Perfect Misfits by Lawna Mackie Page B

told her it was daytime.
    Wow. Have I ever slept through the night?
    The stick remained tightly clutched in her hand. The Vemlers had not come.
    Tempest looked across the fire at the empty straw bed. Sadness and desperation washed over her.
    He promised he wouldn’t leave me. What’ll I do now? Just once, couldn’t things go my way?
    She sighed.
    No sense wallowing in self pity, Tempest. Look you still have the fire, Rogue, and food.
    The pot drew her immediate attention. Not wanting to wake Rogue, she carefully stepped over him. The poor gargdog had never had such a great sleep.
    She didn’t wish to use the bowls, but as she learned the night before, it seemed the proper thing to do. After two heaping bowls full, the pot still remained full. There would be plenty for Rogue when he woke up.
    The drip, drip, drip toward the back of the cave now made loud, plopping sounds. Could it be possible that a basin of water might exist—one that might hold enough water for a bath? That most certainly was a luxury she never had.
    It would be dark back there, but Tempest made up her mind to check it out.
    With quiet footsteps, she followed the sound of the water toward the back of the cave. Over her shoulder, she could still make out the flames and the light coming from the entrance of the cave. She kept going.
    The sound grew louder.
    A faint glow came from ahead. Tempest halted, wondering whether she should continue.
    What can the light be coming from?
    Tentative, she moved forward until she stood before a pool of water. The rock ceiling far above her head was alight…and moving. Thousands of small creatures crawled across the rocks overhead.
    She stood very still, and then waved one arm, prepared to bolt back the way she’d come. When they didn’t seem to mind that movement, she waved both her arms. Still the creatures went about their business ignoring her.
    The water would be cold, but she refused to be deterred. There was nothing she wanted more than to have a bath…except, of course, her freedom off this mountain, and to be able to touch without assuming the others emotions.
    Okay, so I want a lot. For now, a dip in the pool of water will suffice.
    A couple thoughts entered her mind. Would she remember how to swim? Who was she kidding? She’d never really learned how to swim, she’d been too young. And…what might be in the water?
    She slowly undid the ties that held the large cloak up and around her shoulders and body, letting it fall around her feet. One at a time, she kicked off the boots that were way to big for her small feet. Looking over her shoulder for the last time, she stepped with one foot into the dark water. It was cold, but not as cold as she’d been in the past.
    Shifting more weight to the foot in the water sent her sliding into the pool, and she came up sputtering and panicked. When her toes touched the soft bottom, she sighed in relief.
    The creatures from above stared down at her. For a moment, Tempest worried because they’d stopped their activity. She stood perfectly still, and soon enough they continued with their normal behavior. She smiled to herself and let the tension from her arms and legs float away in the cool water.
    Old memories crept into her thoughts. “You’re not worthy,” they told her. “We will send you to Misfit Mountain where you belong.”
    Tempest had had no idea what they meant by that. She’d been too young; one night, she overheard them talking about their own misfortune. She’d been a mistake–a union that shouldn’t have happened. She was a disgrace, they’d said—something gone terribly wrong.
    She ran her hands over her body, washing the best she could, wishing she could wash away the memory.
    Then a noise filled her ears with dread. Her heart skipped a beat. There was scraping on the rocks.
    The Vemlers found me.
    Tempest scrambled to get back to the edge and clamored out of the water.
    Damn!
    She didn’t have her stick. Beside her cloak, the Vemlers broke