Okey dokey, well I have finally decided to write another chapter to this story lol after about five months... I hope you like it! It is kind of short again, but oh well, ill try to make it up next time.

Thank you reviewers! I will try to do responses next time, but for right now I will just say that I appreciate it and it keeps me writing!

And thanks again for the idea ali! And yes, I read back over that last chapter and I couldn't believe what I wrote! It was like a whole page was missing... I dunno... hopefully this one makes up for it!

And to everyone else, REVIEW PLEASE! Thanks

Mortal Heroes

Chapter 2

A mixture of fatigue and heat brought Daine and Numair back to their senses. They looked around their barren surroundings and came to the conclusion that what they were trying to do was absolutely insane. Who in existence could survive such a trip as the one they were planning to take, with no provisions besides the things they had fled with? Already a film of dust was clogging their mouths and throats, and beads of perspiration were running down their faces. The sun's brutal rays beat down mercilessly, making sight near impossible and the heat near unbearable.

Numair, who had sat down on a nearby boulder while trying to catch his breath, chuckled to himself.

"You know sweet, this has got to be the most foolish thing I have ever done in thirty years of doing foolish things."

Daine, who had her hands on her knees trying to regain her lost breath, smiled to herself and squinted up at her beloved teacher.

" I dunno Numair, there was that one time-" Daine joked, trying to make light of the matter.

Numair smiled as he shook his head and sighed deeply. They could joke about their predicament all they wanted, but it wouldn't change the fact that they were stuck in a seemingly endless desert with a herd of centaurs behind them.

He scanned across the luminous sky; as if the moment he looked he would see the glitter of steel feathers somewhere beneath the horizon. But his search for the missing stormwings was fruitless. All that he could see were vivid hues of blue for endless miles, with the blazing sun right above him. He was just going to have to accept the fact, that he and his young companion were now completely on their own.

Daine, who had noticed Numair's distress, walked up next to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"This isn't your fault Numair, if that is what you are thinking."

Numair brought his gaze down from the sky and smiled at his concerned magelet.

"I know it's not Daine, I just hate being in situations when I am completely powerless and helpless to stop certain outcomes, and this is definitely one of those situations."

As if to prove his point, Numair slumped down to the ground and scowled.

Daine chuckled and joined him on the ground, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You do know that pouting and feeling sorry for ourselves isn't going to get us any more closer to the Dragonlands, right Numair?" Daine stated, matter-of-factly.

"Yes I do know that Magelet," replied Numair loftily. "But at this moment, getting closer to the Dragonlands is not my main priority. My main priority is survival in this damn heat."

Daine could tell that Numair was no longer in a very joking or happy mood. Instead of keeping the conversation of their ill fate continuing, she snuggled up next to him, laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Thoughts whirled through her mind. Was Kitten still all right? Did all of her friends assume her to be dead? Is the war taking a turning point for the better or worse? So much could be happening in Tortall, while they were stuck in a godforsaken desert, with no food, water, or protection from the cruel sun. Daine scowled amidst her thoughts and felt herself drift towards sleep. She didn't waste energy trying to resist it; instead she embraced its welcoming presence.

As the two mages sat together on the sandy ground, the time ticked by and soon the sun was gradually inching its way lower and lower on the horizon. A comforting coolness washed over their battered and exhausted bodies, bringing renewed strength and stamina to assist their nighttime travels.

Numair nudged Daine and she awoke, groggily and disoriented at first, but quickly sat up and wiped the sleep out of her eyes.

"I'm quite sorry to disturb you Magelet, but if we want to get anywhere without dying from heat exhaustion, we need to commute now," apologized Numair, with a guilty look on his face.

"Of course," replied Daine, hiding back a yawn. "Now is good."

And with that, Daine pulled herself to her feet, brushed herself off, and stretched. Numair did the same.

After a few paces, the two knew that this was going to be no easy journey. Their feet sunk deep into the sand with every step, and it took much precious effort to take another. They were soon out of breath and had a difficult time trying to find motivation to keep going when their legs and feet protested with aches and pains. The one thing they didn't have to deal with at the present was the sun, but in a few hours it would begin its torture all over again.

Daine gave up trying to count each step, and keep track of their distance. She was quite sure they had already gone about two miles, and without any sign whatsoever of the Dragonlands in the distance, she knew they had a very long way to go. It became quite clear to her that the horrific tales of the Sea of Sand that she had listened in the past were not all exaggerations. It truly was a place that only the strongest mortal heroes could last in. And I plan to survive in this, she thought to herself, both me and Numair are coming out of this place alive.

As she thought of her lanky companion, she glanced over at him. Determination was featured across his rugged face, and each step he took was forceful and strong, as if he wanted to make it noticeable that he was not going to lose a battle to the elements of nature.

Daine knew a lot of it was a facade. Though Numair was physically fit for a mage, weariness was hidden behind his determined look, and every pace he took looked to be strenuous on his whole body. She feared that a mere gust of wind could bring him toppling to the ground.

Daine herself wasn't in the best of shape either. The sun had scorched her fair skin during the day, and it was starting to blister and peel. Muscles she didn't even know she had ached in every which way, her head throbbed, and her dry lips and throat begged for water.

She kept going a little ways farther, but after a while she had had enough. "Numair, there is no way we can keep going like this," insisted Daine, who had stopped walking and stubbornly stuck her chin up at Numair. "Can't we please just take a quick break? There is no sense in killing ourselves with this pace on the first day of travel."

Numair turned and looked his lover in the eye. He was about to protest, but the pleading look in her eye made him think otherwise. He might be able to go a little further, but there was no way that Daine could take another step without collapsing.

"Alright Sweet, we might as well. Just keep in mind that we need to get as much ground covered as we can possibly do so during the night hours while the climate is relatively cooler than during the day," Numair reluctantly replied.

Daine nodded in agreement, and sank onto the ground. She was sound asleep in the three seconds it took Numair to go to her.

He laid down beside her and put a protective arm around her waist. He wasn't sure how they were going to make it out of the desert, but at least, for now, they had each other. And at that moment, that was all that mattered.

And there it is. I hope it was ok, and it didn't suck too much... please tell me what you think!

Sarah