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Rilef did not answer Thornden's last question. Perhaps he was not able to, or perhaps he did not want to. The question was badly asked, Thornden realized after a moment. How could he ask if one could live without the other?
But before the silence was long, Léof was there, running up quickly through the underbrush. He stopped short on the edge of the clear space and stood for a moment, looking. And then, with hesitant steps forward, he ventured, "What has...how can I help?"
Thornden slowly lifted his head. He gathered his scattered wits together and cleared his eyes of tears. "Léof," he said, rising slowly. "Have you seen anyone else nearby?" Léof shook his head, his eyes fixed on the twins. Thornden was about to ask him another question when a movement and grunt caught his ear. Thornden turned about, his hand on the hilt of his sword. For the first time since coming, he noticed a third outlaw in the near vicinity. The man lay half on his back, in a twisted sort of position. Apparently, he had been senseless, but now he was waking back up. He groaned again and turned towards the ground.
Thornden looked quickly towards Léof, nodded his head in the outlaws direction and waved his hand. The two of them closed in quickly, coming upon him silently. He didn't notice them until they were quite near, and only because he had begun to raise himself up on one elbow. He gave a start, rising half to his knees, but Thornden drew his sword and in a moment, had it at his throat. The man knew better than to move and he remained rigid, on his knees. Thornden commanded him to stand up, and he obeyed.
"Léof, go back to Rilef. I'll figure out what to do with this one." Léof turned to obey, but before Thornden could even begin to think of what to do, another person came running and crashing through the underbrush. "Léof, be on guard!" Thornden called. Without thinking, he opened his left hand grasped for his dagger. A pain shot through his hand, from the cut on his palm, but he drew the blade anyway.
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