Author: Idrian Watzon

Understanding

The darkness that swept through the night was unbearable. Yet again, the young woman that lie curled up on her bed shivered and pulled the thick covers around her slim body. Another gust of wind sounded, and the girl suddenly sat up, flinging the blankets off of her dramatically. Her face was set in a determined gaze, light blue eyes staring at only one thing. And with a soft thump, she jumped off of her bed and slowly made her way over to the open window, pushing the blowing curtains out of her way as she proceeded to complete her goal.

She reached up, grabbing the window and pushing it downwards. When the simple click of the window locking sounded, the young woman turned and climbed back into her bed, once again pulling the blankets around her. With a sigh of contempt, she shut her eyes and her face relaxed. Soon, she was caught up in a land only existing in dreams, and her breath grew slow to match a steady rythm. But it was short-lived as she sat up, breathing harshly, shivering despite the closed windows.

Her head turned towards a small ball of fur curled up on her left. Reaching her hand out, she gently stroked the soft fur, trying to calm her racing heart as she moved her hand across the creature's fur. In the moonlight, the soft hair seemed to glow an even brighter blue color than normal. Green eyes opened to stare up at the young woman's face, seeming to ask a question, though no words were spoken.

"Leki, I'm okay." Cleao's voice muttered to the small Wolven cub. She leaned back onto the covers of the bed, pondering the dream she had just had. It scared her, to think that everything that she had dreamt could possibly come true. After all, anything was possible around her friends. Cleao gave Leki one more pat on the head before she stood and padded across the room, her bare feet landing lightly on the wooden floor. She exited the room, deciding she would wander around for the time being.

She thought back to the dream. It was a strange dream, one that Cleao didn't exactly understand, nor did she enjoy it. She'd had it more than once, which led Cleao to worry even more. She didn't know where, but one time, along their travels, Cleao had heard a small rumor about reocurring dreams. How, if you have a dream more than a certain amount of times then the dreams contents would come true. Cleao didn't know whether to believe this, but she didn't want to take any chances.

Usually, the dream would start out like a usual day. Majic would make some sort of breakfast and they would eat. Then, they would continue on their journey and Cleao would do her usual complaining, sending her into the usual verbal match she had with Orphen early in the morning. They would have a stream of insults, then grow silent, in which Majic would make some sort of comment, and be told to 'shut up!'. But, then it would change.

Cleao hated the dream, because as it progressed, it only got worse. All of her friends, family members, enemies, everybody would act like they usualy do, but then disapear, until it was only her and Orphen. Majic, Leki, Lycoris, Volken, Dorten, Stephanie, Azalie, everybody would be standing around like normal, and then vanish. Cleao brushed some of her blond hair out of her face, swallowing and softly padding down the hall. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't think she could take falling asleep again.

Cleao recalled farther into the dream. Orphen was always the last to disapear, always. She didn't know why, but just like the rest, he would be standing there, looking all gruff and pestering, one moment, and then, like the rest, he would just leave. Everybody would leave. She would be left alone, standing in the dark depths of nowhere. Cleao sighed, obviously it would never happen. She was just being dramatic again. Everybody was fine.

She looked around the halls, wondering where she was now. Orphen had finally given in to let them all stay at an inn for the night. Cleao had pestered him as best as she could and the result was where they were now. The inn was rather big, so each of them got their own room because it was practically vacant. Volken and Dorten had miraculously been working there, yet again prooving their strange ability to be wherever Orphen was.

Cleao sighed and walked over to one of the windows in the hall she was currently wandering down. She stared out at the many buildings in the small town they had arrived at. She gave off a light smile as she remembered the rumors she had heard this time. Apparantly there was a small town up the road by about twenty miles that was haunted. But, besides that fact, it also was said that there was a nice hot springs that had been abandoned, but was still usable. Cleao was already preparing for the long verbal match she'd have to have with Orphen to get him to agree to let them stay at the town a while.

After all, they would have plenty of time to walk there and possibly even be able to stay the night. She started down the hallway again, now counting the doors she passed. For such a large inn, it was very strange to be unnocupied. It was the only inn in town, too, so it only made Cleao wonder more. Not that it mattered much to her, but still, it was odd to not have more than five guests. Cleao had decided before trying to fall asleep that the town just wasn't that popular.

She stopped walking, now wondering where she was. It was another hallway, and she decided to wander down it. She noticed a faint light emnating from under two of the doorways. For a moment, Cleao was in wonder, but then she realized that they were probably Majic and Orphen's rooms. The light was most likely coming from the fires that were lit. There had been one lit in her room as well, but it had grown low during the middle of the night. Cleao didn't even know what time it was, it had to be late into the night, or possibly early in the morning.

