How It Might Have Been:

Chapter 2

The Dream And The Meeting

Disclaimer: Eveything belongs to Tamora. (I refuse to call her Tammy as if she's my best friend.)

Rating: PG-13, sometimes.

Author's Note: To understand this story, you should probably pretend you don't know anything about 'The Immortals', since the events are kind of random. That said, start reading!

Summary: What if Daine had stayed with the wolves without remembering she was human for a longer time? Say, years?

Daine wrinkled her face, murmuring. Dreaming. The same dream, again. In her dream, she was with the wolves. She had to remember something very important, but she couldn't think of it. She asked the other wolves if they knew, but they only stared at her in surprise. Friendship was in their eyes, but so was question. Why did you become a human instead of staying a wolf, Daine? asked Flameheart. She tried to answer that Flameheart shouldn't be ridicules, she wasn't a human, but all she could do was ask about what she had to remember. What is it like to be a human, Daine? asked Halftail. Daine tried to object, but she could only miserably ask about the memory. Then all the wolves backed away, and stood in a pack without her. She tried to join them, but though she could mingle with them and speak to them, somehow she wasn't Pack anymore. Just when she was despairing, a faceless human reached out a hand and she could understand it when it reached out a hand and whispered, "Come with me, Daine." Daine reached out, and her hand was halfway there when she froze, unsure. The human kept whispering encouragingly to her, but she didn't know what to do. Then, suddenly, she froze completely, hand extended halfway. A voice whispered near her ear, Veralidaine Sarrasri...chose your destiny... Then blackness whirled around her.

Daine woke with a start, and sat up quickly. Breathing hard, she rested for a moment. Then she felt eyes on her back. She whirled around toward the cattails.

Numair stared, astonished, not comprehending what her was seeing. Was she dead? Dragged in by the wolves, perhaps? No, she was breathing. Breathing hard, as if having a nightmare. But... what was she doing there? With the wolves? It was as though she was living... The thought zipped through Numair. How could she live with the wolves? Yet it was the only explanation for being in her state.

Numair was so distraught only a small part of him comprehended what she looked like. Her naked body rippled with lean muscles and her face had the bony, hollow look of one who never gets enough to eat. She was filthy and smelled of wolf. Cuts and abrasions nicked her body. Suddenly she sat up. Numair quickly dodged deeper into the reeds, still watching. He was completely mystified. Something about her terrified him, yet something drew him toward her. Then the girl whipped around, brown curls flying, and stared straight at his hiding place.

Numair froze as her gray-blue eyes searched the reeds. His heart pounded louder and louder until he was sure she could hear it. He couldn't move. There was a roaring in his ears. Frozen by fear, he crouched in the same position for what seemed like days, his knees aching from the constant pressure. The girl slowly rose to four legs and began to move toward the cattails.

Daine sniffed the air experimentally. Nothing. Whatever it was was upwind. Daine was sure something had been- no, was watching her. She crawled a few more steps, then called out with her mind. Pack-brother? she questioned. There was no response. Her call roused Stormpaw. Daine? What is it? he asked, rising to his four enormous paws.

I'm not sure. Daine replied. I felt someone watching me from the water.

Stormpaw lifted his nose to the air. I scent nothing. There is nothing there. I'm going to sleep again. With that he settled back to the ground and promptly settled back into dreams.

Daine was not convinced. She advanced again toward the cattails. There! The wind had changed for a moment, and she had scented something that didn't belong. The change in air was too brief for her to catch exactly what was hiding, but something was there. A growl rose in her throat as she slowly drew closer to the reed bed. The hair on her neck stood on end,and suddenly she lunged toward the water, dagger glittering.

She passed through the grass wall almost soundlessly. As she did, her vision was clouded for a moment and she heard a violent scrambling sound on the far side as Numair suddenly gained the feeling back into his body. Then she was through, and she landed on all fours and faced her foe.

Author's Note: Yes, a bit of a short chapter...but it seemed like the perfect place to end it! I know, it's a mean cliffie...but oh well! R/R and I might do less of that. Please tell me if I'm too wordy, because sometimes I worry that I am. Also, please note that the wolve's name in my story are not the same as in the book. Don't get confuzzled now...