Matteo liked to think he was a very level-headed sort of person, but even he had to admit he was feeling a little cranky by the time he’d finished trudging back and forth from the forest with armfuls of twigs and branches. He was honestly just exasperated that even a pilfered meal took so much work to prepare. He supposed it was in a show of good faith that he’d ended up doing most of the wood-gathering, or maybe it seemed comparatively easy next to the acts Seaweed had had him do in the tunnels. Or maybe just that he was too hungry to argue properly. By the time the rabbit was roasting over the open flame, the ex-spectacled youth was salivating like a wolf.

His blistered hands were a little scorched, but he ate without hesitation, chewing over each tiny bite like it might be his last meal. [b]“The Thieves’ Guild only gave us porridge,”[/b] he said conversationally between chewy bites, the rabbit-third going all too quickly. Still, Matteo did not complain. Irritation eased, he sat back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. [b]“Ah. That hit the spot. I have a feeling I never used to eat much, anyway.”[/b] Was that his shrunken stomach speaking, or just a hunch?  The dark-haired youth glanced at the red blur where he knew Muu was. He wondered what the shy girl who’d turned up at the church had ended up choosing from the Silver Moon directory. [b]“May I have my dagger back, Ash? Muu, I don’t think I ever asked you which guild you ended up joining.”[/b]