Vicca slammed the paper down in front of me, tears glistening on her cheeks. I'd never seen her so upset.

"What is it, Vic?"

"Read it." Her voice was heavy with sorrow. "You'll see."

I pulled the paper toward me and scanned the headline. "'King Jupiter calls bucks to battle'?" I looked up at Vicca, my brows creased.

She wiped her eyes. "Look at the list of enrolled soldiers!"

I perused the long table of unfamiliar names until two of them caught my eye. "Garten and Wilfred Longtreader?" I stared at the names until they blurred on the page. I shook my head. "No. No, that can't be!" I tried to hide the waver in my voice.

Vicca made no such attempt. She sat down next to me and sobbed. "Sween, I'm scared! Garten and Wilfred... They may be obnoxious sometimes, but... but..." She hugged herself. "What if they... what if they don't come home?"

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "Wait... they're gone?" I looked down at the tear-stained article. My eyes found the date of departure. "No... How could they just leave like that, with no warning?"

"Mum and Da knew it was coming, but I... I couldn't stand to say goodbye, Sween! I just couldn't!"

"Vic, where are they?"

Vicca's violet eyes were wide and full of pain. "Leaving for First Warren at this very moment."

I leapt to my feet, letting the paper float to the floor. "I have to say goodbye!" I clenched my fists, trying not to let my shock and horror show. "Who knows how long they'll be gone!"

Vicca cried harder.

I glanced at her, my heart breaking. "I'm sorry, Vic, but I have to go! Stay here. I'll come back!"

I sped out of Mrs. Dann's front door, swiping furiously at my eyes. A sinking feeling churned my stomach as I thought of Wilfred and Garten, marching off to war. My feet hit the ground in rapid rhythm, worry pushing me on, stirring the dust in my wake. The thick, grey clouds wept bitterly as I ran, each drop piercing the misty air.

"Glad hearts ride on fast feet," I murmured, trying to peer through the early morning haze, "but fear's a swifter spur."

My lungs burned as I ran the final stretch, making out the shape of Mr. and Mrs. Longtreader through the fog. The cold wind bit like a whip at my ears and sizzled like fire in my throat, but I urged myself on, seeing the lone figure I'd come to bid farewell.

"Garten!"

"Sween?" I flew into his arms and he caught me up in a hug.

I cried into his shoulder. The stiffness of his uniform felt unnatural against my face but his peppery scent already lingered in the fabric.

"Sween, Sween, it's okay!" he whispered in my ear, patting me awkwardly on the back.

I let go, looking him over through tears. He seemed so much older than the buck who'd sat with me in the Covenant Tree three months ago. His eyes were full of concern.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did I have to hear from Vicca?"

"I thought... it would be easier this way," he said, looking at his feet and fidgeting with his sword hilt. "I have to go, Sween." He looked up and into my eyes. "King Jupiter needs me. He... he has the same dream, of the Mended Wood, but he says we have to fight for it!" Garten looked past me, at some imaginary sky. "I met him, Sween, just the other day. I'm going to follow him, even if that means into war."

I let out a trembling breath before another wave of sadness pierced my heart. "But, what if you don't come back?"

"If I don't come back... You could sing a farewell to the wind for me, Sween. Maybe it'll reach my ears, wherever I lie. I would know your voice anywhere."

I nodded, drying my eyes on my sleeve. "I will. I promise."

"Please, don't. I will come back for you, Sween. I promise! And one day, we'll stand beneath the Covenant Tree in Ansel's Hollow and carve our names together." He added the last with a hopeful tilt of his head. I saw in his face the same look of determination he'd had when facing off with Janyn all those years ago.

I blushed. "I... I... You would have to get me a ring first," I whispered in his ear, giving him a final squeeze, "and give it to me yourself. When you come back."

Garten smiled and returned the embrace. "When I come back." He kissed my forehead, then pulled away. "Farewell, Miss Furrow. Until I return!"

He backed away, holding my gaze with his, clutching the strap of the pack on his shoulder. He and Wilfred saluted, shouting as one, "My place beside you, my blood for yours!" Then, they turned and began to walk off, each solemn stride taking them farther from my grasp.

I felt more tears run stream down my face as I watched Garten go. The rain poured ever harder, but I hardly felt the chill. I was already cold with loneliness.

Then, as tips of Garten's ears disappeared over the rise, I felt a presence next to me.

"He knows what he's doing, Sween. He'll come back."

I turned sharply. Whittle stood beside me, staring at the horizon, toward First Warren. He gripped a wooden sword in his hand.

"What?"

Whittle looked at me, a soft expression on his face that I'd never seen there before. "Garten'll come back a hero, with a thousand wolves' tails to prove it. Even Wilfred, if he can keep his nose out of a book long enough to raise his sword, will do great things under King Jupiter." His voice was quiet and soothing, not sarcastic or sharp like I was used to hearing.

I stared at him, my brows creased.

He stared back, dark golden eyes earnest. Then, he shivered. "I've got to get back to training. See you later, Sween." He turned and walked off, shoulders limp but strides full and confident.

I watched him go until he disappeared into the forest, not realizing I was standing alone on the windy hill-top, not knowing where to go.

#TheTraitorsLove #Swhittle!!!! #ICriedWhileWritingThis