With her stomach full of oatmeal, Typan began to dismantle the tent she and Maude had slept in. Kel came over to make the job go quicker.
"We'll make a quick stretcher and carry Maude back to the road. It's about a mile west. Well, I guess you knew that," said Kel, trying to put Typan at ease. "The sparrows went ahead to tell the men who stayed with the horses where to meet us."
Typan nodded, the forest was not a place for large horses, especially when no one knew where they were going.
The tent was folded and Typan began to tie it as Kel pet the ugly dog that seemed to have taken a liking to her.
"Jump, leave the ties alone," scolded Kel.
The dog looked up, all innocent eyes, and Typan gave a small grin while hoisting the tent on her back.
"Come on, ladies. Don't have all day, you know. Meathead's not incredibly patient," called Dom as he sauntered over.
Kel rewarded him with a shove that made him fall on his butt, a smile still on his face.
"If your idiot cousin knew how to avoid potholes, we wouldn't need to carry Maude to him. A healer who can't heal his own ankle, honestly!" laughed Kel.
"He did twist it pretty good," said Dom, dusting off his pants. "But what I came to tell you, before I was assaulted, is that the stretcher is ready and Maude is loaded."
"Loaded?" muttered Typan.
Dom blushed as Kel let out a small laugh. The three made their way over to Maude.
Typan ended up holding one end of the stretcher with Raoul on the other end. They made fairly quick progress through the forest as Typan knew how to get to the road.
When they arrived, a group of horses and men stood waiting for them.
"It's about time," grumped a man sitting on a horse with a bandaged ankle.
The sparrows flew to him and chattered around his head before resting on his horse's mane.
"Not exactly pleasant, you know, waking up in a tent, covered with little birds pecking you," continued the man.
"Oh, shut up Meathead," said Dom. "Come down and help Maude."
"The name is Neal, Sir Neal to you, cousin buttface," was the response.
Neal attempted to dismount but instead wound up in a heap on the ground, with the sparrows looking at him and cheeping questioningly.
Raoul and the men laughed while Kel hurried over to help Neal up. He brushed himself off, but could regain no dignity.
Maude, now on the ground looking up with Typan beside her, asked, "Are you already, honey?"
Neal immediately blushed as the whole group once again laughed at him.
"Oops, sorry," said Maude with a hand to her mouth, realizing perhaps Neal didn't want to be called honey.
"It's okay, for I am quite secure in my manhood, dear Maude," boasted Neal as he began to hobble toward her.
He knelt down and a green light came out of his hand and seemed to be absorbed into Maude where he touched her, from the ankle up.