Reina del Noche – Thanks, I'll do that in future.

Macko – Thanks, I'll have a look at your stories.

Cactus Queen – I knew I could count on you to fix up my spelling. Thanks. See you tomorrow in school.

Alyspy – Ok!

Fugeeeee- Ok, I will try!

DrStrangelove007 – Thanks, you boost my self-esteem!

Alanna's modern day twin – Cool name! I don't know how long it will be! I just write till there is nothing to write anymore!

Atlanta Enchanted – Thank you, more will come!

Wake-Robin – Thanks!

philipjucker - The sparrows, as well as Jump, stayed in Corus with Neal. I mentioned that in one of the first chapters!

Goddess Usagi – Yeah, Kel would pass out from that. Well, the two weeks are over and here is the next chapter.

dragon shadows – Thanks for your support!

PsychoLioness13 – Why, thank you! I love cookies!

Aura Rayne – Thanks for reviewing.

Lady of Masbolle – Dom is great, I agree. Thanks!

Enchantress Sun – Thanks!

Lady Angelique of mystiqu – Thanks, I am sorry about the delay!

dreamerdoll – Thanks, of course Dom saves her!!

Chapter 10

Kel woke suddenly. She was still lying where she had fallen and Dom was kneeling on her right side and was working on the arrow producing from her arm. She couldn't have been unconscious for long.

A sharp pain made her groan despite herself.

Dom grabbed her hand when he noticed that she was among the living again. He smiled down at her and she forced a small smile onto her lips.

Turing sideways, Dom grabbed something from behind him and gave it to Kel. It was a strap of leather.

"Bite down on it," he said, "this will hurt."

Kel nodded and did as she was told.

Closing her eyes, she felt Dom move around next to her and gently shifting her arm. Already this small movement made Kel chomp down on the leather as hard as possible to keep from screaming.

Thinking of the Yamani warriors who had their wounds sewn without even twitching, she forced herself to take a deep breath.

"Hold on, Kel." Dom whispered.

He broke the arrow and, with a firm twist, pulled the arrowhead out of the wound. Kel couldn't help herself. Not even her firm Yamani training could have prepared her for the pain: She screamed. Straight away she closed her teeth on the leather strap to avoid any further outbursts. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks as Dom cleaned the gash and bound freshly picked moss, to stop the bleeding, to it tightly with strips of his shirt, which he had ripped previously

Finally, he took the leather strip out of Kel's mouth and she carefully opened her eyes. Tears clung to her lashes, which she quickly brushed away with her usable left hand.

Dom placed a wet cloth on her forehead. She hadn't even noticed that she had broken out in a cold sweat. She felt clammy and sore. Her arm throbbed painfully, but she knew that Dom had done his work well and that the pain would ease soon. But now she was exhausted. Muttering a small "Thank you, Dom." She fell asleep.

It wasn't quite dark when Kel woke again. Blinking a few times, she accustomed her eyes to the lighting.

Turning her head gently sideways, she saw that she was lying in her bedroll in the camp that they had set up near Lake Tirragen. Her whole right arm had been bandaged from the shoulder down to her elbow and when she tried lifting it a horrible pain shot through it.

Groaning, she gave up and instead moved her stiff feet in the bottom of the bedroll.

A shadow fell over her. Looking up, Kel saw Dom fall to his knees next to her.

Smiling at him, Kel whispered, "Hello Dom."

Dom smiled back, but the lines of worry on his forehead were obvious for Kel to see.

"Don't scare me like that again, Kel! I would hate to ride back to the king having to tell him that some bandits killed you."

Kel blushed. "I wasn't planning to get hurt. I was only trying to get you out of trouble." Stretching carefully, she added, "How long have I slept?"

Dom sat down cross-legged before replying, "One night and day. After fixing your arm up, I managed to get you back here on one of the ponies. Before we left the bandit's camp, I buried the corpses and let the other mounts go. I didn't find any valuable tools or food that we could use, so I left everything else for the wolves."

Kel nodded. She would have done the same. She tried to sit up, but nearly collapsed again. Dom grabbed her good arm and shoulder and pulled her up. He helped her out of the bedroll and onto her feet and Kel noticed that part of her shirt was missing.

The whole right sleeve was gone as well as most of the fabric that covered her right shoulder. Embarrassed despite of herself, Kel snatched her cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders.

