Even through the noise, Dustfinger still heard Meggie's cry of alarm. He spun around, and his eyes widened as he watched Meggie try to hold up her mother. He whispered the fire out, sprinting over to them.

"You're meant to stay hidden! What is it?"

"It's the baby…" Resa hissed out, bending down. Meggie struggled to keep her upright.

Meggie turned panicked eyes to Dustfinger.

"You must get her out of here! Now!" She screamed at him. She wasn't sure if she yelled to be heard, or because she was so worried.

"You are coming with me!" He grabbed her arm, but she shook him off.

"No Dustfinger you two must go…you must! If I come with you, it would be too obvious. And also, you'll be worrying about me."

"I'll be worrying about you more if you stay here!" Dustfinger yelled through the noise. She shook her head, desperate for him to see.

"Please go Dustfinger. For me. I love you." She kissed him, and Dustfinger kissed her back roughly. Meggie then handed Resa to Dustfinger, and he gently took her.

"If you die I'm coming after you…and then I shall perhaps kill you there." She giggled at his promise, before he was gone, and so was her mother. She looked around-she could not tell who was winning or what was happening, it was just one big blur of action. In the movies, this would excite people, but actually being it? It was frightening. You didn't know if you would die or not. Or how you would die…She crawled over to a wheel burrow and turned it over, before hiding under it. Her breath echoed all around, and she fidgeted, being extremely uncomfortable. She was stuck with her thoughts and concerns, and that was perhaps the worse enemy. The mind. Was Resa okay? Did Dustfinger make it? Had Resa given birth yet? This wasn't how it was meant to happen; Mo and Meggie were meant to be there! She did not know how late it was, but suddenly all became still. Murmured gasps of wonder and fear could be heard around the campsite, and even hidden, secure beneath the wheel burrow, terror still managed to slip in, surrounding her in their cold embrace.

"She is coming! She will kill you if you are not asleep!" Mo screamed. Meggie's heart pounded painfully against her chest. Had time really past that quickly?

"Meggie!" she heard, but could not tell who screamed her name, though she could hear the desperation, the love.

"I'm alright! Just sleep!" she hollered back. All became still.

"You better fall asleep in the next five minutes. You know, no pressure…" A mocking voice laughed, and Meggie felt chills go up and down her spine. She hugged herself, imaging it was really Dustfinger's warm arms. She bit down hard on her lip, so hard she could taste the blood, before squeezing her eyes shut, letting only one lone tear slip down her face, waiting.

Waiting…waiting…

The campsite grew eerily quiet.

She wanted this to be over. Fear like this, impatient fear, freezing fear, should not exist. It was too horrid to feel. Already her body was exhausted.

She shoved her fist into her mouth, closing her eyes even tighter. It was pure agony waiting and not knowing.

And then she heard a terrible, terrible scream. She jumped slightly, tears pouring down her face. Was she safe under this wheel burrow? Was Mo safe? Was Dustfinger? Her mother? Even Farid?

Would she ever go home? Would anything be okay again?

She heard a few cries then, and ear splitting roars of a beast. What did it look like? And then all was still again. She shifted slightly, waiting…waiting…

And then, nothing. Meggie waited, until it felt like a day had gone by. Did fear do that to you? It gave you delusions into thinking you'd waited enough when it was only a mere five minutes? Meggie lifted the wheel burrow up ever so slightly and peeked out, blinking at the sky that had only just darkened. And then she saw it. Her body trembled, and she shoved her fist once again into her mouth, trying so hard to not scream, to not scream and scream, and scream. It was huge-perhaps as tall as two houses, as fat as two houses. Its eyes were red empty things. Its presence was just terrifying. To explain it meant nothing but to see it…words failed Meggie.

Meggie remained still as it turned slowly. It then moved in her direction. Her heart crashed against her chest and then stopped altogether. Her lungs smashed into one another-she could not breathe. She was going to die before it even came to her! And then it moved past her. Her body let out another tremble, and she watched it scream into someone else. They didn't move. Meggie jumped once again, tears sliding down her face.

She peered closer at the person.

Mo!

Oh not Mo, please not Mo.

Leave him alone! The words were on the tip of her tongue-they tasted so good. But to yell that would not help anyone, least of all Mo or herself. Mo didn't even move, just continued breathing as if he really were asleep. Perhaps he was-she supposed today would have been very tiring. Not just so much the fencing, but fear could drain all of your energy. The figure moved on. This thing reminded Meggie of the shadow-but it was even more terrifying. Far more terrifying. The figure moved on, drifted in another direction. Meggie slumped in relief, and then disappeared under the wheel burrow, too scared to walk over to her father. She then lay there, tears blinding her and soaking her. Sleep would not visit her for a long time now.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Meggie blinked as the harsh sunlight danced into her eyes. She groaned and rolled over.

"Meggie, wake up." Her father's voice rang through her ears. She blinked and looked up, to see him peering down anxiously at her. She felt so numb; she could barely bring herself to even speak, to move.

"I'm awake." She croaked out. Mo glanced at someone else before helping her stand up.

"How are you?"

"Fine," She retorted, brushing herself off.

"Are you sure?" Farid. She turned to him. He flinched back from her angry glare.

"Whoa Meggie, sorry." He walked off, and Mo glanced back down at his daughter.

"Meggie…what is it?"

"Dad I'm fine. Sorry that I'm not happy about being kidnapped." She snapped. Mo's eyes narrowed.

"Even so the last time it happened, you were still happy, you still kept up the fight. It's like there's nothing left in there anymore. Your eyes have lost their sparkle."

"Things change. This isn't like other times." Meggie pointed out.

"It can be better." Mo whispered. "You make the story."

"Oh funny that, explain to me how this world came to be?" Meggie snapped. Mo pulled back, his eyes swimming across his daughter's face.

"I wish I could have protected you from everything that's made you feel like this." He whispered, agonized by her pain. Meggie softened.

"Oh Mo…it's fine. I wouldn't have it any other way, except for this…" she forced a laugh for his sake.

"Come on I'm sure you're eager to see Dustfinger and your new baby brother." Meggie's entire face lit up and Mo laughed.

"There we go."

"There we go? More like let's go!" Mo bent down and Meggie jumped onto his back.

"To be a kid again," she sighed. Mo laughed.

"You still are if you choose to be." He pointed out and she nodded, flinging her arms out and letting her head fall backwards as she beamed up into the sun, forgetting what she had seen last night, forgetting everything and thinking of Dustfinger and her new brother.

Meggie didn't even bother to question about Orpheus, but perhaps if she did things would have turned out differently.

As soon as Dustfinger saw her, his bright face turned slightly dark, to suspicion. Meggie gulped, lowering her heard beneath her father's shoulder.

"What happened to her?"

A/N: Not my best chapter, sorry. I promise there is a character death around the corner, so review. :)