Matt.

"Matt...we're leavin' Moorabella in the mornin'. Going south, to Grazton."

Ten nights later, Rhet came in my room to tell me that. I now slept by myself; Kyn wanted to keep a closer eye on Rhet. Dan had left Moorabella days ago, just as quickly as he had appeared. He never stayed in one place for long; I already knew that.

None of us knew Aaron was already in Grazton.

I looked up from where I'd been counting my earnings for the day. "Huh?" I asked. "But, it's such great money here!"

Rhet narrowed his eyes. They were a bit puffy, and red around the blue irises; ten nights, now, and he still cried over Aaron. Rhet hadn't taken a single mission, either.

"Matt..." He pleaded. "Please. I can't...I can't stay in this city anymore. It...it hurts. A hell of a lot more than you'd know, you twat. Besides, I'm not askin' permission; I'm telling you, we check out of this pub tomorrow mornin'. You either come or stay."

Rhet left, closing the door behind him. I looked down at my gil coins.

We believed Aaron had wanted me to keep his money, but I still split it three ways between us. I kept the green leather bag, of course.

I sighed, putting my gil away and stretching. My wings extended as I stretched, orange scales glistening in the candlelight.

"I wish Aaron had never left." Aaron may have been a pretty harsh teacher, but he was great at what he did. I missed his ugly mug, but maybe not as much as Rhet did.

In the next room over, I could hear soft, very soft crying. I had never pictured Rhet a crier, but...

I put the thought away, and changed for bed. If we were heading out the next day, it was sure to be a tough way to Grazton.

The Next Morning.

"Hey, hurry it up, Rhet! It was your idea to leave, wasn't it?"

Kyn laughed, watching me egg Rhet on. "If you think he's going too slow, perhaps you should carry his bag, Mateiu."

Rhet brightened up a little, shrugging off and handing me his bag. "Yeah, runt! You should carry my things."

I nearly fell to the ground holding it. "Oof.. " I groaned, hefting it onto my other shoulder. "Th-the hell do you carry?"

"Huntin' supplies."

It wasn't tough going to Grazton, so much as cold. But, Camoa had always gotten cold around Plumfrost, so I wasn't really dying or anything. And Kyn had what must have been a robe keeping him warm. Rhet was too proud to bundle up against the blustery mountain winds.

I cheerfully carried Rhet's bag of hunting supplies for him, laughing and joking and calling him all sorts of names and swears I'd heard Aaron call him. At one point, Kyn actually blushed, and he requested, "Mateiu, please. Cease and desist."

Rhet was doing great, though. From what I gathered, he didn't often break down crying during the day, although he was more sullen. It must have been nighttime that got to him. I could see why Kyn kept him on such a short leash.

"So, how far'd you say Grazton is?" I asked. "I forget. A day? Two days?"

"Three," Rhet answered flatly. "Not very far away, but far enough. What, my bag already too much for the great Runt himself?"

"Hell no! I could carry this there and back!" I boasted. "Probably."

We continued up the mountain road. I noticed Rhet's eyes kept scanning the area, back and forth.

It was a while before he said anything else. Then, he piped up, "Kyn?"

"Yes?" Kyn instantly responded. "Is everything alright? Your leg isn't hurting, is it?"

Rhet shook his head. I stopped in the middle of the path, setting his bag on the ground.

"My leg is fine," He muttered. He reached for the Master Bow slung across his back.

"Then, what's buggin' you?" I asked.

Rhet gulped. "Kyn do...d-do you remember what time of year wolves come out to the mountains?"

Hesitation. "I...I'm not quite sure, Rhet," Kyn admitted. "It must be your imagination."

"It's not!" Rhet insisted. "I'm a Hunter, Kyn, of course I know whe-!"

Rhet was cut off by the sound of a wolf baying. I could see the chill running up his back.

I carefully drew my new Broadsword. "We've got company," I muttered. "Kyn? Rhet?"

After I had come back from the poaching mission bloody and beaten, Kyn had insisted I take up a sword instead of using knives to fight. He wanted me to be a soldier instead of a thief, so I could better defend myself.

I definitely had the strength for it, after having recovered, but I was a bit scrawny for a soldier.

Kyn tapped his Battle Mace against the ground. "Right here, Mateiu."

"Y-yeah," Rhet added. I heard him ready an arrow at the string of his Master Bow.

Wolves came down from higher up on the path, coming menacingly towards us. I remembered what Aaron had told me about fighting animals such as wolves.

Don't show fear. Animals pick up on that stuff. Keep your head, and keep fighting until either they fall, or you do.

A wolf pounced in on me. I swung my sword with a grunt, the round blade hitting the furry demon dully in the side. Rhet shot an arrow at it, and it howled, limping backwards.

"Mateiu, in the air!" Kyn instructed. "More are behind you!"

I spread my wings and lifted myself in the air, swiping at another pouncing wolf. They seemed to be aiming for me. Maybe because I was the smallest.

I spotted Kyn. He raised his mace in the air, calling out, "Aero!" Below me, a green whirlwind of air picked up around the two wolves, and the pressure within it made them howl in pain.

When the whirlwind ended, I struck. I swept down and smacked one wolf with a powerful wave of my arm, then turned as the other tried to attack me and whacked it just as hard.

"Rhet!" I growled. "Use that new greatbow for more than a walking stick!"

Rhet leered at me for that, pulling back an arrow and shooting the second wolf. "I'll show you a walking stick!"

It wasn't an especially long fight, especially with Kyn casting his magic. I had never seen Kyn is the heat of battle, but it was a complete personality change.

Rhet stretched, satisfied, as the last of the wolves ran off.

"Gods, but I wish they would've stayed," He sighed. "I coulda stuck another arrow in any one of 'em, and we got dinner."

Kyn laughed. "Really, Rhet, you think the last things you can hunt all day will be that measely pack of wolves? A terrible meal."

"Are you implying I can't cook 'em good?!" Rhet snapped back. "I'll show you!"

I set myself back on the ground, pulling my wings back in securely. "Hey...why were you so scared before, if you could have killed them so easily?"

It was a moment before my question registered. Kyn blinked.

"Why, we were worried for you, Mateiu," He told me.

"Why else would a pack of wolves be at all a challenge for us?" Rhet asked.

A sly reply came to my mind. I shrugged. "Well, you haven't gone on any missions lately, so I just assumed you were out of pra-"

Rhet held up the one hunting knife he carried, a board expression on his face. "If you don't want another of these in your calf, you little whelp, don't finish that statement."

Kyn gasped, sounding offended. "Lysander Rhet, you put that knife away, and do not threaten the boy!"

I laughed. Rhet threw his hand up in the air.

"He'll always be on my case if you let his mouth run loose like that!" Rhet exclaimed, exasperated. "Aaron always was!"

"Yes, well, Aaron also had a phenominal work ethic." Kyn picked up his bag. "Come along, boys, we still have quite a bit of ground to cover."