>The night was spent on the side of the road, this time with a bedroll and
>warm, hot food instead of the cold night as his blanket and tears for
>supper.  He ate hungrily, not really tasting the food going down, just
>knowing that this is what he needed right now.  Feeling refreshed, he went
>to clean up in the small stream by the camp.  washed the dirt and the grime
>from his body, changed clothes and came back into camp feeling a little bit
>better, but everytime he looked up at the sky, with it's stars overhead, he
>felt alone.  Nothing could shake his feeling of Kendra, nothing.
>
>"Maybe you should talk about Kendra now Kehan," suggested Raissa as she made
>her bedroll ready for the night.  "It always helps to talk about things just
>before bed, then you'll have a good nites sleep."
>
>"I don't know what to say.  It hit me when I bumped into her in the bar.
>She was beautiful, more than that though.  You know how you just know that
>something is or was meant to be?  Well, that's how it was with Kendra.  I
>thought I could see it in her eyes as well, but it wasn't there last night.
>She was talking about going somewhere and she needed to pack in a hurry.
>She even forgot our dinner date.  It felt as if the bottom fell out of the
>world.  I couldn't stand to be in that town.  I just had to run from what I
>thought was........well, love I guess.  I guess you could say that I loved
>that woman.  I've never felt that way about anyone ever.  She represented
>the world to me.  Now, that world is shattered like a glass house."  Kehan
>started to cry a little bit more, not at all ashamed to show his feelings
>for the woman who abandoned him so abruptly.
>
>Raissa got up and gave him a hug.  "It's going to be ok.  When we get to
>Cleft, if you want to stay and help out around there, you will be more than
>welcome.  If you want to move on, you are always free to leave.  I won't
>stop you.  But, please, stay at Cleft.  I think we could use some people
>like you there.  You'll get over her and things will cheer up, you'll see."  
>
>"I hope so.  Thank you for listening to me Raissa."  Without thinking he
>kissed her on the cheek.

Her eyes flew wide open.  'Oh, no!  This can't be happening!  Am I falling
in love with a common thief?' she thought.

"Kehan, how am I supposed to deal with you?"

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"I am beginning to grow very fond of you, and doing that may ruin the rest
of my life," she replied.

"Why is that?" Kehan asked, wondering where this conversation was leading.

"I am a healer, which means my life will never truly be my own.  I have to
put others before me.  And then there is the fact that I am an empath, I
recieve feelings that other people are experiencing, and can, under certain
circumstances, affect them.  For all I know, what I feel for you is an
enhanced echo of what you feel for me," she said.  "And the small empathic
ability you have doesn't help."

"Then you know exactly what I'm feeling?" he questioned.

"Yes, that was how I knew you had my knife at the inn.  You were guilty
about it, and it was a strong enough emotion that I can see the source.  It
was worry about your father, and I think it was love for Kendra,"  Raissa
said.  "By the way, I think we will be seeing her again soon."

"What?!" Kehan exclaimed.

"Go to sleep," she replied.  "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

************************************************

<tag - Kahn!>

Respectfully Submitted By
        Bugly

Raissa and ? (Cleft)
Maeve and Krith (Daere)