Serena's POV:

Saphira walked beside me and I could see a handful of other Dranek ranging around us in the trees. Saphira slowed to a stop, "This should be far enough."

I nodded and closed my eyes as I started to softly hum. I had been walking along this road for twenty minutes with the Dranek, so Darien shouldn't know where I was.

I thought of Darien and his loving smile as I sent a gentle call out with my faint hum. This was the furthest I had been from Darien for days. The mate bond didn't hurt, nor was it uncomfortable, but it didn't like the distance between us.

I felt the call rise and crest as it told Darien that I wanted him to come find me. My hum trailed off. Saphira appeared endlessly patient, yet alert. I wondered if she knew anything more about my magic...

"You mentioned that you had knowledge about singers... Do you know how their abilities worked in situations like these?"

She considered it for some time, "The histories I read did not say much. We didn't like writing things down since someone who wished a singer harm may use it to their advantage. From what I have heard, every singer tends to be a bit different. Some needed to use musical instruments instead of their voices."

I gazed at the sky, "I guess that means that I just have to keep trying and see what may work." I glanced back the way we had come, "Darien must have heard my call, he is coming this way."

Saphira lightly wrapped her tail around her ankles and nodded thoughtfully. She didn't look overly surprised. Darien rounded the bend and came into view as he lightly ran in my direction. An involuntary smile crept onto my face at the sight of my mate.

Darien slowed as he approached us and pulled me into a gentle hug at our reunion. He wasn't even breathing heavily. I gazed up at him, "You didn't seem to have any trouble locating me."

"I knew from your song that you were on the road and almost at the lake. I think it may be due to how familiar you are with this location," Darien turned to look at Saphira, "Can we try again, but take her somewhere she hasn't been before?"

Saphira nodded, "Certainly. Why don't you head back to the house until she calls again?"

Darien made a face, but reluctantly let me go. He gave me a quick kiss before stepping back, his eyes clearly said that he didn't like leaving me, but both of us knew that I had to test this out so I would be able to call him if I needed him.

With a heavy sigh of irritation, he turned and started jogging back the way he came. Saphira waited until he was out of sight. "Come, let's go this way."

She walked towards the forest and I trailed after her. Saphira was able to find routes through the undergrowth where walking was easy. She looked like she knew exactly where she was and where she was going.

I knew that the Dranek roamed the forests without overly worrying about the local predators. Now that I thought about it, it was kind of strange since even the Tarulk were cautious and refused to travel at night.

"How are the Dranek so comfortable travelling through the forest? I know there are lots of things that go bump in the night out here..."

Saphira glanced over her shoulder with a grin, "We normally travel through the treetops. We have not yet found a predator here that can climb trees easily."

I glanced at the long grasses I was walking through, "That is probably a good plan since quite a few things like to lurk underground on this planet..."

Her smile disappeared as she became serious, "I will not let anything happen to you. Others also walk on the ground ahead of us in case anything is lying in ambush. If my weight does not trigger a trap, then your lighter footsteps will not set it off. If danger shows up, I will carry you into the trees where it cannot reach us."

I blinked slowly at the lady who seemed quite determined to ensure that no harm would come to me. All of my life, I had to worry about others trying to harm me. Between the time my friend died and when I met Darien, I never had anyone who would stick up for me or help me. My voice was soft, "Thank you."

Her eyes softened before she slowly blinked and turned her attention to the path in front of her. We kept walking in a comfortable silence.

Saphira eventually stopped, "I think this should be far enough."

I start humming softly as I once more called Darien. I knew we were somewhere to the west of the lake, but that was about it. Darien was wasting no time in coming this way, he was moving faster than last time.

The distance that had taken me minutes to walk, he was covering in a fraction of that time. I tilted my head as I studied the bond. "Huh. He is coming in this general direction, but he isn't heading directly for us. I don't think he knows exactly where I am."

Saphira swished her tail lightly as her eyes travelled between the trees and myself. She commented, "That may be because you don't know exactly where you are."

I considered her words. "I am pretty sure that you are right."

We continued to wait while I followed Darien's movements through the bond. He was on this side of the lake and zig-zagging as he tried to locate me. I raised my head in concern as I felt the bond start to twist in his frustration.

I warned Saphira, "He is getting closer, but he is also getting worked up because he doesn't know where I am. You may want to back up when he gets closer."

Saphira took a couple of steps back, but didn't go any further. I was pretty sure that she wouldn't until Darien arrived. His path suddenly changed as he crossed the trail we had recently walked on.

I murmured, "He crossed our trail and is following it."

Saphira watched the trail and, shortly afterwards, her ears perked up as she took a few more steps back. The bond told me Darien was almost here, so Saphira must have been able to hear his approach.

His growing agitation shimmered across the bond and I took a few steps in his direction before calling out softly, "Darien, I'm here. I am fine."

I was positive that he was close enough to hear my quiet words. The sound of footsteps moving rapidly through the long grass was all the warning I had before Darien came into sight. His hard eyes softened the instant he saw me and his expression relaxed.

I held my arms open for a hug and he crossed the distance between us within seconds. He had never shied away from contact with me and I knew that it was the fastest way to help him relax.

I also liked being in his arms and leaned my head against his chest. "How are you holding up? The bond was starting to twist there for a moment."

Darien sighed heavily, "I did not expect the bond to affect me quite so much since I knew you were safe, but when I realized I didn't know where you were... Let's just say that it reminded me far too much of several other times that happened."

"You still found me though."

"I knew exactly where you were last time, this time I only had a rough idea."

I gazed up at him, "I am not sure if there is any way I can alter my call to give more details. I can try, but I have never really done anything like this until today."

Darien closed his eyes and rested his chin on my head, "I do not like the thought of you wandering around in the forest, but I can see the wisdom behind this practice."

Saphira spoke hesitantly, "If both of you are willing, there may be another way to test if Serena's song is dependent on knowing where she is."

I released Darien as I turned around to look at her. Darien took a step forward so he was beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"What kind of test?" Darien was watching Saphira in such a way that I knew he was reading her.

She responded slowly, "I think her ability is reliant on her knowledge of where she is. If Serena closes her eyes and lets me carry her, she will not know where she is. Then we can see if you can locate her. It will also give her a chance to try different ways of calling you."

Darien's arm held me a bit closer and I knew he was reluctant to lose track of me again. He looked down at me, "What are your thoughts?"

"I think I should try this. I will feel much better if I can learn how to let you know exactly where I am."

The unspoken words also hung in the air, it was better to learn this sort of thing on our own terms, rather than waiting until an emergency. Darien sighed, but accepted my logic. He also knew it was for the best, the bond was just messing with his head. Darien looked at Saphira, "You had better keep her safe."

Saphira met his eyes levelly, "I will."

If I hadn't known just how many dangerous creatures roamed these forests, I would have thought that they were over-reacting.