Disclaimer: M.L pwns. H.K does not pwn. Simple enough yet?

Over whelming amounts of reviewage, which make Herald a very, very happy person. Well, not overwhelming, but a pretty high number for me. There were a couple points in the last chapter that were a bit wonky though, sorry to anyone who noticed.

Tenshi: . Yeah, I guess he will. And nope, she certainly doesn't. Prickly as all hell, too. Not that she isn't a decent person and all. She's just prickly in the extreme.

Fireblade. Well, good luck with the board. I think if I smacked Karissa with a board to get her to do something, I probably wouldn't live to regret it. Heralds don't say ok. Point taken. I never noticed actually, but I did only use it once. I shall never do it again, forgive my small error, please. And yes, I did consider giving Veria a few lines, but I was trying more for the third person fixed P.O.V over the third person omniscient, and since the only one who can "hear" Veria is Karissa, I would have to move towards omniscient. Oh well, if that's what you guys want, I'll try to give her a few lines in this chapter. Overall, glad you liked the chapter. I thought it was quite good, myself.

Badgerwolf: Yes, I did read Owl, but, I'm sad to say, it was a long time ago, as my local library seems not to believe in fantasy sections. It angers me greatly, actually. Anyway, so if I miss a fact from there that I should know, just tell me, because it's been a long time since I read those. Also, I think she knows intellectually that Treet is an Empath, but either she can't help herself, or she's not quite processed what it means. Probably a bit of both.

Lurks in Shadows: Thanks, I liked it too. Lucky you, no more school. I still have a week and a half left, plus finals. -Herald groans-

Breezefire: Ah, don't feel too bad for poor Treet. He's had worse, and it'll be ok in the end, I'm sure.

Wizard: Thanks!

Gackness. I really want to do this story well. I think its turning out ok. For one thing, I'm trying not to rush like I did in Brightly Burning. Oh, just a note. Let me know in your review if you want to know more of Karissa, and why she is the way she is. I have a plan for a good short fic that I will put up if enough people express interest in reading it. Speaking of Karissa, try not to hate her. She has her reasons, and she isn't all that bad a person. Anyway, moving on.

Chapter 4: Rides

By the time Veria halted outside the Waystation, Treet was almost too tired to move. Karissa had fared slightly better, having been trained to tolerate long rides and having built up her stamina through many a circuit. Still, her head began to feel too heavy for her body, and she couldn't help but wonder how Treet was holding up. She headed to the stable with Veria, instructed Treet to go inside and reached out to her Companion for the familiar link that soothed her heart.

:So, what do you think of him?:

It was pointless for Veria to ask who Karissa was talking about. Karissa had a one-track mind, and Veria was inside it a good deal of the time, so she knew perfectly well who Karissa meant.

:The boy? He has the material to be a good Healer, I think. I can't get past his natural shields with a surface probe, though, they are quite strong.:

:Well what would you expect, given his upbringing, a naïve little child who trusts in the essential good of people? Not with what he's probably been served. As I recall, sensitive men are not exactly welcome among the Holderkin.:

:Ah, so admit it, love, you like him, at least a little. You are defending him, after all.:

:I do not like him! He has a valuable Gift, he certainly isn't as annoying as most children I know, and he seems fairly bearable company if he would only stop talking once and a while. There is no call for accusing me of LIKING him!:

:Oh, I forgot.: Veria's tone was dark with irony. :The great and mighty Herald Karissa does not LIKE people. It would surely be a capital offense for her to actually be NICE to one for a change.:

:Well I don't like them!: Karissa exclaimed sullenly.

:Whatever you say, dear. Be careful what you think around the boy, though. Treet may not be a full Healer yet, but his Empathy is completely active. Pretending to like him won't quite cut it, and you'll ruin his self-esteem if you run around projecting annoyance all the way to Haven. Given the life I suspect our Treet has led, his self-esteem is probably not too high right now. Just for once, Kari-love, can't the almighty Herald descend among the common folk? I'm not asking you to force it, but I think if you give Treet a chance, you'll come to like him.:

Because it was her beloved Veria, Karissa satisfied herself with a glare before giving her grumpy assent. Anyone else calling Karissa a pet name, especially one as sappy as "Kari-love," would have been sure to lose an important body part or two.

:I'll do my best.:

:That's all I ever ask, dear.:

Karissa growled at Veria's cheerfulness, finished grooming and feeding her and went inside to join Treet.

Treet was standing just inside the door dazedly looking around. It was almost like he had suddenly been transported into one of the tales he used to read about Heralds. The Waystation looked just like he had imagined it, right down to the bed-box in the corner.

Treet jumped as Karissa walked through the door, his feet sending jolts of pain through his aching legs as he landed.

"So," Karissa said, attempting to be friendly. "We have the whole place to ourselves, what should we do? Want dinner?"

Treet made a face. "All I want right now is sleep, Herald."

"Your wish is my command. Here, I have extra blankets. It gets cold on my circuit, so I always carry spares." She matched action to words as she pulled a set of warm looking blankets out of her packs. She passed one to Treet and began making a bed out of the bed-box.

Karissa saw Treet curl up in the blanket on the cold floor, and, now that she was no longer barricading against it, felt a strong sense of sympathy for the boy. From her Collegium training, she knew about Empathy, and the thought of a child growing up with that Gift in a family of cold, hard men who would expect their son to be as hard as them made Karissa shudder. It had to have been hell for him, and adjusting to the Collegia would be no picnic either, with a background like that.

Karissa tried to put some of her sympathy into her voice. "Hey Treet? It's cold over there. Why don't you bring the blanket and share this bed-box? It's nice and cushioned. Extra straw."

"Are you sure you don't mind, Herald?" Treet asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. Not much, anyway." She said honestly. "Just don't touch me or kick me in your sleep or anything, and if you have a nightmare you're on your own." She said, a hint of her usual temperament returning despite her best efforts.

"Yes, Herald." Treet said meekly. He climbed into the bed, making sure to stay as far away as possible from the touchy Herald. Despite the tiredness Treet had confessed, he remained awake long after the Herald had faded into sleep. The waves of emotion coming off of her prone form wouldn't allow him to get a moment's relaxation. Treet felt a sudden burst of compassion for Karissa. On top of all the hostility he could sense radiating from her, he could also sense a deep-set confusion and a great fear in her mind. It was the kind of fear that can live in your shadow every day of your life, just waiting to jump out.

At that moment, Karissa began to toss and turn, moaning softly in her sleep.

'So much for me waking her with my nightmares,' Treet thought wryly. He was new to the whole Empathy thing, but he thought maybe he could try to do something that would allow him to get a little sleep.

Treet tried to envision the sleeping Herald as a long hank of tangled and knotted wool. He extended a careful mental 'comb' and began to slowly tease out the knots. Not all of them, of course. Karissa had a right to not wake up one morning to find her personality irrevocably "smoothed." He only touched the knots that he could dimly sense were causing her nightmare. With an infinitesimally gentle touch, he combed and combed until the edges of Karissa's wool-form were smooth and soft, leaving behind the hard snarls of her personality untouched.

Coincident with this, Karissa sighed a little in her sleep, rolled over and began to snore gently. Although not totally gone, the mental waves had decreased in intensity enough that Treet could close his own eyes and catch some much needed slumber.