The wood cracked as it split in two. Wiccer tossed the pieces into a small woodpile. Spring was settling into the void left by the dreary winter. However, the wind was still cold, and unlike his shivering body, his heavy heart and bitter thoughts didn't need a warm hearth to melt away the lingering of the past season.

A set of footsteps crunched the dead leaves. Wiccer paid the new presence no heed. He was neither a stranger nor a welcomed guest.

“It’s been a while, my son,” Marcus said. His voice broke the long silence between the two.

Wiccer ignored him, grabbing a handful of logs, as he headed for the cabin. Marcus struggled with the awkward silence, “Let me help you with those.”

“Do as you wish,” Wiccer spoke flatly, with much disdain in his voice.

Marcus grabbed the young man’s shoulder, forcing Wiccer to face him, “Listen, there is no need to make this harder for me than it already is.”

Wiccer dropped the logs down on the ground, outraged, “Harder for you? Do you even remember how you left me?”

Marcus bit his lip as he stressfully combed his hair with his fingers, “Wiccer, son, I did what needed to be done. I di–”

“You did ‘what needed to be done’?” Wiccer blurted out the words angrily, “Do you have any idea how that affected me? You not only shut me out of my closure, but you destroyed any way for me to cope with my pain! My pain, Father! My mother is dead, my brother is dead, and the only thing that kept me going was the White Cloaks. And you took it all away! You did what needed to be done? Can you even grasp how that sounds to me?”

Marcus was silent.

Wiccer’s eyes showed an edge of fury and sadness, “Answer me!”

“I – I didn’t want to lose the last member of my family. Vivian…your mother, wouldn’t forgive me if I lost both of you. I just wanted to protect you, I didn’t know how to act, how to cope with losing Avren. I didn’t want to lose you as well.” Marcus choked with the last words, “Wiccer, I’m so sorry that I caused you so much pain.”

Wiccer’s scowl turned to a weak smile as he went to hug his father, “We’re all that’s left, but we're not alone. They watch over us in spirit. Can’t you feel them?”

Marcus tightened his squeeze, “Every day, my son. Every day.”

***

Wiccer placed a cup of strong coffee in front of his father. He himself drank it light with cinnamon and a single teaspoon of sugar, which was how the men of Scorch usually took their coffee, but his father was a breed of hardened souls and drank it black. Wiccer sat at the old oak table wondering what really brought the former guild leader to the cabin.

“How goes the training of the troops? Do the elves learn fast? How strong are Long Whisper’s forces becoming?”

Marcus gulped a large swig of his coffee taking little notice of the scalding temperature, “The people of Long Whisper are done being the victims, they grow fast and strong. Many new soldiers have been placed among each village and town in the country. There haven’t been reports of Black Rabbit sightings yet, but it’s been three months, no doubt they’ll be recruiting soon, now that the roads have been cleared of the winter’s snow.” Marcus paused, eyeing his son, waiting for the right moment to tell him the other set of news, “Elisa–”

“What about the Rabbit?” Wiccer sneered, still clearly upset with her and her lack of cooperation.

“Elisa has agreed to be a spy for Long Whisper. She says she heard that there was a new First Blade but didn’t know who. She wants to help us bring down the Rabbits…for Avren.”

Wiccer was silent. Perhaps Elisa did care for Avren. Perhaps he was too stubborn to see that, “That is good. What of leading you to the compound?”

“I told her that we’d hold off on that until we had a more elite squad of soldiers. Despite our leadership, these elves are not ready for real combat. The Rabbits would decimate any soldiers we bring and, no doubt, escape and set up somewhere different.”

Wiccer rubbed his chin, “Are you planning on training an elite unit?”

“Truthfully, I was hoping Elisa would train a unit of troops in the ways of the Black Rabbit; use their own techniques against them. Have our troops think like a Rabbit to flush out a Rabbit.”

“What did she say?”

Marcus took another sip of coffee, “She’d rather help as a spy, but did mention it was a good idea.”

Wiccer nodded, “It is an interesting idea… an anti-rogue op.”

“Just a thought, until Elisa changes her mind, that’s what it’ll stay.” Marcus stood up to pour himself another cup of coffee, “Wiccer, strife in Varis and Estinia grows in the south. There may be a war coming. Long Whisper may want to stay out of this with its army still so small.”

“What does that mean for you?”

“The majority of the White Cloaks take residence in Varis. Guild Master Petrove wishes me to enlist as an officer in the Varis army if war does break out.”

“What of King Koda’s army? Who will you send in your stead? Danica? Maxwell?” Wiccer asked, his curiosity piquing.

“You, actually,” Marcus smiled.

Wiccer raised an eyebrow, “But you retired me? And I was only ever a sergeant!”

“Wiccer, I trust you most to keep a level head and to be the eyes and ears of the elven forces. They will need a leader who is well trained and who is honest and hardworking. I want you to enlist in King Koda’s fledgling army. You have the experience that is desperately needed.”

Wiccer’s heart skipped a beat. He thought he wanted this, but he didn’t know if he actually wanted it or still needed it for closure.

Marcus chuckled, patting Wiccer’s hand, “You need some time to decide. It’s bigger news than you could have hoped for. I’m home for the next week on leave. If you say yes, come back to Lost Dawns with me. If not, I’ll understand.”

Wiccer, nodded. He would need those days to think.