"So, you know I left Memory in a little stable on the outside of Terreth."  

I nodded as Derrek pushed the rag into the mug and began swabbing it.  

"I didn't like the idea of going alone with Daxton, but...  Well.  Anyhow, that stable is in a poorer section of town.  I mean, they're honest people and they're trying their best but..."  He shrugged.  

I wrinkled my brow.  I hadn't known Terreth had a section of town like that outside it's walls.  If we'd searched there, maybe we would have found Derrek faster.  

But the past was the past, and my brother was here in front of me, so what did it matter?  

"Most of the people are real nice and honest folk.  But there are a few thieves, so I was careful not to draw attention."  

I glared at him.  "You didn't tell me any of this when you went to get Memory."  

He shrugged again.  "I didn't think it'd be an issue.  And it wasn't at first."  

I raised my eyebrows.  

"Calm down Ravine, we made it back didn't we?"  He set aside his cleaned mug and grabbed another one.

"Anyhow, Memory was there like he was supposed to be.  I paid the stable manager with them money the mayor of Terreth gave me to for that purpose.  I'd hid it before going to Baradom, I figured it wasn't smart to have money there." 

"I guess someone saw me give it to the stable man and thought I had more of it.  I don't, though," he reassured me.  

"I bridled Memory and we left the stable.  Up to this point, Daxton hadn't said a thing to me and I hadn't to him."

"But as we turned a corner, we came up along a narrow, deserted street.  It was broad daylight, so I didn't think anyone would try to rob us."  

"You shouldn't take such chances," I scolded, my training from Redwar kicking in.  

Derrek rolled his eyes.  "Tell me about it."  He put another mug aside.  Sherria whipped back behind us, grabbed the tray of clean glasses, and was gone before I was even able to greet her.  How she didn't spill them or break them, I didn't know.

"The first thing that Daxton ever said to me was, 'Derrek, to your right!'  I looked to the side and saw this tall boy about to stab me with a dagger.  I ducked and he missed.  Memory spooked and started to back up, I had to let go of the reins to defend myself."  

"The boy had been so sure he was going to get me he'd put too much force into it and ended up stumbling past me.  I tackled him from behind and pinned him face first to the ground."  

"When I looked up, Daxton had already disarmed his assailant."  He shook his head.  "Ravine, he took on two others with just one knife.  I mean, he literally charged at them.  And he yelled this really weird, creepy war cry thing."  

"One of the thieves didn't have the guts to withstand that and turned tail.  The other drew his sword and faced him off."  

He had forgotten to scrub, so enraptured into his tale as he was.  I nudged him and he started in again as he shook his head.

"I can't tell you what Daxton did next, because I heard another guy coming up behind me.  I didn't have time to draw my blade, so I squeezed the knife out of the first guy's hand and rolled off him onto my feet."  

"This guy was the first of the thieves to speak to me.  He told me that if I gave him the money, he'd let me go unharmed.  I told him he was wrong, I had no money.  He replied that I'd better not lie to him, and of course I told him I wasn't lying."  

"He didn't believe me, so he charged me with a knife.  He was on me so fast, that I dropped the knife I had and grabbed his knife hand."  He shook his head.  "That was real stupid of me.  I should have ducked out of the way."  

"Before he could try punching me with his other hand, I pulled his knife hand down and kneed him in the belly, then shoved him off me.  I looked around for my knife and managed to grab it before he recovered."  

Now I had forgotten to scrub, I was so into what he was saying.  With a start I shook myself and dipped my rag in the water again.

"I had just enough time to glance over at Daxton real quick.  He and that thief were rolling around on the ground.  But that was all I saw before I had to pay attention to the other guy."  

"He started taking a few swipes at me, but nothing real serious.  I didn't understand what he was doing, but didn't dare take my eyes of him."  

"Then I started to notice that he kept glancing around and behind me.  It suddenly dawned on me that maybe he and his pals weren't the only thieves on hand."  

"I decided not to wait and find out.  When he looked behind me, I charged, grabbed his knife hand with my free one, and kneed him again.  This time I really got him good, he dropped his dagger.  I pushed him aside and started looking for Memory."

"He was by a hitching post along someone's house, looking pretty frightened.  But he let me catch him."  

He winced.  "I'm afraid to say I was reckless in my hurry to get to him and let my guard down.  In the shadow of the alleyway, there was more thieves but I didn't see them."  

"They would have jumped me, but for Daxton.  All of the sudden, I heard this whirring, thumping sound behind me.  As I turned, I heard Daxton say, "Don't move." "  

"He'd thrown a knife Ravine,  right behind my back and in front of the feet of three other thieves.  And he had another one in his hand, ready to throw.  "Next time," he said, "I won't miss."  I think he meant it."  

I raised my eyebrows.  I didn't know that Daxton had knife throwing skills.  Redwar had told me that few in Ravagerian society could do that, for it required special hand-eye cooridination.  Thathians never really attempted it, as far as I knew.

"I grabbed the knife he'd thrown and led Memory over to him while watching the thieves.  But they didn't try anything, they just stared at Daxton.  I gave Daxton his knife, mounted, and then pulled him up behind me."

"As I turned Memory around, Daxton whispered, "You'd better go, because if you don't we're going to get caught.  This is their territory." "

"He was right.  Oh boy, was he right.  I never knew so many thieves existed.  We didn't want them following us to here, so we tried to throw them off.  I think we were successful, but that's why we came in here so fast and couldn't look to see if this was the right place."  

I was mulling this over.  "So.  Daxton saved your hide at least twice."

He nodded.  "Yeah.  I didn't know he could throw knives."  

"Nor I.  Redwar says that's a rare thing."

Derrek furrowed his brow.  "Maybe...  Maybe he'll be alright after all?"  

I set the mug down.  "Maybe."  

AN:  Wee, a whole chapter update!!  I think updating on Fridays will work better for me.  Thank you for reading!