"I don't know how the h.e.l.l you're standing right now, but I gotta say, I'm honestly pretty impressed." He said.

Jack turned to see the older brother appraising him, his arms crossed. He was, for the first time since they'd met, not wearing armor. The light tunic he was wearing was parted halfway down the front, and layers of bandages, some stained with blood, peered out through the opening.

Jack laughed uncomfortably. "It's a benefit of being a sorcerer. I heal incredibly fast."

Urien's face showed no expression, which increased Jack's discomfort. After staring at him emotionless for several long moments, Urien's face finally relaxed.

"Well, thank the Maker for that, then. That leg wound of yours would have killed a lesser man." He said. "You're really lucky to be alive."

"More than I'm aware of, I'm sure." Jack replied as he scooped another ladle of steaming soup into the wooden bowl in his hand. Once it was filled, he turned to Urien and asked "So, the last I remember, I had just killed the gnoll I was fighting, then pa.s.sed out. What happened after that? How did we end up winning?"

Urien walked over to the cauldron and began serving himself some stew.

"Honestly, the best I can figure, it ended not long after you went down. That one you were fighting was apparently some sort of leader, because as soon as he fell, the rest of them started to break. And a good thing too, because up to that point we were losing. Once the two of you both went down and the tide started to turn, Farien and I, with the help of your companion Rose and some of our better fighters were able to chase the rest off. We pursued them for nearly a mile, and managed to cut the last down before it could cross the s.h.i.+mmerwind." He said.

"The s.h.i.+mmerwind? Is that the river north of here?" Jack asked.

"It is. Though I'm surprised you know that." Urien said.

"The guide who clued us in to the den we're heading for said something about having to cross a river north of the forest. A name that has s.h.i.+mmering and winding in the name doesn't really seem like it could be anything else." Jack said, blowing on the steaming soup in his spoon before popping it in his mouth.

"No, I don't suppose it does." Urien admitted.

"How did the company end up after the battle?" Jack asked.

"We made out much worse than I'd care to admit", Urien said, lowering his voice. "Over thirty dead, about as many more wounded. That leaves us with about twenty able-bodied fighters, and a dozen or so cooks, healers, and other non-combatants. Considering we were over a hundred before the attack, we're in bad shape. But, counting the ones we slew in flight, and the bodies we counted of those killed in the field, the fleabags and their snotlings out-manned us going on two to one. Considering those odds, it's honestly a miracle we're even alive to have this conversation."

Jack whistled. Things had been a lot more dire than he'd realized.

"But, that's not worth thinking of further." Urien said. "The f.u.c.kers are dead, and we're alive, and that's what matters. And I suppose, considering the circ.u.mstances, I should be grateful things aren't worse than they are."

He looked off in the middle distance for a moment, seemingly lost in a thought, before coming back to his senses.

"Sorry" He said, clearing his throat when he noticed Jack watching him curiously. "Don't mind me. Just contemplating something. We... we'll talk more later."

Without another word, he turned, steaming bowl in hand, and walked off towards the cave.

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