the one to set you free

He was not long alone. Koontz found him perched carefully among the pines, looking out across the lands that stretched as far as the eye could see. When she stopped to speak to him, Barristan noticed that she kept her distance. He didn't blame her. Whatever sickness had found him wasn't pretty, though he was happy to say that neither Yildun nor Julooke had become ill, despite their visits.

The tawny wolf nodded his head to his alpha, righting himself so that he wasn't lounging in front of her. "Much better, thank you," he said with a small smile, glancing toward his young alpha. She seemed genuinely interested in him, even though she didn't know him beyond their brief meeting at the borders. He hoped to remedy that soon. "I want to apologize for not being more active, Koontz. Sickness can blindside the healthiest of us." With a shake of his head, Barristan continued. "Once I regain my strength, I hope to contribute and make up for lost time."