A/N~ Kyrette? Hun you feel up to talking to the readers?

Kyrette~ :I feel fine. Just a bit bloated from all that ham. So I have topped 100 reviews after begging and begging. But I'm not bitter. Nope not bitter at all. So disclaimer as always: Lackey owns we do not. Enjoy!:

Cat~ Ok maybe he's a little bitter….

Chapter 29~ Out of the pits of hell

Wanderstone was curious beyond belief about the mage. He wasn't foolish enough however to go try to look himself. Instead, he sent Jaarthe over to look. Jaarthe settled into a tree, well hidden, overlooking the camp. Wanderstone looked through his eyes studying the odd group.

The only one that could be a mage wore deep blue robes, almost black, embroidered with yellow patterns that Jaarthe couldn't quite see. His hair was not the white Wanderstone had expected, but a deep brown color, greasy and matted with dirt. The other man there had to be a bodyguard of sorts. He looked like every mercenary Wanderstone had ever seen. Granted that hadn't been many but the man fit the profile. 'Flame herself wandered into the small area, giving Wanderstone sight of her when she was playacting.

The woman he had spoken to was nothing like the one Jaarthe saw now. The one he'd seen had been a lovely young woman, her face vibrant with life, eyes sparkling.

The one below was frightening. Her face was dead. Nothing showed what she was thinking or what she might do next. Her crystal blue eyes, so soft and expressive with him, looked gray and dead. Wanderstone shuddered a bit to see her in this persona and marveled that she could change so drastically. Her hair was rebraided and she moved like a panther on the hunt.

He saw her walk up to the mage and report something which made the mage smile. Her expression never changed. Wanderstone shuddered as her eyes scanned the area, passing over Jaarthe. He couldn't tell whether she saw the falcon or not. He called Jaarthe back, unwilling for him to be accidentally seen.

Rrussin sat beneath the tree. He looked up as Wanderstone stretched his arms. :See anything interesting?: He asked. Wanderstone looked at him cautiously but shrugged.

:She's a damned fine actress if that's what you mean. Other than that, yes I did.: He fed the image he had of the mage to his friend. :Notice what I did?:

The kyree sat back on his haunches, looking contemplative. :He can't be using nodes. His hair is too dark. The nodes would have bleached him white.:

:Exactly. So how does he expect to control a node?: Wanderstone asked. He had never heard of anyone being able to use the nodes and being unchanged except for Shadowflame. And hers were special circumstances. Special? He snorted to himself. Downright extraordinary was closer to the truth.

:You're thinking about her again.: The kyree teased. When Wanderstone looked down, he could see the smile his friend wore. :I can tell. You get all dreamy eyed.:

Wanderstone threw a pinecone at him.

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Smoke prowled the campsite, something making her edgy. She'd seen Jaarthe before but hadn't even blinked. Wanderstone had his own right to spy out the situation. So, dismissing the falcon out of hand, there was something else. An undercurrent of something was there.

The mage and the bodyguard looked blissfully unaware. She paced the campsite, looking into every corner, under every bush, inspecting the trees. Everytime she moved a branch or a rock a smell would permeate the air and tease her nostrils. It was one she'd smelled before. It teased her mind.

The smell bothered her, it was something she should know. Something that her mind refused to bring to the fore. It bothered her. Her muscles stayed tense and she prowled the campsite, edgy and uncertain.

Something was going to happen tonight. The feeling oppressed her making the air heavy. Sniffing the air, she decided that there was no storm in the offing. Rain would have been welcome though. She felt the need for a bath and didn't dare do it anywhere near either the bodyguard or the mage. The only time she dared was when it rained because then the mage and bodyguard stayed close to camp, allowing her to venture off a bit and bathe a little.

She thought with envy of her warmed bathing pools back in Haven and almost moaned. That was one luxury she couldn't wait to reacquaint herself with. Servants too. Even though they had had very little to do, it would be nice to have someone else to pick up after her, bring her a meal if she didn't feel up to company.

Sighing, she went to check on the horses. :You look pensive tonight, love.: Darkfire said, nuzzling her shoulder. :Something wrong?: 'Flame leaned against him, glad to have his solid presence at her back.

She unbraided her hair and ran her fingers through it quickly. Then, with swift, practiced fingers she redid the braid, still trying to figure out what the smell was. Also trying not to dwell on the luxuries she missed.

:Thinking of Wanderstone?: Darkfire needled her gently.

She rounded on him a frown on her face. :YOU!: She "shouted" at him. He reared back with a snort. :That little comment about 'trading flowers' was completely uncalled for!: She picked up one of her brushes and began grooming him, being a bit more gentle than she really wanted to.

:What?: He asked, trying to look innocent. Her scowl just deepened. :What? You liked the way he looked. He obviously is not put off by you. Trading flowers should be just fine.: While his logic may have been sound it still made her uneasy. She had never traded flowers with anyone. There had never been anyone she had wanted to.

Still Wanderstone didn't treat her any different than any other scout. He treated her like an equal, a partner. That was something no one else had ever done.

'Flame sighed and leaned onto Darkfire, absorbing his strength for a moment. Life was getting complicated again. Something she didn't need and didn't want. She had to survive (mentally and physically) destroying this mage first. Then came her responsibilities in Haven. After that.. Maybe.

Now, however wasn't the time to be dwelling on what might or could happen. She had to survive this first.

A smell came on the breeze, the same smell that had been bothering her all night. Darkfire threw his head up, catching the scent. He rolled his one eye to look back at 'Flame. :That's the smell of wyrsa, love.:

All of a sudden, she knew why she'd been agitated all night. That smell permeated the clearing. It was over everything in that glade. There shouldn't have been any wyrsa this close to a vale.

:Wanderstone!: The frantic Mindcall went out, while she was retying the horses so they could run easily, if it was needed. She felt him come to her immediately. :Have there been any wyrsa in the area?:

She could feel him thinking and communicating probably with Rrussin for a moment. :A small pack. No more than three or four in it. Why?:

'Flame started swearing at herself. How could she have been so stupid?! She was in the Pelagirs, she'd already dealt with Change wolves. How could she have forgotten the wyrsa?

She pelted back to camp, not bothering to hide her consternation. Neither the mage or the bodyguard seemed to notice her agitation. She gathered up her things and began to move. When she passed the mage for a second time, he stopped her. "What are you doing?" He asked her.

Smoke just smiled coldly. "I won't spend the night in a wyrsa nest." The words were barely out of her mouth before all hells broke loose.

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Wanderstone cursed himself a fool as he raced through the trees. Below him Rrussin ran among the foliage, almost a ghost, leaving no trace of his passing, but making good speed.

Both birds soared through the trees, following the urgent scout. One shared his deep worry about Shadowflame. The other was following his bondmate, feeling his urgency.

They reached the campsite, staying out of sight. The scene there made his blood run cold.

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A/N~ Quick reviewer thankees.. Then I have to write more…

Queen's Own~ You didn't think it would be that easy did you?

Wizard116~ A couple more chapters and you wont be waiting anymore.

Anything~ Twists and Turns? Honey you aint seen nothing yet!

Shahanna~ Yeah yeah.. So does Kyrette but if I just had her fight the mage.. Wouldn't be much of a story would it?

Etcetera-cat~ NOTHING?? WOW! Excuse me I have to go have a heart attack….