Jenny: Formal Report

"Never better," the Guttersnipe replied. She swung down off the colt just as Master Lucius approached, a little stiff in the joints from his riding. She pulled herself up before him. "They were brigands, sir. I suspected they were about and lured them upstream away from the herd. All three of them - if there are only three of them - are dead." She glanced aside as a stream of red came floating down the river. "But perhaps it would be best if we moved on now."

He nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, that would probably be best. I've just reached the end of a section..." Then, suddenly hen-like, he added, "You're going to catch cold standing like that."

She came to herself and stood down, shoulders relaxing. "Yes, sir. We leave in ten minutes." Leaving him to put away his books, she tucked her damp clothing under one arm and walked with Domitia on the far side of the colt down to the stream. The trickles of red had slacked off now. She knelt on the rock, the sun on her back, and washed the blood off her arms.