A/N: Ok, so I lied. I can get another update in before exams. Thanks to all my reviewers, and in this chapter, things begin to heat up. This chapter is in Dani's POV, because I like alternating between the twins. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The world belongs to Tammy, not me.
Flickering Flames: Chapter 4
Dani awoke to find Tahlia staring down at her, green eyes wide. The orange tabby was kneading Dani's chest, and finding the girl staring at her, the cat gave an impatient mew and jumped off the bed, then stood at the door. She turned to stare at Dani imperiously, her expression clear.
With a sigh, Dani slid out of bed, pulling on a tan tunic, a brown sarong, and a pair of sandals—the traditional garb of a palace servant. After arriving at the palace, she had been told to disguise herself as a simple servant in order to help discover whatever was threatening the monarchy.
On the cot next to hers, Rhia slept on, not at all disturbed by her friend's movements. Like Dani, Rhia had been assigned the role of a palace servant. Neither of them argued—as Queen's Riders, they knew how to perform simple chores. Shyam—Lucky him, Dani thought ruefully—was assigned the role of a groom.
Tahlia hissed, impatient, and Dani crossed to the door, stepping over the other servants that were still sleeping on her way to the door. Picking up her cat, she opened the door quietly and softly stepped out into the corridor. Tahlia wriggled out of her arms and bounded down the hallway towards the courtyard. Dani followed, rubbing her arms against the cold air that rushed down the hallway.
Following her cat, Dani stepped out into the large courtyard, only to see her cat's tail disappear into the thick fog that had gathered there overnight. It had been raining recently, but Dani had never seen the fog this thick—it was white, like a heavy blanket, and she could see nothing—not even her own hand stretched out in front of her face.
Sighing, Dani rubbed her arms again and blinked sleep from her eyes, waiting for Tahlia to return. Hearing footsteps approach, Dani tensed, but relaxed when a familiar form melted out of the fog: Mingan.
She scratched the wolf-dog's ears, grateful for the company. Mingan leaned against her legs, panting happily. Suddenly, his ears pricked, and he stared out into the fog, interested. After a moment, Dani could hear the sound too: the whistling of an arrow, coming closer and closer, getting louder by the moment, and seeming as if it was heading straight towards her…
By the time the crow-feather fletched arrow appeared out of the dense fog, there was nothing Dani could do about it: the arrow was set in its course. Stunned, she could only stare incredulously at the shaft that was coming closer and closer by the second.
Mingan was watching the arrow too, and he moved to position himself at an angle to Dani and the arrow. Just as Dani was bracing herself for the painful impact, Mingan leapt, hurling his lean body straight into the arrow's path…
Dani couldn't stop the shriek that escaped her lips, shattering the quiet stillness of the early morning. She stared at the wolf-dog, who seemed to be suspended in midair, wondering what she would tell Shyam.
Suddenly, time sped up again, and Dani watched in disbelief as Mingan's teeth closed lightly over the shaft, snatching it out of the air as he landed safely on the ground again. He looked up at her, tail swinging slowly, delight and triumph shining in his golden-brown eyes. He held the crow-feather fletched arrow tightly between his teeth as Dani stared at him, still trying to figure out what had just happened.
Suddenly, another figure melted out of the fog: Elsu Crow. By the bow he held in his hand, and the handful of griffin-fletched arrows he clutched, it was clear who had shot the arrow.
"Danika, are you alright?" Elsu asked, looking concerned.
Dani just nodded her head, too shocked to saw anything. Elsu looked at Mingan, who still held the arrow between his teeth. Slowly, comprehension dawned on his face, followed quickly by the horror of what had almost happened.
"Oh, Danika," he breathed, horrified, "I'm so sorry!"
At this, Dani finally found her voice. "It's alright, Elsu." She soothed, "and it's Dani, if you don't mind."
Elsu smiled at this, but he still looked concerned. "I was aiming for the target," he explained, glancing behind her. Dani turned to see the faintest outline of a target painted onto a piece of wood. Unwittingly, she had come to stand directly in front of it.
"I didn't realize you were standing there," Elsu continued, looking ashamed, otherwise I wouldn't have shot it."
"I'm fine," Dani reassured him, "Mingan saved me." Elsu looked at the wolf-dog again, puzzled.
"Could I…?" He let the question trail off, and Dani nodded, stepping aside. Knocking his arrow, Elsu took aim at the faint target, and let his arrow fly.
Dropping the original arrow, Mingan leapt for the second, snatching it neatly out of the air with practiced ease. He dropped to the ground, eyes shining. Dani praised and patted him, and he leaned against her again, pleased with all the attention.
Elsu stared at Dani, brown eyes shining. "Amazing," he breathed, "I've never seen any animal or human able to do that, except for my father."
