in the cabin walls. My teeth still chattered from the river crossi

rms. Everything hurt. My feet were numb. My thro

was

ere I wasn't yet claim

gap in the wall. Mist clung to the marsh, thick a

rned back before

o

around myself. Fir

nd:

a place to h

life, I surv

e, I neede

od under my feet. The morning chill cut straight thro

bir

d for anything useful. A few edible roots still grew here. I d

h tension, too little food

wiped my hands on t

h every corner, not for one runaway girl. But the

ear where no one w

tern mo

ed wolf

ers. Dangerous terrain

ered at the t

s eyes as he put a

ay he said, "Traitors d

llowe

u a first one this

h grass. Somewhere di

branch to use as a walking stick, and tightened the

need clothing, supplies,

now, I

out of

ano

rsh, towards the one fu