the one to set you free

He reported that he was feeling much better. The Alpha female's tail wagged and, heartened by the news that Barristan was on the mend, she took a few steps closer. She then mimicked him and took a seat, hoping he didn't mind if she borrowed a few minutes of his time.

"I understand," Koontz said. "Hopefully we'll have a Skullion—a pack medic—someday," she mused. "I don't want to bother you about pack duties while you're still recovering but, as soon as you feel ready, we could talk about where you might be most useful in Dragonwatchers," she suggested.

Since that topic would most likely wait until a later date, Koontz ventured down a more personal avenue. "I don't know very much about you yet. Will you tell me a little bit about yourself?" She tilted her head. She didn't care what he told her, just that he gave her a little bit of insight into who he was.

As she listened patiently, she couldn't help but think of the companions who'd joined with him. Only two others from that original party remained. Yildun and Julooke had been understandably upset over the others' departure but both were doing pretty well now. Now things seemed to be looking up for Barristan too. Maybe Koontz didn't have the same number of members as before, yet she was almost certain that those still with her were the best of the bunch. And quality always mattered over quantity.