Twelve ground her teeth and looked away. She reached up a hand to comfort Widge and tried to concentrate her thoughts on the frightened squirrel. She didn’t care about Six’s pain—she wouldn’t. A cave clan boy and his sister. She hated them both. Murderers. She thought of Seven, how the girl’s smile had reminded her so much of Poppy. For a moment, their faces wavered, mingled. Twelve swallowed a rush of bile. Seven was not her friend, was not her sister. Rescuing her wouldn’t have changed a thing. If anything, it would have been a betrayal of her family, of their memories. Not that it mattered now anyway.

The group stood in silence for a long time. Overhead, the sun dipped and the temperature began to drop. It was only then that Dog stirred.

“We must return to the lodge,” he said heavily, turning to look at the others.

“What? No!” Six cried, looking up. His movements were suddenly quick and eager. He rushed to Surefoot. “We just have to go back to the forest!” he gabbled. “We’ll follow the tracks and find another way to pick up the trail again. Maybe we can . . .”

He trailed off when he saw Five shaking his head. “No,” Five said. His voice was very quiet, shaking with suppressed emotion. “I won’t do it. By the frost, I won’t go through that again for you. I thought we were friends. I thought you trusted me, but you’ve kept so much back. I almost died, Six! Would you even have cared?”

“Trust,” Six said, his fingers knotting themselves in Surefoot’s fur. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned that. Where was your trust of me? You should have told me how you felt about me.”

“Why?” Five asked. “What difference would it have made?” His voice twisted as he glanced at Twelve. “Oakhammer used her instead of me. That makes everything clear.”

Twelve shifted, uncomfortable despite herself. “What?”

Five was breathing hard. “When he was forcing answers out of me, he threatened Six to make me talk. But, when he was questioning Six, he threatened you. Not me.”

The jealousy was unmistakable and Twelve laughed humorlessly. Five’s fury spilled over. “And you, Twelve! You’re no better. You’ve lied to everyone at the Hunting Lodge, stolen food and training from those who actually want to be Hunters and believe in the work they do. You disgust me.”

“I really don’t care what you think of me,” Twelve said, lacing her voice with as much venom as she could manage. Her anger burned hot inside her.

“Stop it, both of you!” Six cried. “Oakhammer played us against one another. We’re letting him win.”

“I’m fine with that,” Twelve said. “I’d rather he won than you.”

“What does that even mean?” Six asked shakily.

“Stop this,” Dog growled, trying to step between them. Twelve darted around him.