Five quickly regained his composure. “The same thing you are, obviously,” he said, looking down his nose at her. “Rescuing Seven.”

“Why?” said Twelve. “What do you care about Seven?”

“We have our reasons,” said Six, his face pale in the gloom. There was an urgency and sincerity there that took Twelve by surprise. He’d always treated Seven with the same disregard as everyone else.

“Your reasons do not matter here,” said Dog. “You must ride back to the lodge.”

Six turned to the stone Guardian, ignoring his command. “I’m glad you’re here. We thought the Hunters weren’t doing anything.”

“They sent me,” Dog said. “You huntlings make my task more difficult though.”

“We won’t slow you down at all,” Five said, his eyes running over Dog admiringly. “We picked the fastest snagglefeet.”

“You will not slow me down,” Dog agreed, lowering his head to peer at the tracks in the gathering gloom. “You will be elsewhere. Return Twelve to the lodge.”

His tone was so confident and commanding that Twelve wondered if he ever hadn’t been listened to.

“No!” Six’s and Twelve’s voices sounded in unison. They both stared at each other in surprise.

“We’re coming with you,” Six added quickly, his voice every bit as determined as Twelve’s had been.

“Yup,” Five said, glancing at Six. He grinned at Twelve. “If you’re staying, then clearly you’ll need our protection anyway.”

Twelve made to leap at him, Widge bristling on her shoulder, but Dog stepped solidly between them.

“Quiet!” His bark was flinchingly loud. “You waste precious time with your bickering.” Twelve felt small as he shook his head at them. “I will find the girl alo—”

“Seven,” Six interrupted. “Her name is Seven.”

Dog yelped, his frustration becoming more obvious. “I am fastest alone. Go. Back.”

“I won’t,” Six said with finality. “It’s too dark to follow the trail any farther tonight. You don’t have to babysit us if you don’t want. We’ll camp here and keep going at first light. You can do whatever you like—pretend we’re not here if you prefer.”

Equal parts admiration and dismay swept through Twelve. Six had handled Dog without even raising his voice, but the idea of traveling with Five was unthinkable. Even a minute of his pompous sneering made her want to gag him. Six was right though: night had now truly fallen. The sky was a fathomless black behind an explosion of stars, and the snow between the trees glowed with a ghostly sheen.

“Madness,” Dog muttered to himself, pacing back and forth. “Madness and insubordination.”

Six ignored him, turning instead to untack Surefoot, a mulish expression on his face.

“We’re staying, then,” Five grinned, dismounting a restless Charger.