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Blend shrugged ’If it waspeer at the’s balls, if you’d a suspicion-’

’Didn’t say I did, Corporal -- it was you coet them off?’

She scowled ’No, damn you’

’Oh’ Blend looked away

Picker conteht she entertained at least ten ti, and once again she resisted it ’Three hundred councils to buyoff Wonderful’

’Think positive, Corporal It’ll give you so to talk about with Dujek’

’I really do hate you, Blend’

She offered Picker a bland smile ’So, did you drop a pebble in that old ety enough to warrant it He damn near fainted when I called him back, didn’t he?’

Blend nodded

’So,’ Picker said, unrolling her sleeve, ’Quick Ben tracks him-’

’Unless he cleans out his pack-’

The corporal grunted ’He cared less about as in it than I did No, whatever serious booty he carried was under his shirt, no doubt about it Anyway, he’ll be sure to put out the hen he gets to Pale -- the traffic of sht off, er -- and I threw him the line about better chances at the Divide when you was off collecting the councils’

Blend’s smile broadened ’ "Chaos at the crossroads", eh? The only chaos Paran’s crew has over there is what to do with all the takings’

’Let’s fix some food -- the Moranth will likely be as punctual as usual’

The two Bridgeburners made their way back up the trail

An hour after sunset the flight of Black Moranth arrived, descending on their quorls in a slithering flutter of wings to the circle of lanterns Picker and Blend had set out One of theer who clahted on the stony ground

Picker grinned at the cursing man ’Over here, Quick-’

He spun to face her ’What in Hood’s narin fell away ’Not much, Wizard Why?’