Firstly huge apologies 4 the w8 - i dont reeli lie some of this so kept trying to edit...

Does anyone prefer the new summary? someone commented the old ones annoyingness which i kinda agreed with. so i think da new one is better...

Many huge thanx to reviewers it was reeli encouraging. so anyway on with the chapter...

Chapter Eleven

Asa was dreaming. They followed the tracks someone had found, Spidren tracks. A gully and a cave beneath the cliff. A careful descent – she was kept well behind the soldiers. Liam, Aranias – where were they? She searched the blurred figures but could recognise only Joel. He stood out from the crowd clearly, with sharp edges instead of being shadowed and recognisable. Every figure formed a ring around the cave, those at the back looking out, ready to sound alarm.

Some fighting behind her but her eyes were fixed on Joel. He and a few others were walking across, clambering onto rocks at the edge of the gully. A ragged wall beside them, dimly heard screams behind her. Soldiers – Joel among them – climbing higher they readied, preparing to shoot the Spidren from a better vantage point. Inhuman clicking filling her ears, Asa could only watch in horror, unable to make a sound, as a huge creature, half Spidren half man, emerged from what had previously looked like a bump in the rock face.

None of the men paid it any attention as still they prepared to shoot and only turned when the Spidren cleaved its axe across Joel's stomach, a sharp pincer jabbing through his throat. Asa dimly heard someone screaming as the body broke further on the rocks below and with distant surprise realised that it must be herself.

She sat up sharply to find Kel had a hand on her shoulder and was looking concernedly into her face. "Are you alright?" she asked gently and her question was echoed by Liam outside of the tent. Asa nodded weakly, pushing sweat soaked hair out of her eyes with a shaking hand, desperately trying to remember the details of her dream. But it danced out of her grip elusively and all she could feel was a sense of dread. "What was it?" Kel asked, concerned, but Asa could only shrug hopelessly.

They scouted that morning for practise and Liam's friends taught Asa. She wasn't surprised to find that she wasn't all that good at it. They would show her tracks – recognisable ones – but she had no idea what they represented. The one thing that pleased her to see was the wolf tracks. Shadow was perhaps nearby. She hadn't seen the wolf since they had set up camp a week ago and was missing her only friend of the past seven years. However much she told herself he was safe she couldn't shake off the worry that there were far more hunters in Tortall than in Everton.

Soon, however, she had more to think about as a Spidren lair was found by another group. Dread from earlier that morning settled back on her shoulders with renewed weight. Somehow, however much she tried to convince herself there didn't seem to be much chance of a positive outcome.

Xxx

After some scouts had been sent out, Asa was given a long spear with the end hacked off and informed that she could use it like a glaive if the need arose. She gripped it with sweaty fingers and followed Liam down a steep path into the gully, dread increasing at each step.

When she tentatively mentioned it to him, and asked if they know where all the Spidren were he had replied that, no they didn't and had taken her qualms as nerves. After all, Asa reasoned, he was probably right. She had never been in any fight like this before – or even seen a Spidren. She forced herself to stop shaking and pushed her dread to the back of her mind.

The men formed up into a ring around the cave and suddenly all the figures blurred and one stood out clearly. Joel.

She shuddered. "Something's wrong," she whispered, gripping her weapon tighter. As the fight started behind her back she kept her eyes fixed on Joel as he and three other archers climbed the rocks at the edge of the gullyto get a vantage point to shoot. They started to crouch beside a bump in the rocks, readying crossbows, and an inhuman clicking filled her ears.

Asa's dream came back to her in a flash. "No!" she cried. It came out as a whisper. "No!" she screamed finally getting her voice to work, spear dropping with a clatter as she ran forwards. "A second lair! Behind the rock! Joel!" She was too late. The Spidren appeared, axe in hand, as the four men were just turning.

Perhaps not too late? Joel jumped to the side as the axe swung around balancing precariously on the edge of the ledge as he aimed and shot desperately at the creature. It pierced the human chest as his friends hacked at the spinet, ignoring its malicious squeals. Asa almost sighed with relief before screaming sharply as he tumbled onto the rocks below.

Liam had also watched his friend's plight along with Luke and ran forward to offer his healing skills as Joel was lifted away. Asa stood in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened. She followed the group out of the gully leaving the other half of the men to clear up the mess left from the battle.