The sky outside was still dark, so Cleao supposed it to not even be past three. She started down the hallway, wondering why the rooms had been so spread out. She had to have been wandering about at least thirty minutes by now, and to just now find Orphen and Majic's rooms seemed a little weird to her. But, then again, many things seemed weird to her. She had overreacted to so many different problems, it was nothing new. She still remembered when she had though Lycoris to be some sort of monster out to kill them. Ah, what a fool she had made herself to seem.

Cleao stopped by the two doors, seeming to ponder what to do. As if by reaction, Cleao's hand reached out and landed on the door knob of one of the two doors. She didn't know who's room it was, but as it slowly creaked open, she seemed to wonder what she was doing. Her head poked in the small crack and she glanced towards the bed, hoping to find out which of her two friends it was. She squinted into the darness, pondering what to do, when the person sat up and turned over to her.

"Damn it, Cleao, are you sleepwalking again?" Orphen's voice mumbled out. Cleao would have let out a laugh, but she couldn't seeing as she didn't want Orphen to know she was actually awake. It would be embarrasing for him to find that out. Plus, she would never hear the end of it. Cleao gulped and just stood there, uncertain. "Go back to bed, Cleao." Orphen called in a commanding voice.

Cleao was frozen, but then she thought of what she would do if she were truly asleep. Of course, she would have probably climbed right into the bed, whether Orphen was there or not. So, deciding to play along, she slowly stumbled over towards the bed, trying her best to hold back the laughter that was urging to come up through her throat. She couldn't possibly blow her cover now. Orphen made a groaning noise and stood, walking over towards Cleao.

"Go to your room." Orphen grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, pushing her towards the exit. Cleao walked slowly, not wanting to throw off the moment and show she was awake. She stopped abruptly, noticing Leki standing in the doorway, giving off a slight growl. Orphen let go of Cleao's shoulders, noticing the small Wolven. Leki's eyes were glowing a slight green tint to them, and Orphen stepped back a bit.

"Hey, I'm not hurting her." He snapped back quietly to Leki. Orphen sighed and went back to his bed, sitting on it while the tiny Wolven cub lightly crossed the room and sat in front of the low fire. Cleao stood there, uncertain. What was she supposed to do now, pretend she had fallen asleep standing there? She couldn't possibly begin to walk again, it could blow her cover. She had been standing there and she knew that if she began moving, Orphen would probably grow suspicios. Should she stand there all night?

Orphen sighed gruffly, and Cleao heard him stand again. "Don't tell me you plan to stand there all night, Cleao..." He muttered to himself. "Spoiled rotten brat..." Cleao tried her best not to clench her fists and shoot an insult back. He stepped in front of her and glanced over at Leki. The Wolven was staring at Orphen, his glowing eyes not leaving the sorcerer for even a second. Cleao had carefully drooped her eyes shut so it wouldn't look obvious that she was awake.

She felt hands on her shoulders and Orphen turned her around, again... She was pushed forward, but this time she had no idea as to where. Suddenly her legs connected with the bed, and she nearly fell forward if not for Orphen's hands still being on her shoulders. She stood there, not knowing what to do, when Orphen's hands left her shoulders. Before she could think of anything else, she was practically picked up and set in the bed. Cleao tried not to react in any way, but she couldn't help the blush that was sure to cover her cheeks soon.

She decided to turn herself over, uncertain as to how else she could hide her slowly appearing blush. So, she did, turning herself in the opposite direction as Orphen and curling up. Now what? She felt a blanket being pulled over her, but she didn't move to grab it. For a second she wondered what Orphen was going to do. Was he going to sleep somewhere else, or climb in the bed too?

"Leki, don't you dare even try." Orphen's voice growled out. "Dang it! This is my bed, not hers." Cleao tensed as little as she could when Orphen was suddenly sitting on the bed. This couldn't possibly be good. He sat there a moment, and Cleao began to think he was just going to sit there all night. But then he moved a bit, and suddenly fell back onto the bed. Cleao's cheeks were burning by now. How weird she felt at that moment.

"Look, you, I'm not even going to use the blankets." Orphen muttered, directing the comment towards Leki. Cleao gulped and kept her eyes shut, wondering what she was to do. Was this how she was every night she sleepwalked? Did Orphen always let her sleep in his bed, even though she was sure to make Leki blow the place up? Or did she really just climb in with him, without her even knowing until too late? Cleao was confused, yet she knew she couldn't get up now. She slowly allowed herself to relax.

Soon, Cleao drifted off into slumber. And for once, she didn't dream of everybody leaving her. She didn't dream a single horrid moment. She was content, even if it was for only that one night.

