Star Bright
Review Responses:
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Goddess Of The Moon: Yeah, I try to keep things not so far out so that questions like that can be asked. ^-^;; Guess I should have made it more obvious… Ah, well.
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Frisha: Hehehe… yes, definitely going to keep you asking questions again, though I'm giving out the girl's identity already…
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horseluver: Don't worry, of course I'm going to be a shameless plugger and put the site up when I'm done it. -.-;;
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Key:
* * * Scene Change
//talk// Daine or animal talking
NOTE: You're lucky. This is going to be a bit longer then usual today because I started it yesterday. Big important point in plot here! Almost 1/3 done the whole story, too! ^-^;;
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Numair urged Spots to run after Marcus. But the horse wouldn't move. Why not? Numair looked down and saw that Spots was stuck in thick mud. "No, Spots I know you can't understand me but you have to get out! Daine's in trouble!" he whispered into the horse's ear. Somehow, the horse seemed to understand that his voice was upset and heard Daine's voice. What ever Spots understood, it did the trick. The horse reared up, got its legs free, and galloped off into the direction Marcus was headed. He would get to Daine. No matter what it took.
* * *
It was nearing nighttime, and the sun was setting. Spots had slowed down considerably but was still running. Barely. Numair was happy for the night because he knew that Marcus would make a camp. He had to, right? And if he didn't that meant he was close to his destination! Numair smiled to himself. This would work out. He would get Daine back, too. That is, if Daine already hadn't escaped. That would be a nice thought…
* * *
Marcus slowed the large horse to a halt. He first got off, and then the shadow shifted back to normal. It then put Daine and Star Bright down. Marcus kicked the ground and opened a trap door that was there. Down inside he unpacked a tent, a bedroll, firewood, and rope. Of course he tied Daine and Star Bright with the rope, started a fire and got his tent up. Daine looked up in the sky and groaned. Storm clouds hung overhead. "Great. We're still captured and now we'll be soaking wet." Daine complained. Star Bright smiled.
"Wait until Marcus goes to sleep. Then we escape." Star Bright said. Daine smiled.
"You have a plan?" Daine asked.
"No, this just takes common sense." Star Bright smirked to herself, and settled against a tree and waited for Marcus to finally go to sleep. It didn't take long, actually. Only about 5 minutes. When they both were sure he was asleep, Star Bright whispered to Daine, "All I have to do is transform into a cat, the ropes won't confine me then. I can then untie you. Marcus obviously over looked that."
"Great, the sooner the better." Daine said. Star Bright closed her eyes, and her white bangs shortened and went back inside her star. Her head changed shape, and grew fur while the hair shortened to fur. Her dress melted into her skin, turning into fur. Her hands shortened and grew claws. The feet did the same. She then walked up to Daine once fully in cat form and used her claws to cut off Daine's ropes. "Thanks, Star Bright." Daine said. Then she added, "Who are you anyway?" The question never answered. Star Bright sighed.
"The part the shadow took out of you, Daine." Star Bright said finally. "Though Marcus turned me into a human. Now I can't become one with you again. Unless Numair has a spell that can help, I'm stuck as my own person with powers that are rightfully yours, Daine." She explained. Daine couldn't believe her ears. After taking it all in, she spoke.
"I'm sure Numair will think of something to do." Daine said. Star Bright smiled weakly.
"You can't always rely on some one else, Daine." Star Bright said, which surprised Daine.
"I-I do not, Star Bright." Daine replied. Star Bright grinned.
"That's what you think. Anyway, we best be on our way. Don't want Marcus finding out we're escaping, right? I'll cover our tracks." Star replied, and got up. Daine followed. Just about 10 minutes later, they spotted someone on a horse. Daine grinned.
"Some help. Great!" she said. (A/N: I hope you all know who it is: NOT NUMAIR!! Like I'd let it be that easy for them? ;-) ) Daine rushed up to the rider, with Star Bright on her heels. A girl that looked as if she was a shadow rode on the great white horse. "Um, could you perhaps help us get back to Corus?" Daine asked her. She smiled wickedly.
"You have something I want." She told Daine. Daine wasn't stupid; she slowly backed away and whispered to Star Bright,
"Get away from her. Fast." Daine transformed into a hawk and flew off. Star Bright went back into her cat form and bolted, keeping in tall grass to be hidden. The girl, though, seemed to know exactly where Star Bright was and ran after her. She soon caught of with Star Bright and leaned nearly off her horse to grab the cat. Daine above saw this, and knew she had to get Star Bright back, find Numair, or follow the girl. Following sounded like the best choice, but the two seemed to just vanish. Daine flew back around to go back to Corus to think of a new plan. On her way there, she spotted Numair. (A/N: Think I made that too easy for them…? I do.) She flew down and pecked at him.
"You're Daine, I presume?" He told her. The hawk nodded. "Where's Star Bright?" he asked. Daine tried to shrug, but in hawk form was unsuccessful. "Tell me later. Go back to Corus?" Numair asked. A nod. He turned around and came back the way he came with Daine hawk following.
* * *
Daine walked out of her room. "Now, what happened?" Numair asked.
"Well, you know Marcus kidnapped us. He relocated us afraid that Varice would tell you where he was. He set up a camp, and me and Star Bright,"
"Star Bright and I" Numair corrected.
"Star Bright and I escaped after he fell asleep." Daine said. Outside, thunder crashed. "Then we met this girl riding. She said we had something she wanted so we both shape shifted and fled. She caught Star Bright and disappeared. Oh, and Star Bright was, well, turned into a human." Daine said. Numair didn't seem fazed.
"She can still transfer her powers to you. Once she was turned human not only does she have wild magic, she can give as many people as she chooses the magic. That is possibly what that girl wants her for, the ability to transfer her magic. That girl could create a whole army of spies and we wouldn't know it. Let's hope that Star Bright can stand strong." Numair said. Daine smiled a bit.
"So now all we have to do is find her and I can get my powers back? But what will happen to Star Bright after all of this…?" Daine wondered.
"She'll probably stay in cat form and leave the palace. She is really an animal Daine, she just takes the shape of a human." Numair told her. Daine sighed.
"We could have used her around here though." Daine said.
"It's up to you and her what happens to her, Daine. I think it would be best for her to leave the palace and live with other cats." Numair said.
"It's just so weird to know that she's a cat. She seems like a real person to me." Daine told him.
"For now, though, let's just try to find Star Bright. There has to be something you can do, Daine, since she was part of you. First of all, we must get rid of that demon." Numair said.
"How?" Daine wondered.
"I created something to take it out of you." Numair waved his hand the way Marcus did, and a shadow slid through the floor. "This is one I made." He told Daine. The shadow slave reached into Daine and removed a red strand, and Daine collapsed to the floor weak. "Are you OK, magelet?" Numair asked her.
"Yes, just a little weak…" At this Daine fainted.
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"What do you want with me?" Star Bright asked the shadow girl. "And who are you?"
"I'm the queen of the shadows. I'm using you to create a whole army of beings with the same power as you. All you need to do is give my army of shadow people and me, not shadow slaves, your power and I'll let you go. Sound fair?" The girl told her.
"What are you going to do with the army?" Star Bright demanded.
"What do you think? Use this world and create it into my shadow world. I have been going around, collecting as much power for my army and me as I can." The queen said. "You are just another factor in my grand plan. Marcus? He was just a pawn. I really need you…" she said with a smirk planted on her face.
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Yeah! I finished it! *runs around like a lunatic* I had a very short spasm of Writer's block there…