A week passed and any remnant of snow was merely a happy memory. After months of relative quiet, the animals of the forest relinquished their hiding places and bravely stepped into the wide world once more. Birds sang their bright cheery tunes and squirrels jumped from tree to tree in search of friends and forgotten food.

"Are you sure that you can do this?" a voice came from inside the house.

"Just open the door!" the reply clipped impatiently.

Silver emerged from his home and swung the door wide, allowing Ethyn to take a tentative step outside. After so much time indoors, the bright noonday sun was blinding. Ethyn staggered back, and Silver caught him just in time.

"Steady now," he told the boy. "Perhaps you are not ready to be up and about."

Irritated, Ethyn pushed away his hand. "You are being an old ninny. I am fit as can be. The sun was just too bright, that's all. Stop worrying."

A week of care by the Guardian had been quite enough for Ethyn. Silver was an overly attentive nursemaid, something the boy complained about to Lily every time she visited. He was now on the verge of freedom, and no amount of concern or caution was going to keep him cooped up any longer.

With unsteady legs beneath him, Ethyn ventured out into the fresh air. He looked like a sailor having had too much ale, but his forward progress was more than his sway to either side.

In the street, Aiden and Conall awaited the pair. They clapped enthusiastically as the Guardian and boy made their way toward them.

"Glad to see the hero is on the mend." Conall said approvingly as he dipped his head.

"How are you, son?" Aiden asked with relief on his face at seeing his trainee walking.

"Fine and fit and ready for action," Ethyn announced with feeling. He saluted Aiden.

"Oh no," Silver stopped him, "there will be no action today. I just got you back healthy. I don't want to play nursemaid again."

"That makes two of us," Ethyn responded under his breath. The two big men smirked, and Silver adjusted his hood indignantly.

"I have half a mind to send you right back to bed," the Guardian's eyes flashed silver. However the strange phenomenon no longer scared the Ethyn. He tilted his chin defiantly.

"If you try, I'll just get up when you leave. I am overdue for quite a lot of mischief, you know," the child threatened.

"We will talk about this later." Not wanting argument in the street, the cloaked man let the matter go.

Across the street, Silver spotted a beautiful woman watching him. She eyed him intently with a question on her delicate face. The Guardian knew what Sage wanted, but he had not spoken to Ethyn about Ruth or Micah.

It was too sensitive of a subject, and Silver was not sure he wanted to broach it at all. Despite his conviction that the boy should decide his own fate, Silver was worried how the boy would react to the proposition.

Shaking his head, Silver warned the Sage not to approach. With a sigh, she continued down the road with a look of disappointment and resignation. The mayor noticed the silent exchange and stroked his chin.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm always in trouble," Silver answered dryly, realizing too late that the remark could be taken very differently than intended.

"Are you now?" Conall was clearly amused.

"What news do you bring?" Silver asked, ignoring the other men's snickers at his relationship troubles. The Guardian could see the men were present for more than just a social call.

"We have heard of someone trying to dam the river upstream. Seems this group, uh, goes around and extorts villages in return for the flow being restored," Conall answered, his delighted grin turning sour.

"Shouldn't the soldiers deal with it?" Ethyn asked.

Aiden shook his head, "They should, but they haven't. These men fly by night around the countryside. They are hard to pin down."

"Yes," Conall added, "If it weren't for, uh, Aristos spotting something strange while in the woods, we would have no idea they were there."

"Send a couple men out on horses in either direction of town. Perhaps we will get lucky, and there will be a patrol nearby. If they are looking for the bandits, then surely there are some soldiers in the area. In the meantime, I will go check it out and see what I can do," Silver said definitively.

"I'm coming too!" Ethyn announced.

Again the two large men hid smirks behind their hands as the Guardian placed his fists firmly on his hips.

"That is not going to happen. Are you sure that your mind wasn't damaged by those bandits?."

Conall gripped his round belly as he chuckled. "Ah, let the boy tag along. It is not far to the river, and it's just surveillance. He can follow you while Aiden and I take the other bank."

"I do not remember inviting either of you to come along," the Guardian arched his brow.

"You didn't, but we are coming. No sense you getting yourself into trouble without backup." Conall gave a wide grin. It wasn't often he could talk the guardian into something, but felt he was on the verge of doing just that. The mayor pressed his luck. "If you never let the boy learn to move and spy properly, he'll just get caught again next time he sets out after you."

Silver conceded the point. Ethyn was quick, but he had much to learn about hidden movement, and these criminal brutes were likely not highly trained. But the Guardian's doubts remained. "I don't think you can walk that far, Ethyn. You look like you have just gotten off a boat."

"I can manage. I am just a little sore, I promise. Please?" the boy whined. He worked to stand up straight despite the groan of his healing ribs.

Aiden chimed in, "Give him a shot, Silver. If he gets too tired, whistle twice, and I will come across the river to fetch him. Don't you remember what it was like to be a boy his age? I, for one, was quite the rascal."

No one could see Silver roll his eyes. "You too Aiden? If you are all against me…" a hint of humor entered the Guardian's voice. It was no use fighting them all. "…then fine. You can come, Ethyn, but you better follow orders this time!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Ethyn said and saluted again. His standing was already becoming more grounded than before.

'Well, this is going to be an adventure at least. I hope I don't end up nursemaid to all three of you this time, oof.'

So lumbering, laughing, lurking and limping, the four set off to find the bandits tampering with the water supply.