Raya woke from a dream with a smile thinking of Iz. She walked to her workshop and started making a new bow. One that would put her to the test. She of course meant to give it to a certain someone who it might protect in times of battle. She worked for hours and lost track of the morning. Once she had the curve down just so she would start adding special wood to it to make it faster more true to site.

Thoughts of Iz filled her head suddenly, she shook her head but the thoughts remained of him kissing her. It had been the first time she had been kissed and it was the most amazing thing she had known yet. She did not know that her skin could feel like there were butterflies dancing on it from just a kiss.

Ack she cried and balled her hands into fists. I will not be a silly girl with thoughts like this in my head all the time. I need something to do with my self. She walked to the stable and grabbed her favorite horse Sir Real out of his stall. Its time for a ride old friend. We will go in search of some new feathers to try out for flights for arrows and new wood to try for the shafts. If we cant go to war with the others we will help them any way we can.

Raya set off on her way riding along thinking of Iz. All was well the birds sang overhead and the grass smelled fresh and new. She was lost in thought not watching where she was going when her horse jumped over a fallen log, she lost her balance and went down hard. Raya lifted her head just in time to see her horse running off in a panic.

Perfect she screamed, that’s just great now look what u did with your head filled with ideas of Iz. She started to look around…………nothing looked like anything she had seen. Oh great now I get to walk and find my way at the same time. I must clear my head before the village thinks I have gone mad.

She walked for a time but saw nothing to tell her what way was home. When she noticed everything had turned to sand. She moved slower now not sure what to think, big ugly bugs walked around her at all times, then one in front of her reared up on its back legs. The scream came from her lips before she knew what she was doing she grabbed her dress and ran as fast as she could, she ran hard and fast to hard and fast and tripped sending herself down a small hill into a mud puddle. She sat there now wet covered in mud a broke sandal around her foot and her dress was tore. Tears rolled down her face what has she done now. She tried to force herself to stand up and pain shot down her leg into her foot, sending her back to the mud. Alone and lost she sat in the mud and cried.

Eowyna had just stepped out of the Temple garden when she noticed a large black horse plodding slowly up the road. The horse looked tired, like he'd run a long way and his reins were dragging the ground. Poor beast, he needed some care. She called one of the children and told him to take the horse to the stable, feed him and rub him down. But as the boy was leading the horse to the headquarters building, a little niggling thought caused Eowyna to turn back and examine the horse more closely. This horse was familiar...now who had she seen riding this animal....Raya! The young bowyer! And here he was without his rider....

Eowyna took the horse's reins from the boy. "Run into town to the bowyer and see if Raya is there." But from the looks of this animal, she didn't think Raya would be found in her workplace. In fact, it looked very much as though Raya might have had an accident of some sort. Her horse had returned without her. Eowyna was a bit worried at this thought, for Raya seldom left town and was unlikely to know her way about. Someone would have to be sent to search for the girl, that was certain.

Another day of full of nothing. There were no diplomatic meetings and no enemies to fight. The usual rounds were made with only an ettin or mongbat in the way. Might as well call it a day early, get some rest, and maybe spend some time with her, if I'm lucky.

Arriving at the Enclave something didn't feel right, there was something a little off. He noticed Eowyna walking away from the stables, troubled. She notices Iz and hurries to him, "Something is wrong," she said frantically, "Raya's horse came staggering in here, it looked as if it was running for quite some time, the reigns were being drug behind it."

"Has anyone checked to see if..."

"I sent one of the children to her work shop, here he comes."

"Sorry M'Lady, it was empty."

Iz looked at Eowyna, she nodded towards the north, and he was off.

Evening was falling all around Raya as she started to crawl out of the small pond. The tempter in the desert was falling fast and she couldn’t help but start to shiver. She wondered as she started to crawl what way should I head to get home again. She reached the top of the pond and sat down, not the chill in the air sent shivers down to her soul. She ripped off a piece of her dress and wrapped it around her badly swollen foot. Just great she said this is just perfect. Her stomach growled from lack of food, and for the first time she felt like a sip of water would really hit the spot. She looked around and said to her self she what happens to girls with their heads in the clouds.

Iz mind was full of scenarios. Was she taken captive? Did she venture out somewhere and get attacked? Could it be as simple as she wasn't paying attention and hit her head on a tree limb? And the only answer he could come up with was, anything could have happend. Raya, what were you up to?

Using what little he remembered from what King Maddux had taught him about tracking, Iz was paying attention to any trace of hoof prints, broken twigs, or disheveled dirt from the reigns being drug. He was making good progress, but it was getting late, the wind was picking up, and the tracks were being covered.

