Chapter Word Count: 400||Story Word Count: 5,600||Chapter Count: 14/20

"So now what do we do?" Juri wanted to know. She peered briefly into the darkness; the sun would be up sooner or later, and she didn't know what that could mean for their search. Easier for them to find? More people for them to hide in as other travelers got on their way?

"Now I suggest that we keep on searching. We can quibble over any rewards and otherwise after we've found the princess," Leomon said, giving the two mercenaries a very stern look. Renamon returned it, one of the few times Juri had ever seen someone looking at her partner with the proud gaze of a warrior in return.

Ruki grumbled a little as Renamon nodded her agreement.

"Besides," Takato put in, "you guys are the ones in this for the reward. We just want to help her."

Ruki's fist clenched at once. "Are you trying to say there's something wrong with wanting to get paid for my work?"

Takato waved his hands quickly in front of himself. "No, no, no! I mean, you guys can keep all the reward. We don't need it or want it! Right, Juri?"

She knew him more than well enough to see the fear in his eyes. Angering a well-armed mercenary wasn't something he wanted to do.

Not to mention she did agree with him.

"Right." She stifled a yawn. She'd meant to spend the night sleeping and she couldn't help but be surprised at how fast it fled when she wasn't. "Let's go, then."

With Renamon, Leomon, and Guilmon to lead the way and sniff out the trail, it didn't take a great deal of time to be back on track. Night's darkness kept their quarry from getting too far ahead, and since the road wouldn't be any better for fast travel until they got closer to one of the cities, then just as the skies began to gray with the coming of dawn, they spied the carriage, rattling along ahead, the horses lathered and weary, not going that much faster than a walk, no matter how the driver swore at them.

Guilmon growled low at the sight of that. "He's mean, Takato."

"I know," Takato replied, patting his partner's hand and staring at the situation. "We're going to take care of it."

He looked over at the rest of them, confusion writ large. "How do we take care of it?"

To Be Continued

Notes: So what would you do?