Utterly Mad

The trip back was quiet except for catnips talk. Her chatter had taken on the sound of babble by virtue of L and Kyle's silence. Every new story, each tale large and small, each shared facet of catnip's life made that silence all the deeper. L and Kyle weren't slavers, and so didn't know the the first rule of the trade. Never get to know your stock. She told them about the farm, about the refugee center, about her sister and her man, and most of all she told them about Kathrine. Life on the other side of the Rockies, beyond the lands possessed by the mycus.

---

The tow truck crested a rise and the junked truck came into view. Mark had attempted to push it and in so doing, managed to put it in a ditch not ten feet or so from where they left it. Mark sat like a malignant toad in the driver's seat, looking pissed. Catnip leaned out the drivers side window and waved, and Mark waved back. L didn't like the way that first bitter expression had gone like a mirage to be replaced by the new look. His face looked happy, pleased, but it didn't look genuine to her. Not to Kyle either for that matter. Catnip backed the tow truck up to Mark's loaner truck and while she was getting everything squared away L, Kyle, and Mark stepped aside to talk.