A/N – Well, here we are again. Thanks to attitudegall1 and Zsych for reviewing my burgeoning story. Here's the next instalment. I promise that something interesting will happen soon. At least, I hope so...

**Disclaimer** - The usual.

Chapter Eight

The mild weather appeared to have a positive effect on the Band. Mat noted with appreciation the growing number of men that emerged from the infirmaries with each new morning. Mai was a staunch believer in something she termed 'active recuperation', and the men's timid requests for prolonged bed rest were met with stern disapproval from the healer. As a result, the tents were regularly encircled by groups of very sorry looking soldiers, huddled to their ears in grey cloaks.

Now that the greater number of men were on the mend, Mat had time to relax a little, unlike their industrious healer. Mai was always busy, constantly checked the men for any symptoms that they were lapsing back into sickness. He was starting to get concerned that she may be working herself a little too hard. The same thoughts had apparently occurred to Cal.

'She is going to waste away, Mat,' his friend murmured as they watched the girl weave through the tents in her curiously graceful fashion. 'She does not rest, and she hardly eats.' Cal paused to rub wearily at his eyes. 'I've tried asking her to slow down a little, but she just smiles, or changes the subject.'

Mat nodded. 'I know, I have noticed it too. I will ask Per to adopt more of her duties. Light knows, he has learned enough from her to cope. If she starts fainting off...'

Cal shot him a warning look.

'All right, if she starts looking as though she is about to faint off, we will have an enforced resting period. Or something.'

His friend had not looked particularly convinced.

The way Mat saw it, Cal fretted enough for the both of them. The blond man took to following the girl at every opportunity, and even surreptitiously handed food to her at regular intervals whether it be a bowl of Per' s stew, his own infamous porridge, or even small pieces of fruit.

Mai accepted these offering with that inscrutable smile of hers, a mere stretching of her full lips that seemed to betray nothing of her emotions.

In fact, Cal seemed so concerned over the girl that Mat withheld a piece of information he was sure would worry his friend all the more.

The girl did not sleep.

He had noticed her insomnia soon after her arrival, on an evening that had been so unusually bright that he had decided a quiet smoke in the solitude of the evening would be more than welcome. Huddled in a thick blanket, he had sat outside his sleeping quarters and puffed contentedly at his long stemmed pipe, exhaling plumes of fragrant smoke into the crisp air.

The stars had been so clear and so many that his eyes were constantly being lured to their brilliance, so Mat had put the pipe aside and lain with his head cradled in his hands.

He had roved his eyes over the familiar stars, reading their forms and naming each pattern in turn. Mat had done this since he was a child. The ability to know and name such distant, unfathomable things had made him feel more than a farm boy from a nowhere village, and somehow part of the unknowable, unreachable world he would never have the chance to explore.

As a boy he had dwelled upon the battles that had raged under the stars' incurious gaze, imagined what heroes from the stories he so loved to hear may have lived and died under the light of these mute witnesses. It had made him feel more real. Made him feel as though he existed.

But that night, as he had stared at the flickered motes of light, he had felt strangely insignificant, as though he were at the mercy of things that were not, and never would be, within his control. It was a feeling he had come to loathe.

And so he had torn his gaze from the somehow mocking stars, sat up and burrowed further into the warmth of the blanket.

It was then that he noticed the light.

He had not been surprised to realise it was emanating from Mai's tent. Now that the men were being tended in the infirmary she was the only one who occupied any tents nearby. He could just make out the shape of her. She appeared to be kneeling, no, sitting, neck arched to the sky and arms wrapped protectively around her knees.

Mat had watched her for a time, sure she had seen him, but the girl was unmoving, completely oblivious to anything but the stars he had studied only moments before.

A chill shudder ran through him, a quiver brought on by more than just the frigid air, and he had retreated into his tent, disturbed by the sense of uncharacteristic melancholia that permeated his being.

Several cups of wine later he had felt much more himself. His sleep had been deep and dreamless.

Mat had forgotten about the girl until he saw her the following morning. He watched her walk through the camp, head bowed and steps heavy.

Light! She could not have slept at all!

He reasoned that the small tent had been to cause of her sleeplessness and grudgingly chided himself for placing her in such cramped conditions. And so he had relocated her to another tent, this one a little closer to his own.

