Memory Hunted

Are you all right?

The unspoken question etched Kit’s face whenever Timothy
glanced at her.
Her brow furrowed as she watched him from the other opposite
side of the wagon. She’d kept her distance since that night. He wanted her to berate
him. Her silence cut deeper than any of her sharp words.

Timothy sighed and shook his head.

He watched the brown-clad man riding a short distance
ahead. The man’s bandana streamed behind him. Yellow today. Yuzu stared at Daeric
Rhine’s back from her seat on the wagon. She held the shaggy mule’s reins tight.
The wagon jerked under Timothy’s hand, and Yuzu groaned. Walking over the exposed
rocks and roots looked better than riding on that hard seat.

How could I be all right? We buried my mother
three days back.
He frowned.
It is strange how only now
I can think of Evelyn using that word. Mother.

Snow fell from clouds that reminded Timothy of a ewe’s
belly. He pulled his wool cloak tighter.
At least the trees cut the wind.
The road they followed skirted the evergreen forest. The ragged dirt ribbon divided
the pines from their bare sibling maples. The pines’ low skeleton arms thrusted
from their peeling trunks. High overhead, their green needles collected some of
the falling snow. Timothy peered into the dark recesses. He doubted any snow could
have made it through the tangled needles. The sight reminded him of a smaller grove
where he used to weather a storm when he was still a shepherd. Those days of watching
sheep and reading books felt distant. There was no going back sometimes. His mind
drifted over the past, over memories of Kyle and Aunt Mae. Of Kyle pushing him to
dance with girls during festivals. Of Aunt Mae’s stern lectures.
I hope Kyle
is well. Will I ever know what happened to him?
Timothy hoped Aunt Mae was well,
too.

Kit had changed everything. Despite it all, he felt grateful
for the first time he’d looked into Kit’s meadow eyes. He glanced at her now and
opened his mouth. She looked away.

He sighed.

Daeric guided his horse. "We should camp here for the
night." He gestured at a section of evergreens shorn of their lower branches.

"You don’t need to tell me twice." Yuzu snapped the reins
and turned the mule toward the clearing. Timothy trudged behind.

So much has happened. Kyle is likely married
to Henrietta by now. Cat is gone. It is funny how I miss that little lamb. I almost
died, and Evelyn is gone.
He still felt weak whenever he pushed
himself. His chest burned for air faster than he remembered. He held up his hand.
A few round scars whitened patches of skin. If it wasn’t for Kit, he wouldn’t have
gotten sick.
But if it wasn’t for Kit, I also wouldn’t be alive right now.

The clearing smelled of pine needles, and the ground
sprang against Timothy’s feet. Yuzu fell from the wagon and rubbed her bottom. "Sister,
you will take that hard seat tomorrow." She glanced around. "Timmy, where’s Sis?
She was right there a moment ago."

Daeric wheeled his horse. "Do not worry. I shall see
to her." He galloped off.

Yuzu planted her hands on her hips and frowned at Timothy.
Her black hair fluttered in the cold wind. "What is wrong with you?"

Timothy blinked. "What—"

"Do you want Daeric to steal her away from you?" Yuzu
stalked toward him. "Don’t tell me you can’t see how he looks at her."

Timothy leaned back and grasped at his shattered thoughts.
"I…I’m—"

"She’s worried about you. You haven’t talked since that
night. You are not the only one to lose…" Yuzu shook her head and took a deep breath.
"Daeric is going to swoop in if you wait too long."

"I am not worried about Daeric."

Yuzu punched him in the shoulder. "You should be. You—"

Timothy crossed his arms. "What about you? You spend
all day making ewe eyes at him."

"I need someone to practice on, and you haven’t been
exactly fun to be around with your moping."

"Moping? Kit killed my mother." Timothy rubbed his forehead.

"While she was saving you from her." Yuzu clenched her
hands. "Are you—"

Timothy held up a hand. "I’m not angry at Kit. She did
what she needed to do. I…I just need time to think."

