A/N: Okay here it is... I'd like to thank everybody who reviewed! It really helps guys!

Disclaimer: Okay I'm hoping you get the point here. I'm not Tamora Pierce, none of these characters belong to me, only the plot. And if I was really Tamora Pierce why would I be sitting here and uploading stuff onto fanfiction.net???



"Hello?" Kel cried. "I know you're there, I can hear you!" The rustle in the shrubs stopped abruptly at the sound of her voice. Whoever was spying on her decided to give up and reveal himself.

"Neal?!" Kel yelled, astonished. "What makes you think you have the right to come and spy on me!?" "I wasn't spying, well not exactly...." Neal drifted off and then started back when Kel flashed him a spiteful yet doubtful look. "I wanted to see if you were all right. What happened? I mean... back there."

Kel sighed. This particular topic was something she hadn't wanted to discuss. "I don't know what you're talking about." she replied stiffly. Neal lifted a quizzical eyebrow, "You know what I'm talking about.""No I don't.""Yes you do.""No I don't.""Yes you do.""No I don't.""Yes you do.""No I don't." Neal threw his arms up in frustration, resolving that Kel obviously didn't want to talk about her expebbley sudden exit from dinner.

Neal fidgeted, trying to find something to do with his hands. He plucked up a smooth, flat peeble and skipped it off the lake's exterior (A/N: I tried not to use the word surface again). It skimmed the water, touching five times before dropping into the water. Kel absent-mindedly selected a rock and skipped it too.

This continued on for mintues an understood silence between them. That didn't stop Kel from thinking worried thoughts like: Should I say something? and, Why isn't he saying anything?

Kel finally broke the silence with, "So what did happen after I er.....left?" Neal laughed nervously. "Cleon got a bit jumpy and Faleron sat there really confused he really didn't know what was going on. And everybody else was kind of shocked. I mean... you weren't acting exactly like yourself. "

"Yeah about that...."Kel murmured, unaware of what was coming out of her mouth at that time, "I just......just...well I don't know what came over me. But everybody was staring at me." She shuddered, "Did I have food on my face or something?"

Neal chuckled, amused that she didn't realize the meanings in the looks from her fellow squires. "We'd better get back to camp or the Stump will have our heads." Neal retorted, intsead of answering the asked question.

Kel eyed him supiciously, secretly wondering why he hadn't answered her question. In place of questioning why she just replied, her face Yamani blank, "Yeah, you're right. Which way did you come from?"

Neal glanced around the greenery boredering the lake, apparently confused. "I'm not sure...." he explained shakily.

"What?!" Kel half-yelled, "You shouldn't of come here now we're lost!" "You would have been lost if I had or hadn't come." Neal pointed out. Kel shook it off, "Yeah but now we're both lost!'



A/N: Not much of a cliffhanger...hmmm????? REVIEW PLEASE!

Until Later,



Oke