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THE KNIFE

333 AR SUMMER

A FEW WEEKS AFTER Renna’s night in the outhouse, there was a visitor to the farht of a traveler on the road, but it wasn’t Cobie Fisher, it was his father, Garric

Garric Fisher was a big, burly man, much like his son in appearance In his fifties, he had only a few streaks of white in his thick curly black hair and beard He nodded curtly to Renna as he pulled up in his cart

"Your da around, girl?" he asked

Renna nodded

Garric spat over the side of his cart "Run and fetch hiain and ran into the fields, her heart pounding What could he want? Had he come to speak for Cobie? Did he still think of her? She was so preoccupied that she nearly crashed into her father as he eirl! What in the Core’s gotten into you now?" Harl asked, catching her shoulders and shaking her

"Garric Fisher just rode in," Renna said "He’s waitin’ for you in the yard"

Harl scowled "He is, is he?" He wiped his hands on a rag and touched the bone handle of his knife as if to reassure himself of its presence, then headed out of the fields

"Tanner!" Garric called, still sitting in the cart when they came into the yard He hopped down and held out his hand "It’s good to see you lookin’ well"

Harl nodded, shaking hands "You, too, Fisher What brings you out these ways?"

"I brought you so to the barrels on the cart "Good trout and catfish, still alive and swiood while Reckon it’s been a while since you had fresh fish out here"

"That’s real thoughtful," Harl said, helping Garric unload the cargo

"Least I could do," Garric said He wiped his sweaty brohen the as done "Sun’s hot today Long trip out and I’ht set a spell under the shade of your porch afore I head back?"

Harl nodded, and the two men went and sat on the old rockers on the porch Renna fetched a pitcher of cool water and brought it out with a pair of cups

Garric reached into his pocket, producing a clay pipe "Mind if I smoke?"

Harl shook his head "Girl, fetch my pipe and leaf pouch," he said, and shared the pouch with Garric Renna brought a taper fro slow and thoughtfully "That’s good leaf"

"Grow itbuys most of his smokeleaf from Southwatch, and they always keep the best and sell his" He turned to Renna "Girl, fill a pouch for Mr Fisher to take back with hi by the door, listening With the forin soon, and she didn’t want to an "Meant no disrespect"

"None taken," Harl said, drawing on his pipe

"Whole town’s buzzing about this business between the kids," Garric said "Got it froot nothin’ better to do with their tier"