Jeffrey huddled between some rocks at the edge of the dark lake that was Excalibur's resting place and wondered bleakly if Bogg was still alive. After he had seen that the man who attacked Bogg was dead, he had waited with increasing fear for Bogg to come back for him. But it had been several hours, the sun was starting to rise over the horizon, and there was no sign of him.

Jeffrey had long since cried out all the tears he had in him. Bogg couldn't be dead! He was just hurt and he would be back as soon as he could. Jeffrey did not think that he could live through the death of yet another person that he loved. His parents' deaths were still an aching void inside him.

Rising stiffly, Jeffrey went to the edge of the lake and bent down to scoop up a handful of water to ease his thirst. The water was cold and good. Standing, he looked around him to take stock of his surroundings in the increasing sunlight.

Mountains surrounded him on three sides. He knew what lay behind him and shuddered at the thought of crossing that field of death. Besides, Bogg would be back soon (he had to be!) so he needed to stay in this area so Bogg could find him. He had water here but he was starting to get hungry. He began circling the lake, exploring the shore and its environs.

He saw some bushes that looked like they would be producing berries soon, but would they be safe to eat? Botany was not one of his strongest subjects and he knew how dangerous it could be to eat something you didn't know. He saw plenty of mushrooms but he sure wasn't going to try any of those without knowing which ones were safe. The surface of the lake was broken by a splash and as Jeffrey quickly looked up, he saw a fish heading back down into the depths. Okay, so there were fish if he could figure out how to catch them. And surely there would be rabbits or squirrels or birds – again, if he could figure out how to catch them.

In the mountains, he saw some shadowy places that could be caves. Exploring further, he found an opening into a small one-room cave that could at least provide him with some shelter. Sitting down at the entrance, he fought to overcome the fear rising within him. What if Bogg never came back? What would happen to him? Was he doomed to live out his life here in medieval Britain?

Fighting back tears, he whispered, "Bogg, where are you? Please come back. Don't leave me here alone."

vVvVv

Owen grinned in satisfaction at the fat rabbit he found in his snare. His mam would be glad to see it. Since his father, squire to Sir Roland, had died defending his master in the terrible battle between Arthur and Mordred, it was hard for her to find enough food for his two younger brothers and his baby sister. Owen's trap line brought in a welcome addition to the vegetables she managed to grow.

He seemed to have trapped out the area right around their small hut and had started moving further afield. Today he had crossed over the mountain pass toward Ullswater, a lake that his father had often brought him to for fishing and that he planned to use for just that purpose soon. As he headed out of the pass toward the lake, he saw a figure moving on the far side of the lake and caught a glimpse of red. He hurriedly ducked down into the undergrowth. Although it had been three months since the battle, there was still a chance there could be knights or peasants who had survived in the area.

Cautiously creeping nearer, he could see that the figure was a boy, probably near his own age. He had a stick in his hand and he seemed to be trying to fish, although it did not seem that he was having much success. As Owen watched, the boy flung the stick to the ground and lay down near it, curling his body in on itself.

The boy wore strange clothes. His jerkin was bright red and white which would seem to indicate he was wealthy but if he was wealthy, what was he doing out here in the middle of nowhere trying to catch fish?

Owen watched the boy for a while, trying to decide if he posed a threat, but the boy didn't move. Owen finally decided to take a chance.

"Oi!" he called, standing up.

The boy leaped to his feet, looking around wildly. He grabbed a heavy stick that Owen hadn't seen beside him and brandished it before him. "Who are you? What do you want?" he yelled.

Owen walked toward him slowly, his hands outstretched. "I mean you no harm," he called. "My name is Owen. I live beyond the pass," he said, gesturing in that direction. He stopped to avoid frightening the boy further. "Where have you come from?"

At this distance, he could see that the boy looked disheveled and dirty, maybe even a bit ill. The boy looked Owen over and seemed to decide that he was safe, as he said, "My name's Jeffrey. I'm waiting here for a friend." He lowered the stick, moving toward Owen. As he got nearer, he stumbled and fell to his knees. Concerned, Owen came to him and knelt in front of him.

