Regrouping

“Sabina!” Jarel waved at the Meadowfort Starlings’ mage who stumbled through the bushes.

“Jarel!” She clambered towards him, hiking up her robe to get over the rocks. When she reached Jarel she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, “I’m glad you are safe!”

‘Me too.” He said, giving her a squeeze. He could feel the lines of her body through her robe and became very aware of what it was doing to him. He looked up into her smiling face, and wondered what it would be like to kiss her.

“Jarel?” Sabina tilted her head and gave a quizzical look at him. Embarrassed, Jarel gave a fake laugh and placed Sabina back down on the ground.

“Have you seen anyone else?” Sabina asked smoothing down the front of her robe.

“Your father and Sari are here. We haven’t heard from Kamelia.”

“Oh no…” Sabina’ face fell.

“She knows the forests around Meadowfort better than anyone. She will be fine.” Jarel said looking off into the forest.

“Yea...She is probably in Meadowfort already planning things out with our mothers.”

They both walked through the forest till the tree line gave way to the rolling hills that surrounded Meadowfort. Halen and Sarinia sat at the foot of an old tree, snacking on some nuts and berries while watching the village.

“Look who I found!” Jarel said with a smile.

“Sabina!” Halen stood up and engulfed his daughter in a hug.

“I’m alright, dad. I’m alright.” Sabina patted her father’s back awkwardly.

“Did you run into any trouble?” Sari asked as Halen released his daughter from his strong grasp.

Sabina shook her head.

“Not really. The bandits were close at one point but I just kept moving and outran them. Why haven’t you guys gone into the village?”

“Something doesn’t seem right.” Halen replied, frowning in the direction of Meadowfort. The gathering of thatched buildings were bathed in the orange light of the late afternoon that put Jarel in mind of being called home by his mother after playing in the woods all day.

“It’s strange there should be people in the fields working but we haven’t seen anyone coming or going from the village.” Halen said to his daughter. Jarel could see the worry in the lines of Halen’s face. He remembered that it wasn’t just his mother in the village and that Serepia was also

“We should go in! Mother needs our help.” Jarel said, Sari nodding her agreement.

“Don’t be too hasty. Let's take it slow.” Halen chided Jarel and Sari.

“Kamelia would have headed into the village if she couldn’t find us.” Sari argued.

“We will go in, Sari, but we need to be careful. As much as I loathe to admit it, we don’t know what has happened while we were gone. Kamelia is a smart girl, she will be thinking the same thing.”

Sari nodded unhappily but did not reply. Jarel was with his sister on this one. He wanted to charge in there, regroup with their mother, Serepia and Kamelia and then storm the fort. Bring the combined power of two generations of the Meadowfort Starlings to bear on the bandits.

But, he also saw the wisdom of Halen’s words and nodded along with his sister.

“Don’t worry.”