's fine." Said Rand back, and then he paused.  "Say, Daine?"

"What?" asked Daine, becoming anxious.  She wanted to find that Animal.

"You still have that…knack…for animals, don't you?"

Daine smirked.  It was obvious that Lory had forgotten to tell him about her 'knack'.

"You could say that."

"Well…" Rand rubbed his neck… "Theres a horse down with colic near town.  We're a little short on hands…"

"Oh, is that it?" Daine asked, realizing only afterwards that it had sounded rather abrupt.  Rand looked at her oddly, but said nothing. "Sorry, just take me there."

"A-Are you sure?  I had to come back here for an extra lead line.  She's started trying to roll."

Daine winced.  She hated curing Colic, it always meant traveling the intestines with her magic and straightening them out.  The magic also pushed along everything in the intestines, and it ended up being a messy job every time.

"Grab an extra pair of cloths please, that all I need." 

Rand grabbed a shirt and skirt from the sewing table in the corner and set off, looking perplexed.  Daine didn't care, she was already searching for the horse with her magic, getting to know her before meeting her face to face.

~^~

They reached the barn in about five minutes, Daine jogging ahead of Rand, who was very confused indeed.  The three people still there looked haggered and tired.  None of them recognized her, it was too early in the morning, and all of them were no older than eighteen, which meant that they wouldn't recognize her.  Daine smiled to herself.  This was good.

"Is she any better?" asked Rand.

All three shook their heads.

Daine peeped. 

"Could I…could I see her?"

The three boys looked at eachother, looked at Rand, looked at Daine and shrugged.  Daine took this to be a yes.

Talking the whole time to the horse, who was scared half to death, she soothed its urge to roll, telling her that that would just make matters worse.  The horse trusted her, and stopped trying to roll immediately.  The boys, surprised, braced for another push, sure that this was the calm before the storm.

"Don't clutch the leads like that, it makes her nervous."

Something in her voice must have warned them not to argue, because they relaxed their grip, looking at Rand with strained faces.

"You might want to move away from her rear." Said Daine as she began the process of straightening the kinks.  The boys, obedient to this strange girl who had walked in and calmed the hose immediately, did so.

~^~

It took half an hour to clean the horse out, and another five to heal the various cuts that she had gotten when desperate measures had been used to get her up from rolling.  Daine didn't approve at all, but knew that the horse had never been hurt before, only in this situation.  She forgave the farmers even as she healed the scratches, when the horse told her that one of the boys had been crying when he did it.

Thankyou prairie sister.

Daine smiled.

Glad to help.

She came out of meditation to four very surprised faces, and a pile of horse feces near her shoe.  She glared half-heartedly at the mare when she realized she was being laughed at horse style.  Then she saw the looks on the faces of the four men, and sighed.

"I suppose I should explain."

Four heads bobbed up and down in agreement.

~^~

FORGIVE ME O' READERS!

I have neglected my fanfiction roots, in an attempt to get an original done. (Incidentally, it almost is.) I also have work, which sucks up my time like a vacuum sucks dirt.  And, two hours later, as I write this, everytime I get on the friggen computer, something pulls me away.

So be patient, it may be another month before I update this again…sorry!!!! (and at least it isn't a cliffie…