As Tamora soon found out, Devin as she predicted, was a good traveling companion.
He didn't complain about the scorching desert heat, but merely dealt with it
in silence. He carried his share of the equipment, which the faerie had packed
equally. He was also very nice. Tamora had explained what had happened to her,
and he expressed great sympathy. He explained what had happened to his family.
Apparently his parents had been out flying, (leaving him in the care of a baby-sitter
when he was about 11) and a freak tornado had touched down sucking them up.
Tamora marveled at the similarities of the way they had lost their parents.
But of course, their happy travel couldn't last. A rude Uni had come flying
out of nowhere, forcing Tamora to dodge to the side. This forced her into a
spiral toward the earth. Devin managed to grab onto her and slow her down, but
she hit the earth hard anyway, and was knocked out.
When she awoke, the first thing she saw, was the face of a very anxious Devin.
Jumping back in surprise sent a sharp wave of pain through her back. Gasping
in surprise and pain, she realised she must have broken her left wing. Devin,
noticing she was in pain asked her what was wrong.
“I think I broke my wing!” she squeaked through another onset of pain.
Devin, eyes furrowed with concern suggested going back to the Soup Faerie.
“No!” Tamora cried, a little too forcefully. Then noticing the hurt expression
on Devin’s face, she blushed and said. “Sorry, but we're already over half way
across the desert, and I really want to save my family! I'm sure there is a
healer near the edge of the desert. I’ll walk, you can fly ahead if you want.
I’ll meet up with you later.”
Devin looked horrified that she would even think that he might do something
like that. “I wouldn't leave you to fend for yourself, “ he said, “especially
with a broken wing.”
Tamora realised that he thought he thought she couldn't make it across the
desert by herself! He must think I asked the Soup Faerie for his help! He probably
thinks I'm a weakling! Taking this as a personal insult she told him quite sharply
“I can cope quite nicely with out you thank you very much. The only reason you
came with me is because the soup faerie didn't want you any more, so she asked
me to take you to Faerieland so you could get a job. I certainly hope you didn't
think I wanted you to come!”
The awful hurt look on Devin’s face made her realise her words had cut deep.
Then what she had just said hit her. She gasped in surprise at her own cruelty.
“Devin, I'm so sorry, it wasn't like that at all!” she cried, but it was too
late. Devin was racing off in no particular direction.
“How could I have been so mean,” she said to herself, “and he was try to be
nice to me too!” Tamora realised she could just go to the edge of the desert,
and leave Devin behind. But she knew she couldn't do that, especially because
it was her fault that he had run off. So with that she set off through her pain
of what she soon discovered was only a sprained and not broken wing. She also
found out she could fly with it too, even though it hurt like heck. She hadn't
flown too long when she heard a cry to her right. There she found Devin bruised
and cornered by a pack of seven evil looking Grarrls.
“We know you have food or something, you don't travel through the desert with
nothing!” said the what looked the leader of the Grarrls, “Give it to us!”
“I told you, I left it in a cave over that way,” he said pointing the opposite
direction of were it really was.
He is still protecting me,” she realised, “even after I was so mean to him.”
For really he had left his supplies with her, which she in turn had left too,
bringing only water, and her sword with her.
“You lie,” growled the Grarrl, slashing him with a claw.
“Hey,” Tamora called to him, “why don't you pick on someone who at least has
a weapon!”
Unsheathing her sword, she dove at him, slaying the coward through his cold
heart. The rest of the Grarrls ran away, frightened that they would be the next
to be picked on.
Tamora quickly ran to Devin, whom they had left lying in the sand. Tears of
pity filled her eyes as she saw how badly Devin was injured.
“I'm so sorry,” she cried “it's all my fault you got hurt.”
Quickly she explained the faerie’s real reason for wanting him too leave.
Devin gave her a crooked smile, and told her she was forgiven.
“Don't worry about getting to edge of the desert anytime soon,” she told him,
I will go get the supplies, and we will stay here until you are strong enough
to go. Devin I really am sorry.”
“Hey, don't worry about it,” he said, “we all make mistakes. Let's make a
pact though. We can promise not to split up until this adventure is over. Deal?”
Tamora smiled and said, “Deal!”
To be continued… | 
