text: Madeline may have felt as if she was making no progress in her search for Liam, but at least the same couldn’t be said of her fighting skills. Just having another human to practice with and discuss strategies with made a world of difference. Though she was still fairly certain that Billie was holding back a little, their bouts were beginning to feel more and more evenly matched. As their search continued, the areas they were combing became further and further from the housing estate where they were both sleeping. Soon, it became necessary to stay the night elsewhere so as not to spend the whole day walking only to check one building. Unfortunately, that also meant decreasing the frequency of their meetings. Between them, they devised a new schedule, based on the weeks the world used to run by. They would each search for six days, travelling to their new sector on the first day and sleeping there until the sixth, at which point, they would return home. The seventh day was then left for rest. And training. And whatever else they wanted to do together. Their meetings were the highlight of her week. Outside that, the long hours alone started to take their toll. While she was busy, Madeline could keep her doubts and fears at bay. But when she settled down to sleep at the end of a long day of searching and finding nothing, the sense of grief and loss that lived in her chest broke free. Billie kept reminding her that every building searched was one crossed off the list. Each day the area left to search got smaller, which was progress in itself. In the moment, the words made her feel better. But in the night, alone and afraid, they were of little comfort. Tonight was one such night, trying to force the images that haunted her out of her mind. The pictures shifted continuously, flicking through her worst nightmares. Liam broken and bloody. Liam captured. Liam dead. She wondered if Billie was lying awake somewhere, struggling to block out thoughts of their brother in the same way. Perhaps she could ask them tomorrow. Though somehow that seemed too personal -- too private. Despite how close they’d grown over the past couple of months, they still seemed to avoid talking about the thing that had brought them together -- their loss. Eventually, as she did every night when exhaustion won out over worry, Madeline managed to drift off to sleep. Though images of Liam still haunted her dreams. The morning came none too soon, and she was out the door and jogging to the house where she was meeting Billie at the first hint of dawn. A fine drizzle hung in the air, clinging to her hair and skin as she moved through it. Droplets trickled down her face, tickling her until they dropped off her chin. She arrived, breathless but invigorated, to see Billie pottering about in the kitchen. “Morning,” she said as she stepped in. “Good morning to you too,” Billie replied. “You weren’t far behind me this morning. Maybe one of these days you’ll actually beat me here.” Madeline shook her head, squeezing the water from her ponytail. “Like you’d ever let that happen.” “I might!” Billie said indignantly. “I’m not actually that competitive you know.” “If you say so,” Madeline replied as she settled down at the table. Billie set a bowl down in from of her before taking a seat. “You’re one to talk. I still have bruises from our last sparring match.” Pausing with her spoon midway to her mouth, Madeline scoffed. “Please! You have bruises? You should see what I look like underneath all this,” she said, gesturing to her clothes. “Maybe I am competitive, but it’s kind of hard not to be when the other person has to win *every single time.*” “Alright, alright,” Billie chuckled. “Maybe we’re both a little competitive. But if it keeps you training hard I’m not complaining. After all, I have a vested interest in you staying alive.” “As long as I *can* complain,” Madeline said through a mouthful of cereal. “Of course! Our training sessions wouldn’t be the same without your continual soundtrack of moaning and groaning.” Madeline glared at her friend but said nothing as she shovelled the rest of her breakfast into her mouth. When they were done eating, they briefly covered what they’d found over the past week. Though there wasn’t much to report, going over it all somehow helped make it feel as if something had been accomplished. “I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Billie said once they’d finished, “are you still interested in becoming a part of my group?” The question caught Madeline off guard. She’d answered it so many times in the affirmative, that the answer almost tripped off her tongue. But there was something about the way Billie had said it this time that made something feel different -- more serious. Still, she’d come too far to back out now. At the very least, she didn’t want to risk losing Billie’s friendship. “Sure,” she replied. “Why do you ask?” “The next meeting isn’t far away. I wondered if you wanted to come along. Maybe someone there will have seen or heard something useful.” “I can do that? Just turn up?” “If you’re with me, sure. How else do you think we get new people to join?” “Fair point,” Madeline conceded. “So? Want to come?” Madeline’s mind raced. It had been easy to be interested in a hypothetical. Especially when doing so had meant gaining enough trust from Billie for them to pass on what they knew. Now that she was faced with a much more real prospect, it was a different matter. The thought of all those people and the danger that brought... How did she know she could trust them? What if they didn’t trust her? Glancing up, she realised Billie was watching her, cursing herself for not doing a better job of hiding the turmoil that was likely written plain as day on her face. Uncertain what to say, she decided honesty was her best option. “I’m interested, I really am. But...” She trailed off, trying to figure out how to put it into words. “But your nervous?” “Yeah. Before Liam, I hadn’t seen another human for... I don’t know, probably approaching a year. And I hadn’t seen a human who didn’t want to hurt me or steal from me for a lot longer before that. The idea of all those people... it unsettles me. Not to mention the risk from the Poiloogs.” Billie sighed. “I understand. I do. But if they knew I’d been meeting with you and telling you all these things, then didn’t bring you along they would *not* be happy with me.” Something twisted inside Madeline at the thought of the trouble she was causing. With a deep breath, she made up her mind. “In that case, I’ll come.” Billie smiled at her. “Thank you. You won’t regret it.” “I’d better not,” Madeline said, narrowing her eyes playfully. She could only hope that the teasing tone in her voice masked the quiver of nerves beneath. “So when is this meeting? And where?” “It’s in three days' time, right on the edge of the city. So I’m afraid it will interrupt the search a little.” “How much of an interruption?” “It’ll take a day or so to get there, so probably three days total. But it will be worth it to get information from more pairs of eyes.” “How many people will there be?” “It depends. Sometimes it's as few as ten. Sometimes more like fifty.” “And they’ll definitely be okay with me being there.” “Of course!” Billie said, a playful smile spreading across their face. “If not, they’d have me to answer to.” “Now that’s a fearsome thought,” Madeline chuckled. “Is there anything else I should know?” “I don’t think so, just... maybe don’t let on quite how much I’ve told you about them.” “Ooh, have you been spilling secrets you shouldn’t have been?” Madeline asked, poking them lightly in the ribs. Billie squirmed away, giggling. “What can I say? Apparently, I just can’t say no to you.