Dani grinned. "Knowing your father, I'm not surprised," she quipped. Suddenly shy, she looked away, and the silence was broken by Shyam's approach.
His clothes were mussed, and his hair was covered in hay, as if he had run into some hay bales on his way out of the stables. "Dani, are you okay?" He panted, brushing out his clothes the best he could. "I heard you scream—are you okay?" He looked her over searchingly, hazel eyes worried, but Dani waved him away.
"Shyam, I'm fine." She reassured him, smiling. Shyam, however, was now looking at Elsu. He took in the bow and arrows, and his face hardened.
Harshly he asked, "Did he hurt you, Dani?" Dani started to protest, but Shyam waved her exclamations away, all the while glaring menacingly at Elsu.
"Shyam!" Dani snapped, now irritated, her eyes changing to a deep blue, "it was an accident! I'm fine!" A purr interrupted her tirade; Tahlia had returned, her stomach full with whatever mice she had caught in the stables.
Pack-brother. That was Mingan's calm voice, and Dani stared at him in surprise. She had suspected that he and Shyam could speak mind-to-mind, but she had never heard his mind-voice.
Pack-brother, Mingan continued calmly, the crow-man did shoot an arrow at your pack-sister, but he did not know she was there. If he did, I'm sure he would not have shot at her. Dani blushed at this, but neither her twin nor Elsu took any notice.
From the way Shyam tilted his head, Dani knew her twin was replying, but she couldn't hear what he said. But she heard Mingan's voice loud and clear.
It was an accident. The wolf-dog said firmly, starting to sound irritated. Everyone makes mistakes, but the crow-man did not mean for your pack-sister to be in the way.
Shyam frowned, and glared at the wolf-dog, clearly displeased. Dani watched with interest, trying to imagine what her brother was saying.
Suddenly, she heard Mingan's voice, louder and sharper than anything she had heard before. A pup does not teach its elder how to hunt! The wolf-dog snapped, and Dani stared at him, surprised at the anger in his voice.
Clearly, he had never spoken to Shyam like that before, for the Shang Wolf stared at him, hazel eyes wide with shock and hurt. His mouth firming into a thin line, he turned on his heel and stalked back the way he had come without a word to either Dani or Elsu.
Next to her, Dani heard the wolf-dog's mind-voice sigh, and he looked up at her, golden-brown eyes mournful. Now I must go talk to him, the wolf-dog sighed. Keep an eye on the crow-man for me, will you, pack-sister?
Dani could only nod numbly, surprised that Mingan had spoken to her directly. Ungrateful little pup…she heard Mingan mutter as he loped off into the fog, following Shyam.
Elsu looked at Dani, confused as to what had just had taken place. "What just happened?" He asked, and Dani shook her head, smiling.
"It was nothing," she murmured, shaking her head. Silence descend again, only broken by an odd squeaking noise that was omitted from Elsu's black choker. Elsu's hand flew to his throat, and he stroked the choker for a moment before realizing Dani was still there.
"Excuse me," he murmured, "I'm needed elsewhere." He turned to walk off, but he turned back. "I'll see you around, Dani," he murmured, grinning. Dani could only nod, and Elsu disappeared into the fog that was beginning to dissipate with the coming sunlight. She watched the crow-man walk away, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart.
A week later, Dani walked with Rhia through the nearby forest, gazing at the beauty around them. Rhia paused, slowing to a stop. Dani turned to her friend, puzzled.
"Do you hear that?" Her green-eyed friend asked, brushing a lock of chestnut hair out of her face. Dani shook her head wordlessly, wondering what her friend had heard.
"It sounded like a horse," Rhia muttered, turning into the trees and heading towards the sound. Dani followed, wondering what they were getting themselves into this time. They came to a small copse of trees, and found a heavily pregnant kudarung mare lying on her side.
The red gashes indicated claw wounds, like those from a hurrok or Stormwing. Sure enough, gathered around the mare were ten Stormwings, watching the mare hungrily. The mare was breathing heavily, and from the ripples that passed along her flank, she was in labor.
Rhia's green eyes were concerned, and she turned to Dani. "We have to help her," she whispered fiercely, stringing her crossbow and knocking an arrow. Dani nodded, agreeing. The mare was in trouble, and there were innocent lives to be saved. Drawing her longest daggers, she and Rhia stepped into the clearing.
Immediately, all eyes were on them, and ten Stormwings eyed them greedily. "Look fellows," the nearest Stormwing hissed, "humans have found us. They'll make for a tasty meal." Steel wings clicking and shining in the sunlight, the Stormwings converged on the two girls.
Dani swallowed hard, and settled herself into a battle stance. This was not going to be pretty.
A/N: Cliffie! Anyone have any ideas on what going to happen? If you have any plot ideas, I'd love to hear them, or if you'd like to see more of one character, please let me know! Oh, and please review!