Chapter Two: Bandits

The next few days were a blur. Daine, healing countless animals once they reached the border, spent most of them tied to Cloud, sleeping. All in all, the riders only met a few bandit groups of about five persons per group. It was easy work, just as Alanna had said.

On the fifth day after Daine's healing spree, she was able to move about as normal. They were all glad to have her back, eating meals around the campfire and joking, even sometimes singing, afterwards. Now the group only had one more destination before returning to Corus. It was a small town on the most northern tip of Tortall, with the town spreading into Scanra. The people were not friendly in the least, perhaps because they knew nothing but to bicker with their neighbors. Here the rider group was supposed to restock their supplies and rest. They felt uneasy most of the time, so the group decided to only stay one night and spend the other three camping.

"What a bunch of grumps!" Alanna exclaimed once they were finally free of the town's walls. "Cats and dogs get along better than they do!" They all laughed at Alanna's temper.

"Mithros help them all," Daine prayed. They laughed at her, too.

"They need all the help they can get!" She heard someone mumble.

"Well at least we can camp in peace," Daine pointed out. There were murmurs of agreement in this.

Daine tossed and turned that night, listening to Alannna's snore harmonize with the other fourteen snores around camp. She thought of the trees; peacefully swaying in the light breeze; she thought of the moon: a crescent in a sea of stars... It was no use. She couldn't sleep, so she quietly got up and pulled breeches over her bare legs, as it was a bit chilly in the early August night air. It was then that she heard an eagle's cry: she stole out of the tent and peered above her. There, soaring high above her was the eagle she had healed the night before.

What news do you bring wing brother? She asked this friendly king of the sky.

Humans, he replied. He wouldn't tell me of humans other than us unless it was important, she thought. Shape- shifting to join the eagle, she followed him across the treetops and to the outskirts of a meadow. Here she saw a huge camp, counting around 110 battered tents. The camp was silent, but when she peered closer with her eagle's eyes, she saw that it was alive with movement. She landed in the safe boughs of an evergreen and changed to a field mouse, scampering toward the ground. She prayed that no predator birds were close by; she would make a nice snack. Daine finally made into their camp, dodging footsteps and looking for any tent that might hold weapons. If these were bandits, she needed to warn the riders. Seeing a promising tent, she hopped inside, only to be surprised by a screech.

Nope, she thought as she scuttled out. Just some jumpy woman who screams at the sight of anything furry. Trying another tent with lights and male voices, she heard something that made her heart leap to her throat.

"We're attackin' th' rider group at dawn. I've ad em watched fer a few days, now see. They're lazy uns an' don' git up fer nuttin' till bout seven. We'll surround em in th' dark, when they leas' expec' it. Then we'll be ready t'shoot any un oo comes out of their tent, see. Then, we got em!" The burly speaker stabbed a table with a knife at the word got, making his listener jump.

"We'll be th' richest group of thieves any un ad ever seen!" The man's listener exclaimed. "They'll never know how we did it…"

At this, Daine escaped and changed into hawk form. They were bandits all right. And they were planning on attacking her camp, and all her friends in it! But these weren't regular bandits; this was a huge group, more than a hundred men. The small rider group couldn't hope to stand up to that! Daine saw her tent below her, landing beside it and concentrating on her human form, with clothes, and became herself once again. Quickly she woke Alanna and explained what she had seen and heard.

"Great Mother Goddess," Alanna breathed. "We need help, and fast!"

An hour later, the whole camp was at the edge of a deep crevice, a gift from Alanna. Daine had kept the bandits back with animal allies, and Alanna had created an almost un-crossable crack in the earth. They had already called for help, and Rider Group seven was on their way to help their friends. Daine prayed that help would reach them soon. Neither side made a move, and Daine used this time to think of her last words with Numair.

Diane knelt in front of the purple flames, trying to assure Numair that she would be alright.

"Daine! It won't be alright! You're outnumbered, and your animal friends can't help that much! You had to go with Alanna, had to experience the fun of border patrol. Is this what you were looking for? Now you know what border patrol is really like!" He sighed. "You couldn't just stay at home, safe with the man who loves you with all his heart?" Numair's eyes were sad now. "Sweet, if you get hurt, I will never forgive myself for letting you go. I'll get there as soon as I can, but you know that it takes weeks to get to the Scanran border." Daine nodded, feeling lost. There was a good chance that she wouldn't ever get to kiss him again, never sit with him by a warm fire, him stroking her hair. Then she heard Alanna's infuriated yell;

"Those, those, mongrels joined forces with six other bandit groups to form a battalion! Oh, they'll pay for this."

"I love you, Numair," Daine said, words coming from the bottom of her heart.

"I love you more than anything, Magelet." Daine smiled at the use of her old nickname. "If you get yourself…hurt…I will lock you at the top of my tower." He couldn't bring himself to say the word 'killed'. Besides, she won't get hurt, he tried to assure himself. She would be just fine, and he would see her in a few days.

"I'll be fine, Numair," she said again, but Numair saw that she didn't put any feeling into these words. He felt his throat close up. He knew there wasn't much hope for their rider group.

"Daine," he began softly. Daine saw him blow her a kiss, then felt a brush of his lips against her cheek.

"I didn't know you could send one of those things this far!" She exclaimed.

"It helps that I can see you." He explained. "Be careful, Veralidaine Sarrasri. May the Mother Goddess protect you, Weiryn guide your arrows, and Mithros be with you."

"So mote it be," Daine whispered.

"So mote it be," Alanna commanded softly, ending the spell. "I'm sorry, Daine," she said consolingly. Alanna brushed away a tear that had grown on her friend's cheek. "You know there isn't much hope for us, then."

Diane nodded.

Diane stared at the camp of bandits across the crevice. Another tear trickled down her cheek as she thought about Numair but she had to banish these thoughts as something caught her eye. It was a person, floating over the obstruction with brown fire around him. Mages, Daine thought. They have mages. There was a shout as the man landed on the Tortallan's bank, but they already knew he was a messenger. Raoul, the group's commander, took the scroll.

Dearest Friends,

You find yourselves in quite a difficult position. Outnumbered, you have no choice but to comply with our conditions. Shall you prove ignorant, your own death may it be. I, Mikal Sharie Ponce, demand a total of fifty gold nobles, three horses, each saddled and bridled, and your Wildmage. Veralidaine Sarrasri, whom I believe is your spy, will be taken care of, so don't fret. Only then will we leave you to yourselves. You have three days to answer.