The second night of her sleeplessness he attributed to the upheaval of the move, the third he put down to the stresses of the unfamiliar lifestyle. By the fourth night, Mat had concluded that the girl simply had problems sleeping at night and was resting at some undisclosed part of the day.

After all, who could survive without sleep?

And so the small group continued to function. Mai tended to the men, Cal tended to Mai, and Mat quietly watched for any signs that the girl slept.

He found none.

'Need a hand with that?'

Mai yipped at the unexpected voice. She spun to face the intruder, nearly dropping the sack of grain she was laboriously dragging.

'Cal.' Relief made her a voice a touch breathless. 'It is not nice to sneak up on people like that.'

Cal quirked an eyebrow. 'Sneak? That is a very unpleasant word. I could take offence, you know.' He reached to take the burden from her reddened hands. 'What are you doing lugging this around anyway?'

'Per said he needed it for his stew. I think he is experimenting with new ingredients.'

A small frown creased Cal's forehead. 'Next time tell him to get it himself.'

'Actually, I volunteered. It is nice to be away from those tents.' She gave him one of her soft smiles. 'It can get a little too much at times.'

Cal grunted as he hefted the sack onto a broad shoulder and motioned her to walk with his free arm.

They walked slowly back to the camp, enjoying the soft bask of sunlight easing over the grassland. Mai raised her face to the warm glow. It was the first time the sun had managed to break the thick skein of iron cloud, and the morning seemed to sing with appreciation.

'Are you well, Mai?'

The blond man's voice was unobtrusively gentle. She supposed it was his quiet way that made her feel so at ease with him. It had been a long while since she had felt comfortable in another's presence.

'I am fine, thank you. I do not believe I will sicken with...'

'No, Mai.' Cal's tone was firmer now. 'Are you were here. You know, with the Band.'

'Oh yes. You and Mat have been very kind. And it is good to teach others what I know. Per has been very attentive.'

'I'm sure he has.'

She faltered at Cal's uncharacteristically harsh mutter. Unsure how to react to his quiet remark, Mai lapsed into silence.

Her companion gruffly cleared his throat. 'I mean, I'm sure he has learned a great deal.'

Mai glanced at him and noticed that his ears had turned a touch pink. She bit at her lip to prevent the smile that threatened to break her calm demeanour.

A warm breeze rippled though the soft grass, causing it to sway silkily about their ankles. Pools of small, delicate flowers bloomed amongst the verdant green, a sure sign of the blossoming spring.

'The weather is changing,' Cal observed, almost in echo to her thoughts. Mai nodded absently, her attention now taken by strange flashes of black she could suddenly discern through the swaying grass. She veered in its direction, increasing her pace as she grew closer to the dark form.

The creatures rose in a flurry of night-black wings, urging themselves into flight. All save one. The remaining beast stared at Mai, it's black bead of an eye fixed upon the girl with intensity. Cal moved beside her.

'Vile creature,' he spat, waving his free hand in an attempt to startle it into flight.

The creature merely blinked, a languid slick of grey momentarily blurring its glossy eye. Cal's scowl deepened as the creature moved sharply, darting its sleek head to sink a cruel hook of a beak into the flesh of its carrion. It held the nub of flesh for a moment, it's eye still resolutely set upon them, before slowly easing it down its throat with slick convulsions. It cocked its head at them as though inviting a response.

Cal hissed and kicked a nearby stone at the creature. With a harsh caw of outrage, the bird beat itself into the air, black wings glinting in the clear sunlight.

He glared at the mote of shadow as it melded into the pale sky before turning his attention to Mai. She was motionless, eyes fixed upon the small corpse the crows had left in their wake. It was a rabbit; it's tawny fur torn and matted with darkening blood.

'Come away, Mai.'

Her head was tilted slightly, an unconscious imitation of the departed crow. The girl's gaze never strayed from the small creature.

'How do you suppose it died?

Cal gave a hitch of his shoulders. 'Does it matter? It is only a rabbit.'

'You called them 'vile'. Why?'

'The crows? I do not know. They bother me.'

'They do not harm anything.'

'Exactly, they steal from others.'

'So there is nobility in killing then?'

Cal sighed. 'I am not going to stand here bandying words over the merits of crows. I do not like their scavenging. They feed off the misfortune of others, and I find that offensive, all right? Now can we leave?'

