‘I’m fine.’ He bent over, his hands on his knees, puffing. ‘Did you see that?’

‘I saw it.’

‘Good. Because I don’t think I’d believe me.’

‘Did it go for you?’

‘No. I don’t even think it knew I was there. It was after the fish.’ When he reached her, he sat down and wrestled with his boots, unlacing them and emptying them of water.

While he was sorting out the second, Mary picked one up to inspect it.

‘You made a fucking mess of these.’

‘We had to run through molten tarmac. They’re,’ and he made a face, ‘uncomfortable. There’s no give in them at all.’

‘What’re you going to do when we have to set off up the river?’

‘I’m just going to have to cope.’ He took his boot back off her and peeled off his socks to wring them out. ‘It’s not like I’m going to find another pair soon. If ever.’

‘The wolfman had boots. They must make them here, somewhere.’

‘Cobblers,’ he said.

She snorted. ‘Well, fuck you.’

‘No, they’re people who make shoes. Cobblers.’

‘Fuck you anyway,’ she said, and smiled. ‘Your feet aren’t that big. One of the others is probably the same size as you.’

‘Won’t they need them?’

‘Not if they’re dead.’

‘I am not killing someone for their shoes! I’m not killing anyone.’

‘I’m not saying you have to. Just if something happens, you can take them.’

‘I can’t do that either.’

She counted the number of fish she already had. ‘All I’m saying is that you won’t get far in those. Have you sorted out that net for me yet?’

‘I … Yes. Give me a bit of time, and I’ll try something out.’

‘Get on with it, then. The others are coming back.’

Dalip walked barefoot for a little way, before putting his thick socks back on. She was right; the soles of his boots were barely hanging together. There was already a crack that traversed the width of the left one, which when he flexed it, showed the construction deep inside.

At some point soon, he’d need to replace them. The bottoms of his feet were soft and coddled, vulnerable to pea-sized stones that felt like bricks. The forest floor wasn’t harsh to walk on, though, and he quickly hunted out a clearing where a mature tree lay rotting on its side, and saplings competed with each other to climb towards the circle of light.