[h3]Alexander[/h3]

The sympathetic looks the others chanced his way didn't help. If anything, it made him feel worse. Pity just wasn't Alexander's thing, and in the wake of being told this brief happiness was just that, it was absolutely unwelcome. It hardly helped that the explanation, while complete, didn't make much sense to him. Who in their right mind would start a war over someone eating food? Was it even possible to be that petty? If he ever met whoever was that dead set on the matter he'd love to give them a piece of his mind and boot up their-

"Xander, it's fine," Wash said with a slap on the taller boy's back, "It's not like I'm dying here. I'll find my own way home."

"Yeah, but..."

"No buts. You came here to do something, right? Let's go."

"Yeah," Alexander said glumly, "I guess you're right."

"Hey," Wash said, "We can't stay gone forever. The wind always calls..."

Alexander smiled a little. "You just need to listen for it."

And with that they began to catch up to the others.