Chapter Word Count: 400||Story Word Count: 1,600||Chapter Count: 4/20

The visitors stuck out like a sore thumb. Their clothes were far too pricey and rich to belong to anyone local, and instead of relaxing after a day or more of travel – no one who could afford anything like that lived less than three days away – they sat at a corner table in the common room, staring out at everyone as if they expected a sudden attack.

Four of them were men, and the fifth was the lady that the cook mentioned. She sat in the most protected spot, her eyes darting around to take in everything around her. Her clothes were the richest of them all, the sort that the stories said belonged to a princess.

One of the cook's helpers shuffled past him and brought a tray of food over to them. One of the four men tossed a coin their way before the food was divided up between them, bread and meat and beer, probably purchased from the Katou tavern. That was how things were in town. One business served another.

Guilmon stuck his nose out as well, curiously sniffing. Then he lifted his head up to Takato.

"She's scared."

Takato froze where he stood. He took another look at the girl before he looked back at Guilmon. "You sure?" He wasn't sure if he needed to ask. Guilmon's instincts tended to be right on.

His partner nodded, staring fixedly at them. "She has a friend. I can smell him but I can't see him."

Takato frowned, watching until he noticed her slipping a small piece of bread under the table. That didn't answer all of his questions in the slightest. In fact, it gave him a lot more.

All right. She's scared. She'd feeding her partner – I guess it's her partner – under the table. So now what?

He looked back at her and this time their eyes met, if only for a moment. She darted a quick glance to her fellow travelers, then looked back at him.

Help me!

Two words quickly mouthed and Takato knew he wanted to at least find out more about what was going on. Only he couldn't stay here forever. His dad expected him back soon and he wasn't sure of what excuse he could use to stay out longer.

But he couldn't just leave her without something. He made a quick decision.

"Guilmon, can I have some of your bread?"

To Be Continued

Notes: Figuring out how a teenager Shuichon would act in this situation was not easy.