Numair watched his young student sleep on her bedroll. It was strange; she normally slept still and silent. But now she was turning and tossing. He had considered waking her up, but thought better of it. They had just set up camp after putting out a forest fire.

Thinking back to the fire, he thought about the fear that had been in her eyes.

But of course, her family had died in flames, as well as her home and animals.

Maybe he should talk to her tomorrow.

He bent over to put the camp fire out when Daine began screaming and thrasing in her sleep. Numair bolted over to his student and began shaking her awake but she couldn't.

"STOP IT!" Daine screamed in her sleep. "I'LL DO BETTER!"

Numair continued prodding the girl awake until she did, her eyes wide and fearful.

"Daine! Are you alright?" Numair asked.

"Wh- what happened?" She asked, breathlessly.

"You were screaming in your sleep. What happened?" Numair asked.

"It was nothing," She muttered, looking down.

"Don't you dare do that to me. Do you want me to get Alanna and have her drag the answer out of you?" Numair threatened.

"But it doesn't even matter!" Daine argued.

"Something has bothered you into screaming in your sleep and I won't leave you alone until you tell me." Numair stated firmly.

Daine looked away and became almost desperate not to look into his eyes. "Why did we leave the horses and Kitten back at Pirates Cove?" Daine sighed, standing up. She began to walk away but Numair grabbed her and sat her down.

"Tell. Me." Numair struggled to keep his anger in check.

"You'll hate me!" She burst out.

"No, I promise I won't. just tell me." Numair said sincerely.

"I was happy when my mother died." Daine admitted.

"You- you were what?" Numair was shocked.

"She really wanted me to become a hedgewitch like her. She thought I was a failure because I wasn't. She used to- she used to hit me." Daine whispered.

"She did what!" Numair yelled.

Daine shrank away and her eyes glazed over with tears. "I knew it!"

"I'm sorry, I'm angry at her, not you." Numair reassured, slipping an arm over her shoulders.

"But I was happy! She used to burn me and hit me. I couldn't help it! My grandfather tried to protect me, but he couldn't. He was getting older and older. My animals were forbidden to ever come into the house." Daine whispered, unable to stop now.

"I couldn't even heal the simplest injury. She spent an entire hour beating me with a leather belt." Daine began sobbing.

Numair was shocked at what Daine had suffered though.

"She told me- told me that it was my fault, my fault that I was even born. She told me I was a failure; I couldn't even heal a thing. I would be a failure. A waste of space. Everyone would hate me." Daine was unable to go on. Her body racked with sobs.

Numair wrapped her in a tight hug. "Forget about what she said. She lied. You have so many people who care about you, and then you have animals. You have Kitten. You've saved lives, animal and human. You were able to provide for yourself out in the wilderness. You have done the impossible."

"But, my own flesh and blood wanted to hurt me! I must be a waste of space!"

"Say that one more time…" Numair sighed. His heart seemed to break with pain for this girl. He loved her. Ever since he had first laid eyes on her. He had been falling through the air, and he saw her. He thought she was an angel. And then he was granted the opportunity of teaching her.

"I love you," he whispered.

Her eyes widened and she seemed to stop breathing.

"You're just saying that," she whispered.

"No. I'm not. I love you. I love you! I love you!" Numair exclaimed. "I always have. Just give me one chance!"

"But- but what if you end up hating me?"

"I'll never hate you. Never," Numair promised.

"I love you too," She whispered.

Numair held her under the moon, fending off the nightmares of her past, and giving her promises for the future.