Wordlessly, Mai reached her pale hand into a small patch of flowers. The Eyebright blossom wavered in her grasp for a moment before gently drifting to the tiny corpse at her feet.

The flower seemed to glow, defiantly vibrant against the lustreless pelt of the dead creature. The rabbit looked so tiny, so defeated as the swaying grass touched and caressed it, its tips stroking the fallen beast with something close to reverence.

Cal shook his head as a disconsolate sigh wavered from him. 'Wonderful, now you have turned it into just about the saddest thing I have ever seen.'

Her full lips curved into a small smile.

'But Cal, it is only a rabbit.'

He watched her walk away from him, oversized cloak flitting in the breeze, and shook his head once again. With a last glance at the flower-adorned creature, he hitched the slipping grain to his shoulder and followed her back to the tents.

Cal slid the sack from his shoulder onto the cold earth.

'Have you seen Mai?'

Mat's eyes never strayed from the stones circling before him. 'I thought she was with you.'

'She was. I suppose she must have left to check on the men.'

Cal watched as Mat transferred the whirling stones to one hand as he reached for another from the small pile beside him and deftly incorporated it with the others.

'That is a great and yet strangely pointless talent you have there, Mat.'

Mat swiped a stone from the air, and flung it at his friend with breaking the mesmerising momentum. Cal laughed as he dodged the stone that hurtled past his ear.

'Good thing for me you cannot juggle with knives.'

Worryingly, a speculative look appeared on Mat's face. Cal chose to change the subject.

'The men look to be improving.'

'Indeed they do. In fact, the sickliest person here at the moment appears to be the one who is healing them.' Mat's eyes flickered to his friend's worried face. 'I assume you have noticed the same?'

'Of course. I am trying to watch her as best I can, but she has this habit of disappearing when my back is turned.' He scrubbed a hand through his blond curls. 'Truth be known, Mat, I do not think I can do much for her.'

'Just try and get some more food down her, will you? She looks like a bloody waif.'

Cal tapped the sack before him with his toe. 'The grain is for stew, and she seems to have a small liking for Per's concoctions. I will get her to try some before dark.' His own stomach voiced a loud complaint at the thought of food. Cal realised that his tracking of Mai had caused him to miss an opportunity for breakfast. He retrieved a small russet apple from his pocket and gratefully crunched into its sweet flesh.

Mat glanced up at the sound. 'Got any more of those.'

'Sorry. Mai got this one from an obliging tree on our return.'

'Really? Per mentioned something about out fruit supplies running low.'

'I could go and get more, if you like.'

Mat tossed the stones into the air, deftly catching each in turn before they fell to the ground. 'Actually I could use a little jaunt myself. All this time doing nothing does not agree with me, it seems.' He rose, brushing grass and dust from his breeches. 'Where did you say Mai was?'

'I didn't. I asked you where she was.'

'No matter. She should not be too hard to find. Here.' Mat poured his handful of small stones into Cal's palm. 'Teach yourself a little useless talent to help you pass the time.'

'I think you have enough useless talents for all of us, Mat.'

Cal choked slightly on the impolite gesture he received from his departing leader.

The glare of the midday sun pierced his eyes and Mat pulled his hat lower to shield them from its glower. He had seen no sign of Mai, but the infirmaries seemed a good place to start his search in earnest. Surprisingly, there were no men sitting outside the tents, leading Mat to assume they must have been chivvied back into the tents for a respite period. He supposed it was a promising indication that Mai had been here recently.

Whilst wandering, he idly ruminated over what delicacies Per could conjure with a bounty of apples. He vaguely recalled some apple-laced drink he and Cal had encountered during an unfortunately prolonged stay at a tavern bearing the curious title of The Drum and Boar. The inconspicuously mild concoction had wreaked horrible effects upon the pair, rendering them semi conscious for several hours. It was some time before they could reminisce over the experience without wincing, particularly after Cal confessed that it took him three days to regain full sight.

He was absently wondering whether Per could recreate the potent brew when the object of his search rounded a tent suddenly enough to walk directly into him. Mat smiled as steadied himself, but his playful reminder her that he was supposed to be the clumsy one faded into startled silence as the girl muttered an sullen apology and walked directly past him.

