Sam once again stood next to Thorn, holding a small wrapped satchel after dressing himself.  He smiled warmly at Thorn, finally willing to give her the gift as they went to go and meet their guest.  Sam was terribly confused that they were finally entertaining a guest, and not a "guest," but he also trusted Thorn's judgement.  He presented the package to Thorn, grinning broadly as he returned the favor Thorn had given him.<br/><br/>He'd gotten the idea for the gift when Thorn instructed him to throw out the last of the medical supplies, when Thorn gave up completely on the idea of having any pets other than him.  It made Sam feel all warm and fuzzy, and he wanted to show his appreciation.  To do so, he'd taken a set of surgical tools and methodically whittled and rusted them, covering them in oxidation, blunting parts that should be sharp, and sharpening parts that should be blunt.  With the addition of a few barbs and serrations, the tools became blades from hell, capable only of inflicting terrible, septic wounds, no matter how they were used.<br/><br/>Sam dropped to his knees before Thorn and offered up his humble contribution, head bowed in respect.  He hoped she would be pleased, and not angered that he had done something without being asked to.  The boy still didn't understand the reason for her kindness, for giving him the journal, but he was grateful.<br/><br/><br/><hr/><br/>In the restaurant again, Sam leaned back, seeing the girl he recognized from the newspaper photo come in the door.  His eye immediately locked itself on her face, challenging her and trying to draw her eye to make contact.  The girl was shy, almost weak seeming.  Sam couldn't even tell what made her different from their victims.  So he simply stared at her, hoping that something in her gaze might tell him what it was that Thorn saw in her.  Sam knew the girl to be acquainted with death, but was she really the kind of predator they could come to rely on?  Or was she merely a broken carrion bird, of the sort Sam would love making a meal of?