To my lovely reviews:
Aussie-Soccerfreak4—Ooh you should get them. Remember to read them in the right order that I sent you. You like them
Sorceress Shadow Rain—Thanks for the review! I checked out some of the others…I liked 'em. Keep it up.
Jeweled Rose—Thanks for reviewing…nice stories-I started reading them! It's ok…my brain gets fried when I have writers block!
None of it's mine except this plot…
The group was trotting along at a steady (but relatively quick) pace with Alanna and Raoul in the front, Neal and Kel bringing up the rear.
Dom glanced back at the girl he saw as his little sister and his Meathead cousin. Is something going on between those two? It almost seems as though they LIKE each other. And not just in a friendly way. He wondered, his blue eyes shooting from one to the other.
A twig snapped behind them, loud enough for only Kel and Neal to hear.
"Was that?" Neal hissed barely audible
Kel nodded and sent one of her sparrows, Naomi, to warn the rest of the group. Naomi had barely gotten into flight when an arrow whizzed by Kel's ear. Quickly, both Kel and Neal drew their weapons—Neal, a sword and Kel, her glaive—in silence. Another arrow split through the air, nearly sinking into Neal's shoulder. The rest of their party had just been alerted as the bandits came out of the trees taking advantage of Neal and Kel have no help.
Kel swung her glaive up holding off three of the Scanran bandits as Neal held off another three. The others finally rode back, Alanna holding off two with her sword as were both Raoul and Dom. Kel and Neal had started out back to back in defending, but both had slowly been lured from one another. Kel didn't have time to think if that was planned or not though.
Kel swung her glaive up in the 'broom sweeps clean' motion killing both bandits she had been holding off before converging on a couple more. Alanna, Raoul and Dom had finished off several whilst Daine had gotten some of The People to help the Tortallan gang.
Most of the Scanrans had either run or were dead an hour or so later. Then and only then did Kel notice the trickle of blood flowing down her ankle. She lifted the bottom of her breeches and saw a shallow cut running from her mid-shin down to her ankle. While steering Peachblossom towards the others, she managed a makeshift bandage. She looked around, checking to see if the others were unscathed—most just had slight cuts like Kel. There was Dom and Third Company, Raoul, Alanna, Daine, Numair…someone wasn't there.
Her heart leapt in her throat as realization sunk in. A particular green-eyed Meathead wasn't there.
Neal. Kel thought struggling to hold her Yamani calm.
Alanna saw her former squire's makeshift bandage as well as the worried look in her hazel eyes. Riding over, both lady knights dismounted as Alanna went to clean the cut before touching a violet finger to Kel's left leg and following the short healing, re-bandaged it. It was then that Kel's mask was fading. Alanna glanced around warily, looking for the source of worry.
There's Third Company, Dom, Raoul, Daine and Numair…NEAL! The Lioness thought frantically.
The King's Champion stood up from where she had performed Keladry's healing. Brushing herself off she began, "It seems we have lost Sir Meathead…er Sir Nealen." Alanna paused. "Before we move out to find camp, we must find Queenscove. Take your weapons in case there are some bandits still lurking about." Alanna finished.
Kel began to rise until the Lioness put a hand on her shoulder firmly pushing her back to the ground.
"Keladry, you are to stay here."
Kel groaned but nonetheless stayed put. If there was one thing she had learned from being the Lioness's squire, it was that you didn't want to disobey her orders and incur her wrath and flaring temper. Though they could definitely rival each other in being stubborn enough to almost refuse that order.
The group went searching for Neal and seemed to be taking forever.
What's taking so long? Haven't they found him? What if they don't…or if he's…dead? Kel thought. It's almost starting to sound like you love him. A small part of her mind put in. But I don't! The other part of her protested. Do I?
Finally, Dom, Raoul, Alanna and Third Company came cantering back down the path. Dom, Raoul and Alanna dismounted, Alanna silently summoning Kel.
Raoul and Dom fidgeted and started to speak.
"We have some really bad news Kel…" Dom began leaving Raoul to break her the news.
Raoul, however stood with his mouth shut and Alanna shot several glances (none of which looked very nice) at the Knight Commander and his sergeant before leading Kel away.
"What those two ninnies were trying to explain was that we found Neal." Alanna started, pointing at Raoul and Dom. Seeing the visible look of relief on Kel's face, she hated to continue. "But he was hit several times. He lost a lot of blood. I'm going to try to put a healing on him but I don't know if he'll pull through. I'm sorry Kel." The Lioness finished grimly