Vella had refused to leave the old hunter in the frontier village with a half-closed leg. Since his watchtower clearing sat in ruins, Hans had no choice but to let them cart him back to the town.
Hans lasted one mile of the ride back before declaring the cart an insult, and Vella lasted one second before declaring his transport non-negotiable.
He rode propped against the salt sacks with his pinned sleeve toward Ash, who spent the morning staring from Hajin's chest with open fascination. Somewhere past the second village the boy blink-stepped into the cart, sitting across from the old hunter to continue staring from closer range.
"He's counting my arms," Hans said eventually, staring back, "and coming up short."