The path led through the trees north of Zento, and straight into the desert. He noticed the horses tracks didn't make it to the desert, but ended before it, just past a log that had fallen. There were footsteps leading away from it, into the desert. Why would she leave her horse to enter the desert? Iz looked towards the horizon, the light from the sun was fading, and with the wind covering the footsteps, so were his chances of finding her. He tried to think, what now? Aimlessly travel into the desert, and put us both in danger? There has to be something, somewhere. He searched frantically near the edge of the dessert for some sort of sign, there was nothing. Frustrated he yells her name, RAYA! No answer.

Why was she out here? Where was she going? He looked back, no footsteps leading away from the desert, she hadn't come back this way. He couldn't think of anywhere particular or any reason at all as to why she would be out here, so the only thing left to do was look. The desert was barren, the only thing besides rock and sand were the deathwatch beetles and their hatchlings. Raya would be terrified of these critters, he thought. Wait, she WOULD be terrified of them, she would want to be in a spot where they wouldn't go, and the beetles hate water. Iz remembered a small oasis somewhere near the middle of the desert, and charged towards it.

He could see the silhouette of the palm trees ahead. As he was nearing, he could hear the hissing, and a scream. She was there, and so was a beetle. He urged his charger to go faster, kicking it's sides as hard as he could. He sees her, next to the water, and he shouts, jump in! She turns towards his voice, and a beetle snatches at her legs with it's pincers sending her to the ground, she screams.

Raya reached the top of the oasis as she crawled another beetle came towards here rearing its ugly head. She tried to think of the magic that her mother thought her as a child. An Lor what was the last word? The beetle moved closer to her, spit dripped from its mouth. She tried to move backwards and fells on the slope back to the water.

That was all she could take the dam that made her somewhat brave broke and she started to cry. Raya lay down on the cold wet mud; she was so cold and wet. She pulled her knees to her chest and just waited to feel the beetles teeth sink into her.

Raya’s mind started to float, she thought of happier times with her parents. She pulled herself into a tighter ball and waited for the death she was sure was heading her way. A thought filled her mind of a cat playing with a mouse. The cat attacked the mouse and it screamed so the cat dropped the mouse on the ground. Again, the cat attacked the mouse, and the same thing happened, after a long time of the cat attacking the mouse and the mouse screaming to be let go and the cat doing so only to start again, the mouse gave up and laid on its back and waited for death. The cat seemed to understand and did the poor mouse in. Raya knew in this game she was the mouse.

She feels a burst of warm air, and hears the beetle hiss, it must be time she thought. She was expecting to feel the pain of the beetle's teeth tearing into her flesh, but it never came. She was hearing things, other than the beetle, a voice? Explosions? Was she going crazy? The voice was saying words she never heard before, and she started to smell something, smoke?

She opened her eyes and peered through her knees. The beetle that was supposed to have a mouth full now laid on it's back, burnt crisp, the smell made her gag. Another beetle off to the side was engulfed in flames, hissing and wriggling in a futile effort to put the flames out. Corp Por! She heard, Vas Flam! What was that, and where did it come from. The third beetle was attempting to flee, but was followed quickly by a purple ball and a ball of fire, it didn't make it far.

She felt something touch her shoulder, her heart raced, she shrieked. "It's ok, it's me, Izual." She looked up, he came for me! She thought, she couldn't get words to form in her mouth, so she wrapped her arms around his neck. He embraced her and said, "It's over now, you'll be fine, I'm here. In Vas Mani." He healed her wounds and continued to comfort her.

"You just... fire... all of them... oh thank you!" She was still in shock from the entire event.

"I've never been so worried, what in all of Sosaria were you doing out here? We better get you back to the Enclave, worse things are bound to come out now that it's dark." She squeezed him a little tighter, "Nothing I can't handle, no need to worry."

"How did you... I mean, I knew you were a Warlord, but..."

"Just know I do what's needed to protect our people, specially you." He smiled at her, and for the first time she started to calm down. "We better get back, you got everyone all worried and they'll sleep better once your back at the Enclave."

Raya was so cold now….but Iz hoped onto his charger then reached down and pulled her up in front of his lap. She sat sideways with her head resting on his chest, his left arm pulled around her to keep her in place. Raya never remembered a time she felt more at peace as she did in his arms. The chill had settled deep in her bones and she couldn’t seem to get warm. She looked up into his eyes and wished the enclave were only a bit farther away so she could hold this moment forever.

The lights of town appeared in front of them larger then life and all Raya could do was hide her face in his chest. Now they would all want to know what she was doing so far away from town. What would she say?

Nothing mattered to her now, she looked up into his eyes and said thank you for coming for me. How can I repay u ever u saved my life.