"Do you wish to become the Abenaki's whore?"
"Of course not!"
"Then you will walk!"
Before Alanna could protest that she could not, Hunter had taken her hand and, towing her along behind him, again made good progress through the stream.
* * *
Alanna awoke as the first faint rays of sunlight appeared in the east. Hunter had removed her boots and stockings and was rubbing her feet with insistent circles, but she was so numb, she couldn't decide if the pressure of his thumbs felt pleasant or painful. All she knew was that keeping her eyes open was impossibly difficult. She didn't recall his giving her permission to take a nap, but if he had, apparently the time was up. She didn't speak until he looked up at her.
"I really mean it this time," she vowed weakly. "I can't take another step."
Hunter slapped her calf playfully. "Yes, you can. You're a strong girl, Alanna. I like that."
She was merely confused by his compliment. "I don't feel strong."
"Well, you are, or you wouldn't have made it this far. Look around. We're in the foothills. We're near Lake Sacandaga, and I'll catch us some fish for breakfast."
The mere mention of food sickened Alanna. "I think what I really need is to sleep for a week or two. Then I might feel up to eating."
"Are all white women so lazy?"
"Lazy?" Alanna sat up and jerked her bare feet from his grasp. "You kept me running all night, and you dare to call me lazy?"
For some perverse reason, Hunter was enjoying teasing her. "Would you rather that I had taken you to Blind Snake's camp, and left you with him?"
"How do I know Blind Snake was even there?"
"You think I made up that tale just to keep you moving all night?"
Hunter looked horribly insulted, but Alanna was too tired to care. "I wouldn't put it past you."
Hunter picked up her stockings and boots and tossed them into her lap. "I have no reason to be mean to you. Unlike Melissa, you and Elliott were kind to me."
At the moment, all Alanna remembered was the way he had kissed her and then told her to sleep with Elliott. That was no way to repay kindness. Had that only been the day before yesterday? she wondered. Looking at Hunter again, she could see the strain in his face; she felt that same strain clear through.
"We ought not to fight amongst ourselves," she suggested. "I'm sorry for what I said."
Choosing to ignore her conciliatory gesture, Hunter's tone was harsh. "Put on your boots and hurry, or I won't wait for you."
Alanna managed to slip on her stockings without too much difficulty, but her feet were so badly swollen, she did not think she could wear her boots. She envied Hunter the comfort of his moccasins, and kept twisting and turning her foot in an attempt to wedge it into her boot. She was certain that if she could just figure out how to get one boot on, the other could be donned with ease.
Hunter stood silently watching Alanna's pitiful efforts to make her once small feet fit into a pair of impossibly tiny boots, and knew she was never going to be able to do it. He again knelt beside her and drew his knife. "Give me that boot," he ordered. When Alanna complied, he made several lengthwise slits in the vamp to give her more room. "Try that."
Alanna stared at the shredded boot. "You've ruined it!" she exclaimed.
"If you can't get your sweet, little feet into them, then they are no good anyway. Now just try it on, and if it fits, I'll cut the other one to match it."
Much to Alanna's dismay, her swollen foot slipped right into the boot; and while it certainly wasn't attractive, it was wearable. She stood up and tried taking a step. Her feet ached all the way to her knees, but at least she would not have to walk barefoot over the rocky soil.
"I suppose how my boots look is the least of my problems. Thank you." She sat down again to wait, while he made the same cuts in her other boot, and then put it on. When he offered his hand, she got to her feet.
"How far is the lake?"
"Not far," Hunter promised. "After we've eaten our fill of fish, you can bathe and wash your clothes. That will make you feel better."
Alanna could easily imagine how dreadful she looked, and she doubted a quick bath in a lake would do all that much to enhance her appearance, when what she longed to do was soak in a hot tub for hours. He was trying to be nice to her, however, and she did her best to smile. "I'll look forward to it."