There had been a few casualties but it seemed Joel was the worst injured. He was hurried into the healers' tents and Liam followed. Everyone else waited outside, Luke pacing back and forth by the entrance. Asa leant against a large oak tree trembling. If only she had remembered sooner. Now…

After what seemed like hours, Liam emerged. At their questioning looks he announced heavily, "A broken arm, cracked ribs, a punctured lung and severe concussion. Depending on whether there's bleeding in the head it's about a 40 chance he'll live."

A distressed murmur rose up and Luke slumped a little before straightening, face shadowed by angry grief. Asa didn't notice him until he stepped right in front of her and his legs became visible from under her hood. "How did you know there was a second lair?"

It took almost a minute for his words to sink into Asa's guilt filled, exhausted brain and his voice again demanding, "How?" forced her to raise her head. "A dream," she finally whispered, knowing her voice shook as she struggled not to cry.

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Luke snapped. "If you had he wouldn't be dying." He looked almost on the verge of tears himself but his hopeless anger seemed to hold them back. Asa turned her face away, hood falling again and whispered hopelessly, "I couldn't remember it upon waking."

Even to her own ears it sounded ridiculous. Luke seemed to explode, "Well you should have! What's the point of being a Seer if you forget it before people can be saved? It's useless!"

"Now really I don't think that's quite fair," Raoul's calm voice cut in smoothly. The beginnings of an argument between the distraught man and his commander were cut short by a clear voice.

"But it is fair." Asa had straightened and now radiated a sort of presence. Starring at them with crystalline eyes that seemed to go on for ever she continued, "He's right. I should have remembered earlier. I dreamt that the Spidren killed him. Makes little difference now." She turned, disappearing through the trees and collapsed by the stream. Drawing her knees into her body she rested her head on them, shaking with guilt and struggling desperately not to cry.

Xxx

This was where Liam found her a few minutes later having left the camp to follow her alone as Aranias had stayed with the Kel's group in the gully. Quietly he sat down beside her, watching her. She gave no sign she knew he was there and they sat in silence for a while the only sound being the stream water flowing around her hand. Finally Liam said quietly, "I'm sorry." She turned her head a little before replying, "What for?" "I should have listened. Told Raoul what you said." Asa uncurled a little hood falling back as she looked at him, lips curving into a humourless smile.

"Told him what? That I felt dread? I'd had a dream I couldn't remember?" Her lips wobbled a little, a single tear beginning to thread its way through the dirt on her face. "Face it Liam, I failed as a Seer and always have. If I remembered them all and understood them then maybe I'd be worthwhile. But today just enforces that I'm not." She turned to stare moodily at the trickling stream.

Liam grabbed on of her shoulders, making her twist to face him and was horrified by at the hopelessness that turned her crystalline eyes into dark bottomless pools. "You can't really believe that," he said urgently. "What about when it has saved people? You said the Spidren actually killed Joel in the dream; at least he had some chance of life now! And things can be understood in time! Think of the prophecies that sit around for centuries before being really important! You're more that worthwhile – most people don't have the gift of seeing even a glimpse of the future!"

He brushed away her tears with a gentle hand. "You have to believe me Asa. You have to." Looking up into his honest face, Asa gave a tiny weak smile turning away to hide the tears that were falling even more freely.

Awkwardly, Liam wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she hesitated slightly before burying her head in his chest. Tears leaked through his shirt but he didn't seem to mind, only tightened his arms around her, breath moving her hair with soft regularity, a sharp contrast to her own uneven crying. They sat like that as dusk fell, each thinking private thoughts, guilts relieved by the other.

xxx

So... Thanx 4 reading. I should update at some point... please reveiw nd say wot u think.

Incidently, does anyone read the 'Roman Mysteries' books? My twin sister has recently started a fanfic of that but there is no catorgory for it on fanfic and i dont think many peeps look at 'misc' stories so... theres a link 2 her profile in my profile and there should be a link to ther sotry at some point in the next few days.

As for my other story i should be updating it within the next two weeks (hopefully less..).

Please review and leave any comments or advice. (Leave an email so i cn reply) Thanx.

Warrior of Tortall