-----

Cleao opened her eyes, blinking drowsily. Slowly, she sat up, looking around at where she was. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she spotted a certain sorcerer lying beside her, a lone blanket covering him while thick blankets were over herself. She sought through her mind, trying to remember how she had gotten there. Her mind registered what had happened and she searched around, looking for Leki. But the Wolven was nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, Cleao considered yelling at the sorcerer and doing something, as she always did. But as she watched, she knew it would be best not to disturb him. At least, not for now. So, Cleao clambered out of the bed, slowly making her way around it quietly. She found a few sheets of paper, on which she scribbled a note with a pen she had found to Orphen, warning him and saying some of the likes that she always said. Then, after somehow managing to attach it to Orphen's forehead, she creeped out of the room and ran back to her own.

Finally finding it, she quickly changed into a normal set of clothes and found her way to the lower level. Majic was sitting at a table, looking bored as Leki played with some food on the floor. Cleao walked over towards them. Majic looked up, alarmed.

"Cleao! What are you doing up?" Cleao gave him a look as she sat down across from him.

"Don't I have a right to get up in the morning?"

"Well, yeah, but you're not usually up this early." He seemed to consider his words a moment. "You've never gotten up before Master..." Cleao glanced up at him from watching Leki. Majic almost immediately started to eat the food in front of him, not once looking up at Cleao. She stared at him a moment longer before she grabbed a little of the food that was set on the table. She took a bite, watching as Leki continued to play around with the food in front of him.

"CLEAO!" Orphen's voice rang down to them. Majic flinched and grabbed the current guide book on the table, burying his nose in it. Leki stopped playing and sat up, staring over towards the stairs. Orphen came storming down, looking angry again, half a sheet of paper stuck to his forehead, the other ripped half clutched in his hand.

"What, you stupid sorcerer?" Cleao replied, still sitting at the table.

"What is your problem?" Orphen growled out. "For one, that stupid piece of paper wouldn't come off my face. Second, you can never think of a good threat. And third, you stupid little rich brat, I DID NOT BAG YOUR STUPID CREATURE! AND I DIDN'T POSSESS YOU TO CLIMB INTO MY BED!" Cleao nearly flinched at the loudness of his voice.

"Oh, then where was Leki this morning? Hm...?" She tried replying.

"HE'S RIGHT OVER THERE!"

"Orphen, would you shut up? There are more people in this world than you." Cleao was starting to loose her temper.

"THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS STUPID BUILDING." Orphen roared back.

"WELL SHUT UP ANYWAYS!" Cleao yelled back, loosing her control.

"NO."

"ORPHEN, YOU STUPID GOOD FOR NOTHING ROTTEN SORCERER, CAN YOU NOT LEARN TO SHUT UP?"

"I'M NOT THE ONE YELLING SO LOUD."

"THEN WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?"

"CLEAO, YOU BRAT, WOULD YOU GET OFF MY BACK? WE DON'T NEED YOU ANYWAY." Orphen hollared back. "YOU FOLLOWED ME, I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO COME." Cleao didn't reply for a moment.

"Oh, really? Well, then, I guess I'll just leave then, since you don't need me. I mean, you have Stephanie, and Azalie, and Majic, and everybody else. I suppose I'll be on my way. But before I go... LEKI!" Cleao turned and began to walk towards the exit as Leki's eyes began to glow green. Orphen gulped as Majic stood and tried to get out of the way, but stumbled over another chair. There was a giant explosion as the building shook. Leki turned around and trotted after his mistress, tail swaying after him.

"Well, that went well." Majic commented among the dust and debree.

"Shut up, Majic. Just shut up."

-----

"I tell you, the nerve of the guy." Cleao muttered to herself, wandering the empty streets of the town. She had walked all day and had arrived at the supposed 'haunted' town of Lydona. It wasn't late, maybe around one in the afternoon. She hadn't been going at a fast pace, and the twenty miles to get to Lydona hadn't taken more than three, possibly four hours. Cleao sighed and glanced down at her feet, hoping to find a little comfort in Leki. But Leki wasn't there, he was gone. Cleao stopped walking and turned around, looking for Leki.

"Leki!" She called out. "Leki!" Cleao became slightly frantic when the cub didn't come at her call. She continued her call of the Wolven, but as she realized the cub wasn't going to come, she seemed to loose hope. Cleao sat down in the middle of the road and sat there. Hours ago, she had decided against returning. She always returned after a fight, and the sorcerer and apprentice knew that. She wanted to catch them off guard, but as she stared at the abandoned buildings surrounding her, she began to regret the decision.

She was hungry, having only had one small bite of food before she had stormed off. And she didn't have any of her things. Once again, she had left without thinking, and Cleao regretted it more and more with each passing second. Maybe she was a spoiled brat, as Orphen had said. Maybe she deserved to be alone as her dreams had seemed to say. Maybe she should have never followed Orphen because of that stupid obsession she had. Cleao's mind racked through all of the choices she had and could have made, and she was beginning to ponder her decisions.

