take apart the counting and the flock it has bred

Dante could not have spoken more true words than that. It had been a while. Months in fact. In all reality, perhaps even an entire season had escaped them both since they had last saw one another. For as much as it surprised him that he would find the fellow traveler, it almost meant that Dante must have found something worth staying for himself. In a way, that in itself was something, because no doubt they had encountered many who had moved on from the Wilds altogether. Stepping up near to his former spelunking partner, Mordecai offered him a friendly nudge.

“It really has been quite a while. I didn't expect that we would meet again, at least here.” They had gone their separate ways, more than likely in separate directions. “But I've been well, obviously. Keeping busy and the like. What about you? What happened after we left that cavern?” There were plenty of questions Mordecai sought to ask, but managed to keep them bridled. He didn't want to overwhelm his friend with them, nor did he want to overwhelm him with the stories and adventures that had come after their own.