Panther stared at her. “I don’t know. I’m just saying we have to be careful of things. We have to watch out.”

“How is that different now than it was yesterday?” River pressed. She pointed at him. “You do what you want. But what matters to me is that Hawk is back, and I’m going wherever he takes me.”

Owl was surprised and pleased. River hadn’t said more than two words since her grandfather’s death and her recovery from her bout with the plague. To hear her speak like this, sounding strong and self-assured again, was a small miracle.

“River’s right,” Sparrow echoed.

“How are we gonna protect ourselves?” Panther demanded, unwilling to give it up. His face was dark with anger. “Tell me that!”

“Where’s Logan Tom?” Hawk asked. “He was sent to protect us. He can help.”

“He can’t protect no one!” Panther sneered. He brushed angrily at the air in front of him. “Why do you think he’s not sitting in on this, O mighty one who sees and knows all?”

“Watch your mouth, Panther Pee!” Sparrow snapped at him. She was on her feet, her fists clenched.

“Watch your own mouth, birdbrain!” Panther rose, as well.

“Oh, sit down and grow up!” Cat growled from back in the shadows. Rabbit hopped out of her lap and hissed. “Go on, little children! Sit down!”

She said it without shouting, but there was an edge to her words that stopped both where they were. Glowering at each other, they sat.

“Logan is in a coma,” Owl interjected before Panther and Sparrow could start up again. “He was in a terrible fight, and he was almost killed. Panther and Catalya rescued him, but he’s been unconscious ever since. We’ve done what we can to help him, but he won’t come awake.”

“Might not ever come awake,” Panther muttered, giving Sparrow a hard look. Quickly Owl said, “Why don’t all of you tell Hawk and Tessa what happened to us after they disappeared?”

The others were eager to do so, and for a time the conversation turned away from the end of the world and the journey ahead to a recounting of the escape from the city and the trek south in the wake of the invasion off the harbor. They told about the attack on the compound; about the boy with the ruined face and the death of Squirrel; about the encounter with the “Creepers,” as Panther had named them; and about the attack on the camp by Croaks that had led to Candle’s kidnapping. Everyone shared a piece of the story. Even Catalya took part, relating how she had encountered Logan and taken him to the Senator and what had happened afterward.