But that practice didnt exist anymore. Nothing familiar remained in his world.
Except Thimble and Boy23.
She had to be tired. Her ankle wasnt strong under the best of circumstances. He was bigger, stronger, but even he needed a rest. Yet he couldnt request one so long as she put one foot in front of the other. If she had the endurance to keep going, so did he. Stone desperately wanted her to think well of him. After all, she was the last friend he had in the world. He hoped she didnt hate the fact shed been stuck with a useless Breeder instead of a more capable Hunter. The only thing he knew how to do was sire brats, and there wouldnt be much call for that going forward.
But hed gotten them this far with her help. Hed protected Boy23; the brat had fallen asleep on his shoulder long ago.
Rough ground made it tough, particularly in the dark. More than once, he watched as she stumbled, but with both hands full of brat and weapon, he couldnt touch her. Couldnt help. It was second nature to him to cuddle and console, to reach out and offer comfort in a bleak situation.
Here. Her voice was husky, pitched low to avoid carrying.
He couldnt see what she did, but he stopped as she fumbled with something, and then part of the wall shifted inward. No, not a wall. A door. It smelled musty but not foul. After handing Boy23 off, Stone went in first to make sure it was safe. Then he shut it behind them and created a makeshift pallet for the brat. Boy23 shifted but didnt rouse.
It was going to be tough without a female Breeder to feed him. He had begun eating some solid foods, but he still nursed, as all brats did until they turned eight; it grew strong bones. Most Breeder females kept their milk long after they stopped birthing young. It could be used for all kinds of things; he liked cheese best, but most products went to the brats, while the Hunters ate the bulk of the meat. Male Breeders got the least food, as they only sired young, but didnt bear them or yield milk.
How are we going to provide for him out here? It was a question that had no answer.
Thimble dug a torch out of her bag and lit it after some moments of struggle. Fortunately he could see fairly well, even without much light. Most citizens could, though sometimes they were born without the ability, a throwback to Topside, like his own height. He watched as she placed the torch in a metal ring devised for that purpose. Shed probably designed ithard not to feel dumb around her.
Once his eyes adjusted, the light gave him a better look at the space theyd found. It was more of a closet than a room, but when he turned, he saw the door had a lock. Metal shelving stacked with old junk lined the walls. To his eyes, it was all garbage, nothing useful, but Thimble was rummaging, exclaiming over various objects. He chose not to ask why because it would make him sound stupid.
Boy23 slept on, exhausted by his ordeal. Stone prepared a simple meal while she scavenged, and once Thimble finished exploring, she ate with relish. By the torchlight, he noticed that she had fine eyes, dark like the shadows surrounding them, and her hair held a hint of curl. The walk had pulled it out of its tie, leaving a pretty, disheveled mass about her thin face. She ate efficiently in small, neat bites, and he watched her mouth, feeling bewildered. He couldnt remember noticing she was female before. At least, not in any particular wayit was a fact he had known but not lingered over, maybe because he knew he couldnt do anything about it, even if she made him feel things.
I think its safe to sleep in here, she said, after they finished.
He studied the door. It was made of metal and sturdy, despite its age. The real test will come when we leave.
If they find us, youll fight them off. Her faith gave him confidence, and he touched the weapon beside him.
I can do this. I can.
As she shifted to pull a blanket out of her pack, her bad foot turned beneath her, and she cried out. Without thinking, he reached for her like he would one of the brats. Her shoes were simple, likely crafted by her own hands, and she wore a brace on her malformed ankle. By torchlight, her expression showed uncertainty.
Can I look at it? Though he hadnt been the enclave medicine man, hed often treated small injuries, as the brats were prone to hurting themselves. And given Bonesaws lack of skill, his own efforts usually yielded better results anyway.
She ducked her head. Its ugly.
Stone glanced at her in surprise. Nothing about you could be.
Her smile startled him, and his breath caught. For a moment, he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. He unfastened the straps and then slid her shoe off. This ankle didnt look like a normal one, and her foot turned inward. She was also swollen from the walking. He didnt ask permission; he just took her foot into his lap and went to work with his fingers. Every now and then she whimpered, but he didnt think it was because of the pain. When they had to move again, it would be terrible, but maybe this would help a little. It was all he could do. Her little moans and sighs tangled inside him in the most powerful of longings, more than anything hed ever felt while doing his duty for the enclave. It was all he could do not to pounce and cover her in kisses.
Eventually, she pulled back. Thank you. Its the first time anybodys ever seen Her expression filled in the cruel words others had used. Well, since I was born anyway. I kept it covered up in the dorm.
I remember, he said quietly.
It always meant a lot
when you stood up for me.
It did?
Hed always tried to do it so she didnt hear what the other brats said. Most often a threat worked, but sometimes hed smacked the others in the head when he had to, so theyd shut up. There had been one boy in particular who delighted in tormenting her; he was dead now, like most of the enclave. Terrifying thought.
Yeah. Im glad we made it this far together.
Her words warmed him, and he reached for her hand. Me too.
Delicate, callused fingers laced through his. He marveled at what she could do with this hand that looked so dainty. These clever fingers had built the traps that saved their lives. To his delight, Thimble didnt pull back, and the warmth comforted him.
She extinguished the torch with a handful of white powder. They could have used two hands to get ready for bed, but instead they managed, one-handed, to spread their blankets and lie down.
They fell asleep that way.
Chapter 9
Thimble awoke to snuffling growls and muffled thumps beyond the door. Her heart thudded in her ears. No telling how many Freaks were out there, but they knew theyd trapped their prey. She felt sure she could outsmart them again, but escape would involve fighting as well. She leaned over to wake Stone, but he was already alert.