Daine quickly dismounted and changed into hawk form as she reached out her mind to Kaddar's horse. Frightened by the sudden battle and its rider's frustration, it had wrenched away from Daine's wild magic and began galloping deep into the forest. As she flew in front of the uncontrollable horse, she gently coaxed it back within her power. It's eyes were wild and it's mouth was full of white foam from Kaddar's attempts at stopping it.

Suddenly, it reared back. Kaddar groped for a better hold on the reins, but the horse's wild actions took him by surprise and sent him flying from the saddle and into a patch of shrubs a few feet away. Kaddar groaned in pain and lifted his head to see Daine's head atop a hawk body, sitting on the back of his horse who was now whickering calmly. Confused by this strange image and dulled by pain, he let his eyes close and his head fall back into the bushes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Neal held a glowing green hand to Dom's bleeding arm. After a few seconds, the wound clotted. Dom looked down at his arm, trying to keep his vision steady.

"It's not bleeding anymore," he said thickly. Neal nodded a little dizzy from healing. "It still hurts," Dom continued, raising an eyebrow at his cousin.

"Well, I'm afraid that can't be helped," Neal replied. "I seem to have lost a lot of energy mediating between you and Kel," he said wryly. He paused. "Do I have to keep doing that?"

Dom sighed. "It's nothing I can control."

"Maybe I can help. But I have to be informed of the problem first."

"I don't know... but then again, you are more familiar with rejection than I am."

Neal knit his eyebrows together and peered at Dom closely. "What?!" he asked incredulously. He was both insulted and confused. "What did you do to her?"

Dom sat straight up, ignoring the pain shooting up his arm. "You Meathead! I didn't do anything! I was just trying to comfort her!"

"You mean you took advantage of her!" Neal accused, his green eyes narrowing.

Dom extended his arms and grabbed Neal's neck, his judgement slightly skewed by pain. "You- you-" he sputtered. His wound reopened, and the pain only served to fuel his rage.

Neal raised his right arm, ready to throw a punch. He felt something restraining him, and he whipped his head around to see a very angry Kel holding onto the back of his tunic. Dom released Neal's neck, and both men looked at her shamefacedly.

Neal grinned hesitantly. "We were only having a philosophical dispute, Mother."

"If you two are done acting like children, maybe you'd care to notice that the Wildmage and the Emperor are missing," she replied quietly. She turned around and walked towards Peachblossom, hoisting herself onto his back. The two men followed suit, guiltily.

As they rode silently, Dom pulled his steed up to keep in stride with Neal. "My arm's bleeding... again. And it still hurts," he complained. He urged his horse forward, and fell in line next to Kel.

Neal smirked.



A/N: Hey everyone! Hope all you guys are enjoying our nice, little fanfic. And wow- we updated in less than 6 months after our last update! THAT is a first! So please, please, please REVIEW!!!! It would be greatly appreciated. All comments, praises, suggestions welcome!

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