When Rynere woke up, the sun was only a little way up into the sky. Kyndran was gone. Tass was lying on the other side of the smouldering fire, snoring softy.

Rynere glanced at him, then at the horse that was secured to a nearby tree. Slowly, she got to her feet and made her way over to the animal. She untied the strips of leather that held it to the tree and then turned around to pull herself up into the saddle.

And jumped.

Tass was standing there, ready to help her up.

An impudent grin spread across his face.

"What, darlin'? I already told you I don't sleep. Don't you believe me? I'm offended."

"You don't look it," Rynere said darkly, staying where she was.

"What're you waitin' for?"

"You to get out of the way."

Tass made a scoffing sound.

"You're not doing it alone in a dress, darlin'. Not with your lack of experience. I'm stickin' around, even if you do manage to get Dynamite here started."

"Dyna -what?"

"Doesn't matter," Tass grinned again. "Come on, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that."

"Then get over here and on the horse."

"I want food first."

Tass raised an eyebrow, reached into the horse's saddlebag, and tossed Rynere some unidentifiable comestible. She had to scramble, but she caught it.

Tass grinned, tapping the tips of his first fingers together.

"Brilliant. Now you just need to choke that down and we can be on our way."

 Rynere glared at him and took a bite.

And nearly choked.

"You didn't say you meant that literally!" she exclaimed when she could finally speak again.

Tass shrugged, grinning.

"I warned you. Oh come on, it doesn't taste that bad."

"It's not the taste -it's the way it feels, as if it were ...moving ..." Rynere looked at the piece of whatever-it-was that was in her hand. "Is this alive?"

It was Tass's turn to choke. But he did it in laughter.

"No. It'll just act that way."

"What do you mean, it'll act that way? What is this?"

"You really don't want to know," Tass raised an eyebrow, half-smiling.

Rynere was about to protest, but then realized that this time, he might actually have a point. She took another bite, and tried to ignore it. Tass grinned.

"'Course I'm right."

This time, when she choked, it was because she realized that Tass had said what she was thinking.

"Don't tell me you can read minds!"

"I can't. But your face is remarkably easy to decipher. Maybe if you'd include more variation, try to mix things up a bit and try to not look like a fish with your mouth opening and shutting all the time, it would be a bit more difficult."

Rynere gave him another glare before throwing the unidentifiable piece of food down.

"Have you decided to take me up on my offer now?"

She lowered an eyebrow darkly but put a foot into Tass's offered hands and pulled herself up, making sure she slipped just enough to catch his face with her dirty shoe.

He just grinned and took the reins.