Page 25 (1/2)

She watched the fingers, half ht had flickered away until the pressure of Wolf’s touch lifted from her back

They prowled on

Soon the train was behind the in the chatter of crickets and toads When Wolf see followed, he led them out of the forest and back down to the tracks

Despite the growing distance between the the horizon, alht in those rare h the trees, Wolf stopped and turned back Scarlet halted a few steps ahead of hirown sticker bushes and long shadows that had no end

Her ears were perked, listening for another howl, but she couldn’t pick up anything but bird chatter and, overhead, the squeaks of a colony of bats "More wolves?" she finally asked

A long silence, followed by a terse nod "More wolves"

It wasn’t until he started walking again that Scarlet released a captured breath They’d been walking for hours without sign of another train, a cross-section of tracks, or civilization On one hand, it was beautiful here--the fresh air, the wildflowers, the critters that cae of the brush to watch Scarlet and Wolf before scurrying back into the ferns

But on the other hand, her feet and back were sore, her sto her that the less loveable creatures of the forest were prowling nearby

A chill rushed up her ared it on and yanked the zipper up to her neck Pulling out her portscreen, she deflated to see that they’d gone a o before they reached the nearest station

"There’s a junction co up, in about a half mile"

"Good," said Wolf "Whatever trains were scheduled to coh any ti some trains after the junction"

"And when this train co us onto it?"

"Sarin toward her "Like julared "The co back onto a train"

His response was that sa thatas he had one A late-flowering shrub trembled just off the path and Scarlet’s heart thumped--until a harmless pine hed, annoyed at her restlessness "So," she said, disrupting Wolf in another backward glance "Who would win in a fight--you or a pack of wolves?"

He frowned at her, all seriousness "Depends," he said, slowly, like he was trying to figure out heris the pack?"

"I don’t knohat’s norainst six," he said "Any more than that and it could be a close call"

Scarlet ser of low self-estee at all" She kicked a stone from their path "How about you and … a lion?"

"A cat? Don’t insult"How about a bear?"

"Why, do you see one out there?"

"Not yet, but I want to be prepared in case I have to rescue you"

The slint of white teeth flashing "I’ht a bear before" He cocked his head toward the east "There’s a lake that way, maybe a hundred yards We should refill the water"

"Wait"

Wolf paused, glanced at her

Scarlet’s broas creased as she inched toward hi with sudden nerves "Do what?"

"Smile"

The order was met with the opposite response Wolf shrank back, his jaw tense as if to be sure his lips stayed locked together

Scarlet hesitated only afor hiently pulled open his lips with her thuue to the point of his right tooth