day. This is taking too long."
Kelsa was worried about that too, but..."Otter Woman is almost twenty-four hours' travel behind us. And when your picture is on every newscast as a wanted fugitive, trying to hitch a ride is stupid. The sight of two kids hiking in the summer is so common, no one will think twice. And we don't look much like our pictures, especially with those streaks in your hair."
The red and orange swatches matched the flames around the skull on his stretchie. They looked good on him, but Kelsa saw no need to tell him so.
"But anyone who takes a close look at me will call the police," she went on firmly. "That would slow us a lot more than walking into town where we can rent ... Is that squirrel watching us?"
"Maybe it is," said Raven. "But that doesn't mean it's a shapeshifter. It's almost four." He was looking at the sun, instead of her watch. "I hope your town comes along soon."
Kelsa had to agree. Without her com pod she had no access to the maps of the net. She remembered the basic route - only one road led to the Alaskan border, after all - but she had only a vague memory of several small towns along the way. They were bound to reach one of them eventually.
They still hadn't hit a town two hours later, when they came to a long curve in the road, and another beautiful north-country lake stretched before them.
"Dinner," Raven decreed. It was his turn to carry the pack, so when he went over to a nearby boulder and began digging out energy bars, Kelsa had no choice but to join him. Even though...
"I think I see some buildings on the shore." She squinted against the distance and the reflection off the waves.
"We'll do a better job of negotiating for a vehicle after we've eaten." Raven was already peeling the wrapper off an energy bar, and in truth Kelsa was tired too.
The lake was bordered by low tawny mountains, and the quiet emptiness of this rock-strewn valley seeped into Kelsa's soul. Even the cars that occasionally whooshed by had no power to disturb the silent, wild peace.
"Is this valley connected to a nexus or something?" Kelsa asked.
"No." Raven's voice disturbed the stillness no more than the cars did. "It simply is."
Kelsa nodded, and let the silence fall once more.
***
The cluster of buildings she'd seen beside the lake were farther away than they'd looked. It was past seven when they finally reached the turnoff and read the sign: Pinewood Cabins and R.V. Park. Fishing, boating, water sports, and bait were listed in the fine print. It said nothing about vehicles for rent.
"We'd better keep going." But Kelsa couldn't stop the dismay from creeping into her voice. Her feet were tired. She'd have been happy to stop for the night, but Raven was right about losing time. Here in the Yukon it would be hours before the sun set.
Raven looked as tired as she felt and even grumpier. "We'll check it out. Maybe they rent off-road vehicles or something."
"If they did, wouldn't they put that on the sign?"
He was already tramping down the driveway. Kelsa shrugged and followed. When he was in this mood, she was in no hurry to catch up with him. She was several yards behind him when he froze, then slipped into the bushes beside the road.
Kelsa looked around. No animals that might be shapeshifters. At least, none that she could see. They were nearing the first building, and the RV lot, about two-thirds full, was off to the left. The tired chug of a washing machine came from the long building ahead and to the right. There was no reason to hide.
Turning, she made her way into the brush and came up behind Raven, who was peering through a clump of willows.
"What are we hiding from?"
"Shh!" Kelsa followed his pointing finger to the back of the long building, to a three-wheeled ATV parked there. It clearly serviced the campground, with its open bins of tools and cleaning supplies strapped to both the front and back of the vehicle.
"We can't take that!" she whispered. "The people who own this place use it all the time. They'd miss it in an instant."
"Not till morning. I think it's been parked back there because they're finished for the day."
"I'm not letting you turn me into a thief," said Kelsa. "Not more than you already have. The people who own that buggy