Mat stared after her in consternation. There had not been even a flicker of recognition in her blue eyes at the sight of him. He watched her walk away, a small frown furrowing his brow.

It struck him that her steps were curiously measured and weary looking. Mai stumbled as though she did not have the strength to support her own meagre weight. His tongue stuck as he considered hailing her. She certainly did not appear to be in the mood for company. He dug a boot heel into the soft earth, dislodging a clump of scrub grass as he considered the situation. Perhaps she was going somewhere to rest. Given the weariness of her demeanour, it seemed the most likely option. Satisfied that he had deduced the reason for her curious behaviour, he turned to leave.

What if she is sick?

The thought faltered his step. She certainly looked unwell, what with her strange gait and sickly colour. After a moment hesitation he began to trail her. It was almost painful to watch the girl. Her head was bowed and her pace increasingly unsteady. Mat watched her approach the farthest tent and dazedly lift her head, almost as though she was surprised to arrive there. Her slight arm visibly trembled as she raised it before her to push at the tent opening. As Mai staggered into the tent, Mat hesitated once more at the idea of intruding upon her. It was likely that she was just preparing herself for much needed sleep. He really should leave her alone.

But something pricked at his mind, a sliver of unease that refused to succumb to his rationale. Sighing, he approached the tent. After all, Cal would never stop berating him if her knew Mat had seen her in such a state and not checked upon her.

Mai was standing at the end of the deserted tent, her head tilted back. Mat watched her raise a hand to place something upon her tongue.

'Mai?'

He had not expected such a vocal response.

The girl shrieked, a hard, violent sound that pierced the air. Mat instinct was to clamp his hands over his ears to block that terrible cry. Absently he saw a small container drop from her hand and jolt across the floor, rolling to a ponderous stop by his boot.

Mai clasped a hand over her mouth to stem the scream, cutting the sound as effectively as though she had been slapped.

Mat unclenched his fists, which were balled uselessly as though he intended to fight the very noise. It still hung in the air, a pall of fear that still shivered along his every nerve.

'Oh Light, Mai, I am so sorry.'

It was some time before she responded. Her eyes slid closed and her hand slowly drifted to her side. With a shaking sigh, she finally regarded him with deadened eyes.

'What is it with you and Cal, sneaking up on people?' she demanded in a flat voice. 'Is it some sort of game for you?'

'I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you.' He hesitantly retrieved the small phial from the floor. 'I thought that maybe you were unwell. I just wanted check if you needed any help.'

'I can do without your help,' she snapped. 'It evidently does more harm then good.'

Her anger relieved Mat. It was infinitely preferable to the look of stark fear that was thankfully now draining from her white face. He lifted his hands helplessly. 'I really am sorry Mai. I did not mean to frighten you.'

An uncomfortable silence descended, it's hollowness intensified by the sound that had so recently ravaged it.

'All right, kick me.'

Mai's gaze snapped to his face. 'What?'

'Go on. You have my permission to kick me.'

She glared at him through narrowed eyes. 'Why?'

'Because it will make me feel better.'

'Make you feel better? Light, my heart is in my throat.'

'All the more reason to kick me, then.'

'I am not going to kick you.'

A grin crept onto his face. 'Why? Because you are halfway to forgiving me?'

'No, because then I would be subjecting everyone else to your complaining. It would not be fair.'

'I really am sorry, Mai.'

'So I gather.' She swept a pale hand across her eyes and sighed. 'It was not your fault. I am just a little tired, that is all.'

Her gaze dropped to the floor, and it took Mat a moment to realise that she was looking for something. He felt the cool presence of the small container in his hand. It had not been stoppered and some of its thick, amber liquid had seeped onto his palm.

'Here,' he murmured. Mai took the container from him with trembling fingers. 'What is it?'

She shrugged her shoulders. 'It helps prevent sickness. Sort of a tonic. What is it you wanted me for?'

'Oh, Cal mentioned that you found an apple tree. I thought that perhaps you could show me where it was. If you do not feel up to it...'

'No. A walk right now will probably do me some good.' She glided past him, all traces of weariness and fear now vanished. 'Shall we?'

He watched her walk into the sunlight, perturbed by her changeable manner. Eyes narrowed, he sucked the amber liquid from his palm and followed her from the tent.