Luck is with us. We catch Chime alone as she leaves the main group where they huddle around a fire. They were easy to find, loud and still animal-like no matter how much healing Solo's done. I know we're on limited time. The Crawlers could be on us at any moment, but the sight of Chime rising from the circle and coming toward where we hide in the dark holds me still.
Very still.
I'm the one to grab her, my hand over her mouth. Her eyes are wide, the light of the distant fire shining on the whites. She stinks of burned meat and wood smoke, enough to make me gag, but I shove aside my revulsion and knock her to her knees.
She doesn't fight, doesn't scream, holds up her hands instead. Soft sobs emerge as she reaches for me, clutching at my pant legs. I've seen her angry, afraid, arrogant, b
