"Kel! You're alive!"
An overgrown curly mop jogged toward Kel with his arms outstretched.
"Matty, Alaric!" Kel smiled at her former Serin squad mates.
"I thought we'd lost our precious newbie with the rest of the patrol," Matty whined, petting Kel's head as he embraced her.
She couldn't tell if the man was actually excited to see her or just sick of picking up all the 'newbie' work in her stead.
"Speaking of," Kel wheezed, prying the man's lanky arms off, "do you know where the other new recruit who was with the patrol is?"
"Oh.. the swordsman?" Matty's voice became quiet as he exchanged a glance with Alaric. "Well, uh, you see-"
"Anyway!" Alaric interrupted, stepping forward. "You don't seem to be any worse for wear, Newbie, so why don't you quit slacking off?"
"That's actually why I'm here," Kel replied, making a mental note to inquire more about Taegus later on.
The news, whatever it was, didn't seem good.
