Chapter Word Count: 400||Story Word Count: 4,000||Chapter Count: 10/20

Takato took only time enough to make certain his dad was all right and to tell his mom what was going on. He wasn't sure of how much of that she understood, but the priest promised to fill them both in once they were in a state to comprehend it.

"Hurry. You're the only two here who have partners, so you stand the best chance of being able to find her." The priest told them. "The sooner you get her back, the better."

Takato didn't have a whiff of an argument about that. They didn't have a vehicle, but he thought they didn't need one.

"Their horses weren't fully rested," he told Juri as they headed out down the road after the carriage. "And the road past here – you know what it's like."

Juri, comfortably situated on Leomon's shoulder, nodded, a fraction of a smile on her lips. "I do."

The road through the village wasn't that great. This road leading out of it wasn't much better, with wide gaps that would catch carriage wheels and put horses at a risk of injuring themselves. Takato didn't want the animals hurt. They hadn't done anything to involve themselves in this.

But to slow down the princess's captors and give them a chance to save her? That he did want.

They rushed on through the night. Guilmon and Leomon could both see very well in the dark, and they dodged over the dangers of the road as quickly as they could. Leomon had to carry Juri or he would've moved even faster, and Takato kept up a steady pace next to Guilmon. He would need to take a break sooner or later. He'd trained a lot, but this was at the end of a long day for him and he hadn't even had a proper dinner.

What are we going to do when we catch them? Takato wondered. They hadn't had the chance to finish the poppy bread, and even if they had, there wasn't any way to get it to them without suspiscion now.

So they had to figure something else out, and the sooner that they did that, the better. It would have to be something that they could do with the minimum of supplies they had: and by minimum, he meant nothing at all.

"What the heck are you two amateurs up to?"

He did not know that voice.

To Be Continud

Notes: Guess who~