"Are you ill?" he asked, taking care not to touch the boy until he knew if he was sick.

"No," Jeffrey said faintly, shaking his head. "Just hungry. I haven't had anything to eat for a few days."

Owen considered the plump rabbit in his bag. His brothers and sister could use the food, but this boy seemed to need it more. And he could always catch another rabbit; there might even be one waiting in the five snares he hadn't checked yet.

"Come on," he said, making a decision and touching the boy's arm. "I've got a rabbit here. We can skin it and cook it."

"Really?" Jeffrey said, hope lighting up his face. "You'd share it with me?"

"I will," Owen said. "Let's get some food in you and you can tell me your story."

vVvVv

"So Bogg had to leave," Jeffrey said, concluding the story he had invented about having to wait behind while Bogg fulfilled a dying wish for his master. "But he's coming back for me as soon as he can. I've just got to wait for him."

Owen eyed Jeffrey doubtfully. "So he just left you here? With no food and no money? It sounds to me like he wanted to get rid of you."

"No!" Jeffrey said, jumping up and clenching his fists. "You don't understand! Bogg would never do that. He'll be back as soon as he can."

"All right, all right!" Owen said, holding up his hands. "I didn't mean to make you mad. But you have to admit, your story is a little odd."

Jeffrey wilted and sat down. "I know," he said sadly. "But you have to believe me when I say Bogg is the truest and best friend I've ever had and he would never leave me if he could help it."

Owen felt a twinge of pity for the boy. He personally did not think that this Bogg would be back or else he would already have come by now. If he was really his friend, he would not leave Jeffrey here with no food or money. Jeffrey had just been managing to get by, but without some help he would never make it. "Well," he said, starting to gather up his things, "I need to check the rest of my traps and get back home."

"Will you be by this way again?" Jeffrey asked hopefully. "Now that you've shown me how to build a better snare, maybe I can repay you for the meal."

Owen nodded. "I check my trap line most every day. I'll be back tomorrow or the next day. Will you be all right?"

"Sure," Jeffrey said. "I'm great now thanks to you! I really appreciate you sharing your food with me. It's the best meal I've had in weeks." Besides the rabbit that the boys had cooked over Jeffrey's fire (started with matches and carefully kept always smoldering), Owen had shared some of the bread and cheese that his mam had packed for him when he set out that morning.

"You know, you could come home with me," Owen suggested. "We don't have much, but Mam and the little ones would be glad to share with you."

Jeffrey looked wistful, but shook his head. "No, I have to stay here. For when Bogg comes back," he said firmly.

Owen shook his head in amusement. "I hope your friend Bogg deserves the trust you have in him," he said. "Stay safe, Jeffrey, and I'll see you soon."

"Thanks again, Owen," Jeffrey said. "See you."

Owen walked toward the pass, looking back at his new friend. He really hoped Bogg, whoever he was, hadn't abandoned Jeffrey but it sure did look like it to him.

vVvVv

Jeffrey sat by the fire at the entrance to his cave as darkness fell. His stomach was comfortably full for the first time in weeks and it gave him new hope.

It had been a long three months. He had managed to fashion a fishing pole with a string and thorns from a bush he had found and he was sometimes successful in catching fish. He'd also made some primitive snares and every once in a while, he lucked out and managed to catch something. Back in the direction of the battlefield, he'd found what seemed to be an abandoned homestead, with a burned-out hut. An apple tree had yielded some small, hard fruit and he'd been able to find some cabbages and onions that the former inhabitants had apparently been growing. But he spent most of his days in increasing hunger. He really didn't know if he could have survived much longer if it hadn't been for Owen's visit.

He really hoped that Owen would be back, and not just because he might bring more food or help Jeffrey catch more himself, but because he was lonely. He missed Bogg so much. He tried not to let himself think that Bogg could be dead but it was getting harder and harder. Why hadn't he come back by now? He had consoled himself by thinking that something had happened to the Omni and it was taking time to repair it, but it was getting harder to keep thinking that as well.

Jeffrey gathered more wood to keep the fire burning and laid down beside it. As he did every night and every morning, he prayed, "Please, God, keep Bogg safe and bring him back to me."