When Tommy work up that next morning - late even for him - he felt like he'd been dropped off of a cliff.  Every muscle was sore and there was even a tightness in his chest when he tried to breath.  He blinked his eyes, trying to knock the sleep from them, but also trying to remember what had happened.  It was like some crazy dream, the entire thing.<br/><br/>Julian had denied him a meal, so he just left.  He was tempted to take Valla with him, but she had some food and he wasn't going to deny her a good meal.  He remembered being angry, walking through the forest just cursing at each tree he passed, finally running out of good words to use, which just made him angrier.  And then... was that real?  Had he made that magical blast?  He shook his head, arching his back and whining softly as the muscles skill complained.<em>Okay body, we'll stay right here...</em>he compromised, continuing to remember the previous night.<br/><br/>He had gone to a clearing a bit further north - where he knew no one would catch him - and tried to work whatever he had done again, with limited success.  But then he saw it come out of the bushes... a big-ass thing carrying a weapon.  He didn't recognize it, not even with all the random knowledge he'd picked up, but the thing charged him and nearly taken off his head there.  He just ran, turning to fire off his little magic attack whenever he thought it was safe.  And it usually wasn't and if he hadn't been so damn fast, it would have killed him a few times over.  But he ran and ran, finally stopping once he realized he was getting close to camp... he couldn't lead it to camp, so he drew his rapier - like that was going to do much - and stood to fight... the fact that he was alive and it wasn't meant he probably won.  Sure felt like he lost.<br/><br/>He wiggled the fingers of his right hand and then his left, but paused when they didn't, but not for a horrid reason.  Turning his head, he was face to face with Valla - still sleep, her arm twisted around his and holding his hand.  He stopped.  And smiled.  Taking a deep breath, he remembered that she found him and was moving him, but that was it.  He squeezed her hand lightly and just laid there, watching her as she slept.  He'd never admit he actually did, nor what he was actually feeling at that moment.  He didn't want to think of her joining Julian's camp... he wanted her close and with him.  He shook his head - she'd probably never be with him, but he could stand that failure if they were still working together.