She was thankful that Dom had taken care of her arm, but it made her feel vulnerable.

Standing only for a few moments already drained Kel. Dom helped her back onto her bedroll, which he moved so that it was lying in front of a tree stump and Kel could sit cross-legged on it and lean back.

Dom handed Kel a bowl with some meaty-tasting broth, which she drank, using her left arm to hold it to her mouth.

Dom busied himself by cooking some willow bark tea to reduce the soreness. At the same time he told her how he had gotten caught.

He had heard voiced while Kel had taken her bath. Only hearing two voices and only seeing two sets of footprints he had taken his sword to chase the bandits away. He had sneaked up on them and was just about to charge at them when the large bandit with the bow and arrow had surprised him from behind. Together with his two cronies he had forced Dom to submit without even a big fight or noise.

Kel listened closely. The mistake of not watching out for a scout could have happened to anyone, even to an experienced fighter like Dom. She knew that Dom was embarrassed because of his error and she wasn't about to reprimand him.

Darkness had fallen quickly and Kel shivered. Dom had added wood to the fire and now sat next to Kel on her left side. There was a honourable distance between the two, but Kel could feel that something hung in the air that wouldn't rest until it had been brought out into the open.

Dom saw Kel tremble and moved in, placing his blanket around her shoulders.

Kel nodded her thanks, aware of how close they had gotten.

Dom picked up her left hand.

"Kel," he said, "I was going to tell you that night the king told you about the mission. But I was interrupted then and now the words won't come, but I want you to know."

His other hand had gone to her cheek and now cupped it and, with his thumb, stroked the sensitive skin beneath her eye.

Kel could hardly breath. Every part where Dom touched her burned and prickled, but all other parts that were neglected by him yearned for his touch.

Dom had gently forced her to meet his gaze. The intensity in his eyes scared her, but all of a sudden the emotion, which she hadn't been able to place, surface in them again and suddenly she knew what it was.

Dom's lips were on hers and all thoughts in her brain stopped. Sweetness raced through her and made her tingle all over and her eyes closed on their own. Hot and cold waves washed over her and she felt her insides melt. Subconsciously she leaned into the kiss before catching herself and pushing Dom away with all the energy she could muster.

Her lips pounded and she knew that her cheeks were flushed. Not even her Yamani mask could help her sort through her emotions.

"What are you doing, Dom?" She gasped. The kiss had felt so right, so perfect. She wanted him to do it again, but at the same time she was scared.

Dom was smiling as he said: "I am taking advantage of you now because you can't strangle me with one hand."

Then he was kissing her again, his strong arms encircled her and pulled her close to him. He was gentle, taking care as to not bump her arm, but Kel could feel his desperation in that one kiss.

She had waited too long for this moment to now reject him: Years she had daydreamed about him and now all those feelings that had been covered up and hidden were being poured into that one kiss.

Without thinking, Kel wrapped her good arm around his neck and when he tried to break the kiss, she pulled him back.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she was sure that it was about to burst.

Slowly, they both pulled away and Kel opened her eyes.

Dom was watching her warily.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked her quietly.

Her only reply was to wrap her arm around him again and to snuggle closer. She buried her face in his shoulder and felt Dom pull her into a tight hug.

"I have wanted to do that for a long time now." He whispered into her hair and Kel shivered agreeably.

For a long time they just sat like that, arms wrapped around each other, not daring to move and so break the contact. Every now and again Dom would plant a kiss on Kel's head, but they enjoyed the silence and together watched the stars mount up in the sky.

Finally Kel could hardly keep her eyes open and pulled away from Dom.

He recognised the signs of fatigue on her face and quickly helped her out of her boots and into the bedroll. One last quick kiss was exchanged between the two and Dom just sat next to her and held her hand waiting for sleep to take her. Kel couldn't remember the last time she had felt so save or happy. Smiling, she slipped over the edge and into the lands of dreams.

Here is the fluff so many of you wanted!

That was my first fluff scene and I don't know what to think. I have never kissed a guy so I have no idea if the emotions and feelings were described accurately. Please tell me think.

Also, if you want to see how Kel and Dom are travelling, take a look at the map in the front of the book "The woman who rides like a man". I am using that map to plan their journey from Corus to Tyra.

Wolfy