Yuzu sighed. "If you are not mad at Kit, tell her. She
is worried about it."

Daeric galloped into the clearing with Kit riding sidesaddle
behind. She wore a grimace.

"You mustn’t wander like that." Daeric dismounted and
lifted Kit from the horse. "These woods are full of bandits." His hands lingered
on her hips after her feet were on the ground.

Yuzu elbowed Timothy and lifted an eyebrow.

"I was lost in my thoughts, Master Rhine," Kit said.
Her cheeks held a hint of red.

"It is good that a true man like me is around then."
Daeric included Yuzu in his smile.

"A real man knows what he values," Kit didn’t look at
Timothy, but he felt the barb.

Daeric flourished a bow. "You and Sunflower are priceless.
I will see you…home."

Yuzu glanced at Timothy and rolled her eyes. "And you
don’t see this as a problem, Timothy? Not even Allen would be that dumb." She shrugged
and raised her voice. "At least make yourself useful, and help us set up camp."

"While you do that," Daeric loosened the straps on his
stallion’s saddle, "I will secure the area."

Of course he will,
Timothy
thought. He met Kit’s gaze and glanced away. He knew he couldn’t avoid Kit forever.
How can I face her after I broke down like that?

Darkness overtook the little camp soon after the tents
were up. Timothy huddled in a blanket next to the small fire. Snow drifted at the
edge of the firelight. Yuzu drowsed in her cloak and blanket beside him, and Kit
sat facing the night. Daeric hadn’t returned. Kit insisted he would have
followed them if she didn’t hire him as a guide. The hungry look the man aimed
at Kit suggested she was right. Could Daeric know she was a fox? Timothy didn’t
doubt that possibility. Far too many people wanted a fox for a trophy. No.
Daeric also looked at Yuzu in the same way. It was probably just Timothy’s
imagination.
For all I know, Kit could have hired Daeric just to get back at
me for something.
Either way, Timothy didn’t trust Daeric. He didn’t need Kit’s
nose to dislike the man. Daeric strutted worse than Trent had back at Honheim.

Honheim. So much changed in that town.
He
watched Kit’s back. Her hood flexed as her fox ears moved under the fabric. Kit
turned her head and caught his gaze.
We can’t avoid each other forever,
Timothy
thought. He opened his mouth.

Daeric burst into the camp and kicked out the small fire,
plunging them into darkness. "We have trouble coming."

Yuzu jerked awake. "Wha—"

Daeric snatched the reins of the horse and the mule from
the tree. "We have to move. Knock down those tents. We can only hope we are far
enough off the road."

Kit stood. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness. "Do as he
says, Timothy."

Timothy’s eyes adjusted to the wane light. Kit stood
stiff, and her hood tented over her ears. "Men are coming."

"Don’t just stand there," Daeric said. "Get those tents
out of sight. We can only hope they won’t see the wagon. Hurry."

Yuzu stumbled toward the tents and kicked out their supports.
Daeric disappeared between the skeleton pines with the mule and horse in tow. Timothy
swallowed and knocked down the other tent.

"What is going on?" Yuzu’s eyes were wide.

Kit hissed and laid a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Men are coming. Hurry."

She pushed them into the trees and down to the ground.
The dead needles dug into Timothy’s hands. Several moments passed. Kit lay beside
him; her hand moved in small circles on his shoulder.
Shouldn’t I be trying to
calm her?

Timothy heard boots crunching the snow. "Who would be
traveling at night?" he whispered.

Kit shook her head.

Lanterns cast yellow light between the pines. Men marched
in file. Their breastplates reflected the light. Halberds angled over slumping shoulders.
Their red-and-white-striped uniforms marked them as papal soldiers. The men gazed
into the night beyond their lanterns’ glow.

Kit’s hand squeezed.

The men marched past in a steady pace. Timothy counted
close to fifty soldiers. One man strode behind the columns. His black robes absorbed
the light from his lantern.

"Balwar?" Kit whispered.

