"Mitah, good to see you back to your full strength. We need you when the war reaches us. The council just declared war on the Nations of the River and the Forest. It's inevitable that we start sending troops out to the borders to prepare for ambush on either side. I expect you to lead one of these patrols." Liri explains once training is done for the day. She was following slowly behind me as I got dressed and headed to the common area.

"I understand, Commander." I tell her, and she gives me a proud smile and nod before leaving.

"So, Mitah, you feel better?" It was Badger, he was sitting with Aven and Briar, another healer.

I spin around and face them. They're much further away than I thought. I guess Badger is testing out the range of my hearing.

"That's crazy! You heard him from so far away." Briar laughs, pulling her hair away from her shoulders. Badger just smiles at her as I head over.

I take the seat next to Badger, and he grins at me sweetly.

"Can we see your super speed?" Aven asks, staring dead into my face. He did not seem ashamed of his gossiping. That's just how Aven was.

"Maybe later. I'm tired." I explain, and Aven groans.

"I don't know if I've ever had a full conversation with you. Thanks to Badger, I can finally ask what I've wanted to ask you for so long." Briar props her chin up on her hands.

"Shoot." I tell her, leaning back in my chair. Badger just watches me as I answer each of her questions. He is holding a light smile on his face that sort of distracts me for a few questions.

"Are you single?" Badger flinches a little at this one, sitting up and paying close attention. I grin.

"I am, yeah."

"I thought you were dating Saira?" Aven asks, completely unaware of the awkward situation he just made.

"You probably heard that, but it isn't true. Saira is my friend." I cleared up quickly.

"Oh, unfortunate. You two would be so great together."

"Is it true you have to eat 15,000 calories when you use your super speed?" Briar is back to the questions like the air wasn't incredibly awkward now.

I finish answering a few more questions and excuse myself to my bunker.

Enough of that for today.