Cara tethered the horses to a nearby tree, ensuring their reins were loose enough to allow them to graze. She gave each of them a quick rub down the flanks and checked their hooves. Satisfied that the horses were comfortable and ready to go at a moment's notice, Cara turned to search for Kahlan. She was surprised to see the Confessor sitting on a log with the Sword of Truth lying across her lap, tracing the intricate hilt with her fingertips.

Cara sauntered over. "Something wrong?"

Kahlan glanced up at Cara briefly with a sad smile. Her eyes were red and watery, a single tear forming at the corner of one eye. Looking back down at the sword, she replied, "I miss Richard."

"Why?"

Kahlan looked up at the perplexed tone of Cara's one-word question. She shook her head gently, trying to find the words to explain something that most people would have implicitly understood. "Because I love him!" Kahlan smiled at Cara, even as the tear finally rolled down her cheek. The Mord-Sith still appeared confused. "I'm not used to being apart from him."

Cara was still frowning, standing perfectly still. Eyes wide, her gaze moved away from Kahlan, flickering back and forth between the trees in the distance without really seeing. "It's…not necessary to feel…pain…over his absence."

Kahlan sighed and shook her head again. She smiled gently, remembering that Cara was not 'most people'. "Don't you feel anything?"

The question was soft, genuinely curious rather than accusatory. Kahlan's smile faltered slightly as she watched Cara consider the question very seriously, her eyes still darting from side to side as she searched herself for an answer. Her mouth opened, then closed again. She tilted her head to the side. Kahlan thought she looked like a confused puppy.

Finally, the blonde stepped forward. "Mord-Sith believe emotions must be governed," she began, as though explaining something to a child. Kahlan turned her eyes back down to the sword. "Sadness, remorse, love – these feelings make you weak. Anger, loyalty, pride – these feelings make you powerful." Kahlan looked back up at Cara and her breath caught for a moment at the intense green eyes looking back at her. "I can teach you to control your emotions. If you'd like."

"I'm not sure love makes a person weak, Cara."

Cara cocked a hip to the side and clasped her hands in front of her condescendingly, frowning, her voice dripping with incredulity. "Then why are you sitting on the ground, weeping over a sword?"

Kahlan almost laughed out loud as Cara's expression teetered between disgust and concern. "You wouldn't understand," she replied, not unkindly.

Cara straightened, standing at attention with her arms crossed over her chest. "Explain it to me." Her full attention was on Kahlan, her expression showing genuine curiosity.

It was Kahlan's turn to frown as she considered her answer. "It's….difficult to put into words. Having Richard's sword…It makes me feel closer to him, but it also reminds me that he's not here."

Cara's head tipped to the side again.

"I am reminded that he's out there with a bunch of women we know nothing about, unarmed, and suffering from the effects of his gift. I have hope that they will cure him, but I am afraid of what may happen to him while we are apart."

Cara considered for a moment. "I have the Rahl bond, as do all D'Harans. As long as I can feel the bond, as long as my Agiels still work, we know that Richard is alive. Besides, his other option was to stay with us until his gift killed him."

"I know...I know we made the right decision. I know it was the only real option. But I still worry. And I still miss him terribly."

Cara's lips were pursed, her eyes boring into Kahlan's as she frowned in concentration, her head nodding slowly, sagely.

"…You don't get it at all, do you?"

Cara went still for a moment, then, "…no."

Kahlan couldn't stop the laughter that suddenly bubbled out. She could tell that Cara's answer had been genuine, no trace of mockery or malice. She put the sword aside and held her hand out to the blonde. She feared that Cara's confused expression would become permanent as the woman's hawk-like gaze moved from her face, to her outstretched hand, and back again. Finally, a gloved hand reached out, and Kahlan used it to pull herself to her feet. She followed the forward momentum to gracefully wrap Cara in a tight hug.

Cara was still struggling to process what had just happened, her hands held awkwardly in the air and her body stiff, when the Confessor's warm voice by her ear sent a shiver down her spine. "I've never met anyone quite like you, Cara Mason." She wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or insulted.

When Kahlan failed to release her, Cara eased into the contact and rested one hand on Kahlan's upper back. Kahlan smiled at the awkward gesture and pulled away.

Cara noticed that Kahlan seemed lighter, happier, as she wiped away her tears. The Mord-Sith remained perpetually baffled. She turned away from Kahlan and stared off into the trees bordering the clearing. "I hope Zed is alright."

Kahlan stood at the blonde's shoulder. "Zed can take care of himself. I'm sure he'll be back soon." She wandered past Cara, heading for the tethered horses. "We may as well sit and eat."

When Kahlan returned with their food pack, she and Cara sat together on the log, the Sword of Truth still lying in the grass. Kahlan rummaged around and found two fresh apples left over from the bunch they had picked a few days ago, as well as some bread and dried meat. She handed one of the apples to Cara and the Mord-Sith pulled the dagger from Kahlan's nearest boot.

Cara was about to pop a juicy slice into her mouth when Kahlan made a noise of disgust beside her; she had cut into her apple to find a rotten patch. Kahlan was about to cut out the bad section when Cara's gloved hand stopped her. The Mord-Sith took the bad apple and swapped it for her good one.

"Cara. I can cut around it, you don't have to-"

Cara rolled her eyes and popped a good piece into her mouth, as if to seal the deal. Kahlan's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink at the surprisingly sweet gesture. She looked down as she mumbled her thanks.

Cara heard Kahlan approaching her in the dark. Zed had been late to return, so they had lit a fire and laid out their bedrolls to camp for the night. Zed was on the other side of the fire, snoring loudly.

The Confessor lowered herself gently onto the log beside Cara. "Hey."

Cara kept her eyes trained on the trees. "You should be sleeping. You need the rest."

"I can't."

"Is the wildebeest keeping you up?" Cara smirked and turned towards Kahlan. She was startled to find the brunette's face closer than she had expected.

Cara's comment sparked an amused grin from Kahlan, but the blonde noticed that the mirth hadn't reached those sad blue eyes. She had noticed Kahlan gazing at the Sword of Truth again, while Zed had been inhaling his dinner. Cara had been intrigued to see Kahlan suddenly chuckle in the midst of her tears before laying the sword back down and wiping at her eyes.

She took another guess. "Richard?"

Kahlan hesitated. "…Yes. But I've also been thinking about our quest. About where we go from here."

Cara sighed. "That's tomorrow's problem. Go to sleep." She turned her eyes back to the trees, indicating the end of the conversation. Kahlan stubbornly ignored her order, moving closer until their shoulders brushed. Cara looked at Kahlan from the corner of her eye, secretly admiring the glow of the moonlight on her pale skin and the soft smile gracing her face.