The Jesuit trudged past, looking as tired as the soldiers.
The pines engulfed the light. Timothy remained where he was. Kit would let them
know when it was safe to move.
What is Balwar doing here?
Timothy thought.
The last time he’d seen the Jesuit, Cat had died saving them from the heretic Tahd.
Timothy frowned. Could Balwar be hunting Kit?

Kit stood, leaving a warm spot where her hand had rested
on his shoulder. Timothy and Yuzu followed.

"Who’s Balwar?" Yuzu wrapped her arms around herself
and shivered.

"A Jesuit." Kit tilted her head. "Daeric is coming."

Yuzu rubbed her arms.

Daeric emerged from the woods with the animals behind
him. "They are going to the garrison."

"Garrison?" Yuzu asked. She hopped from one foot to the
other.

"Would you stop hopping?" Kit said.

Yuzu met Kit’s gaze and continued bouncing on her toes.

"The Church keeps a garrison near Belafonte." Daeric
hung the mule’s and horse’s reins on a tree. "I guess they fear the memories of
this place."

Timothy looked at Kit. Her smooth face told him just
how anxious she felt. "Is it okay for us to stay here?" he asked.

Daeric moved toward the collapsed tents. "For them to
travel at night without scouts…we will be fine here for tonight." He began setting
the supports. "The tents will be warmer."

"Not with you." Yuzu bent to the second tent. "Why would
anyone risk traveling at night?"

"Who can say?" Daeric’s voice was distant.

Kit snatched Timothy’s arm. "He smells like he
anticipates something. Be careful," she whispered.

"I thought we weren’t speaking? Besides, bringing
him along was your idea." Timothy said.

"We are not speaking. I told you we didn’t have a
choice. We had to take him. He smells unlike anything I’ve encountered." She
frowned. "It is familiar and yet—never mind. We are not speaking."

He grabbed her hand. "We can’t keep avoiding each other."

"I would have never guessed that, considering we are
traveling together." Kit pulled her hand free. "Just be careful until I figure
out what Daeric is. He almost doesn’t smell human."

 "What he is? What do you mean he doesn’t smell
human?" Timothy asked.

"I said almost. It could just be all the smoke from
Honheim messed up my nose. Well, since you look ready to talk, let’s talk." 
She snatched his hand and began pulling him toward the pines ringing the camp.

"Wait, Kit. You—"

"You are the being sheep-stubborn, and I am done
being patient with you." Kit dragged Timothy away from the camp and into the tangle
of bare branches.

As they walked deeper in to the shelter of the
pines, Kit’s stride shortened, and her shoulders slumped. Her hand felt clammy.
She stopped and let his hand fall. The trees were quiet.

I should say something. She is waiting
for me. She probably thinks me weak after I broke down on her like that. What man
would cry like that?
Timothy thought.
She had to carry me out
of Honheim! How can she expect to rely on me?

She took a deep breath and lowered her hood, revealing
her slumped fox ears. A pale strip of moonlight caught her eyes. She didn’t look
at him."There is something I was wondering."

"Obviously." Timothy cursed his tongue.

Kit glared at him. "You are not making it any
easier." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you…hate me?"

Timothy blinked. That was not the question he was
expecting. "What? No! How could I?"

"I killed your mother."

Timothy froze.
That is what she worried about?
He
shook his head. "You saved my life. I…I rely on you." He turned away. "I rely on
you for everything. I am useless. Why did you choose me? I couldn’t even save my
own mother."

Kit walked around to face him. "So you don’t hate me?"

"How could I?"

Kit punched Timothy’s ribs hard enough to make him grunt.

"What was that for?"

"For your moping. For being an idiot. For making me worry
these last three days." Kit’s ears quivered. "For making me think you hated me for…for
what I did."

"I don’t—" Timothy said. Kit punched him again. "Would
you stop that?"

"At least your bony ribs no longer cut me. See? Salted
ham does well for adding meat and muscle." She jabbed a stiff finger in his chest
in time with her words. "What. Is. Bothering. You?"