Was she really just baggage that Orphen was forced to carry around? She had no magical powers and had been lucky Leki had chosen her. She was annoying to Orphen, and Majic too. Did Stephanie hate her too? And Azalie, and Lycoris? Cleao sighed.

"Maybe I should just go home..." She whispered, running her finger along the dirt road. And she realized, she was alone. So many times she had dreamed of it, and now, it had come true. She was alone, and nobody was going to help her. She was going to be dragged down, and she wasn't going to be able to stand back up. Before she knew it, tears were running out of her eyes and she was unable to stop them. She tried wiping them away, but they kept flowing and Cleao soon broke into sobs, covering her face and letting the tears fall.

She didn't know how long she sat there, crying, but it wasn't like it mattered. She thought she heard her name being called faintly in the distance, but she thought it to be her imagination. Just like the dreams, she was alone. Maybe she was being dramatic, but that's what she believed for that small amount of time. No, she had thought that longer, she just hadn't accepted it.

Suddenly, before she knew what to think or how to react, a pair of arms wrapped around her and she was pulled against someone. Her sobbing grew muffled as she cried into the shoulder, not caring who it was. "Cleao?" Orphen's voice asked, uncertain as to how he should act around the sobbing girl. Cleao's tear-streaked eyes widened as she pulled away from him, trying her best to wipe away her tears.

"What, Orphen? What do you want?" She mumbled, sounding weak with her voice barely above a whisper. Orphen looked uncertain.

"Cleao, what's wrong with you? You're acting strange. And you're more easily ticked off. Are you on PMS or something?" Cleao's eye twitched and had she been in the right state of mind, she would have kicked Orphen into the next century.

"Nothing's wrong. Now leave me alone." She tried to turn away from him, but he stopped her.

"Cleao, I know something's wrong when you're in the middle of an abandoned town crying. Even I'm not that stupid." He paused a moment, rethinking his words. "Not that I'm stupid." Cleao gave him a weak smile.

"I'm okay, Orphen, really." She muttered, but he didn't buy it.

"Cleao..." She sighed, looking down.

"It's stupid, really." Orphen gave her a look, and she laughed slightly. "It's just about a dream. But as you'd say, it's stupid. Nothing to worry about."

"Dang it Cleao, just tell me!" Orphen grabbed her hand, but blushed and pulled back. She smiled and gently put her hand in his.

"Promise you won't laugh?" Orphen nodded, still red in the face. "Fine." Cleao took in a breath and told him about the dreams and her worry. Orphen, for once, stayed quiet throughout the entire explanation.

"That's not funny, Cleao. It's understandable." Orphen muttered, looking down at Cleao's hand, which was still in his.

"You're not going to laugh?" Cleao looked at him.

"No, of course not. And you know what?"

"Hm...?" Cleao muttered, still uncertain. Orphen pulled her into a hug again.

"I'll never leave you, Cleao." Orphen whispered. Cleao smiled into Orphen's shoulder, grateful. "That is, if you never cook again."

She pulled back suddenly and hit Orphen across his head. "Idiot, you always ruin a perfectly good moment." She smiled lightly at him.

"And how's that?" Orphen replied back

"You open your big fat mouth and say something with that harsh voice you've got." Cleao smiled wider, leaned forward, and pressed her lips against his. She leaned back and stood, turning around and started to walk down the abandoned street. She turned back to him, holding down her laughter at his shocked expression. "Come on, Orphen, let's go find Majic." She waited as he stood and followed her, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Orphen! Where's Leki?" Cleao suddenly asked as they walked along the road.

"Wait, you mean he's not here?"

"No, I don't know where he is."

-----

"Come on, Dorten, let's catch that stupid animal."

"But, Volken, what're we supposed to do with it?"

"Why, eat it of course." Volken laughed evilly as they continued to chase after the small Wolven cub. Dorten sighed, following after his brother.

"But what if Orphen finds out?"

"He won't, you dimwit! Because I, Lord Volken Polkano, will defeat that stupid sorcerer before he even comes within twenty meters of me. WAHAHA!" Volken rambled as they ran down another empty streat.

"Oh, dear..." Dorten sighed as they continued to run.

"Dorten, look, he stopped! Hooray, now we shall feast on the glorious bounty of that stupid, annoying, flat-chested pawn of Orphen!" Volken darted forward, Dorten right behind, and made to grab the tiny Wolven. But the so-called victory was short lived when the eyes of the cub began to glow green. Both of the trolls stopped as a huge explosion sounded through the town.

"Volken!" Dorten cried, flying off into the distance.

"Dorten, you lousy moron, this is ALL YOUR FAULT!" Volken's voice followed after as he too, went flying off into the distance. "CURSE YOU STUPID SORCERER!"

A/N - I wanted to thank everyone that has reviewed for this story. I'm shocked at the amount of reviews I've gotten. Anyway, thank you very, very much. I appreciate it.