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I put my hand on his shoulder. “Let me go.”

He doesn’t even slow down. “You’re going.”

“On my own. You can stay here.”

He stops halfway up with his palm on the hearthstone. “Riesa. I can walk down to the river.”

“It’s been two days since the new moon. I know you can. But you don’t have to. Let me get our food.”

He looks toward the passage, and I wait with my hand on the warm fur above his collar.

After a while he settles back against the wall. “The bend below the lower path. Stay on this side.”

Well. That was easy.

“I know.” I take my hand off his fur.

He watches me do it. “Call if you need me.”

“I will. You can admire my fish when I get back.”

He grins at that, one fang out. “Catch one first.”

I sit down and tie my foot wraps. “Now you’ve done it. I’m bringing you several.”

The fishing arrows are beside the old bow. I take those, the line and stake, and a good length of twine, because I’m going to need it.

At the passage I turn back with the new bow in my hand. He’s still sitting where I left him, watching me go.

I point the bow at him. “Stay there.”

The lower path’s the short way to the water. I can still see the bare slope through the trees from the bend, so he’ll hear me when I start yelling about my fish.

I push the stake into the bank beside a flat patch of gravel, tie the line on and lay the rest out where I won’t trip over it. Then I hitch the front of his enormous shirt through my belt and look for dinner.

The first fish gets away because I shoot behind it.

“That was practice.” Nobody argues, so I pull the arrow back in and try again.

The second shot catches one through the body. It fights the line while I set the bow down, then I haul it into the shallows with my good hand. I kill it with a stone and sit back on my heels to look at it.

Dinner. Caught with my bow.

Fuck yeah.

I rest my left arm while I free the arrow. The dressing pulls when I reach too far.

Ugh, don’t start.

I bring everything closer and take my time.

I get two more, and one’s small enough that Rauk will look at it and then at me, and I’ll tell him it’s for flavor.

I’m rinsing the arrow when a broad back rolls in the water farther out.

Oh, you’re coming with me.

I get up slowly, keeping my feet out of the line. The fish moves into the shallows, and I can see the whole length of it. I wait until it’s clear of the rock, aim below it, and draw.