Okay, here's Chapter 4. Sorry, I'm posting it a little later than I'd wanted too, but I didn't even have a chance to get online for the better part of the week. Next chapter starts when my writing improved (or at least I think) so from Ch. 5 on it gets better (and longer). Any reviews are welcome!!! )

Chapter 4Trust & Honesty Are Hard Things To Come By

"You wanna try that again?" Oh god, she doesn't know who I am, does she? Kate thought. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she silently struggled to calm her racing heart. Kate looked at the girl, keeping all traces of her looming panic hidden from her face, but the girl didn't look like she recognized her. You can't be positive though, Kate thought to herself.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked the girl, trying to sound impassive. The girl eyed her thoughtfully, but instead of answering immediately, she reached forward to stir the pot of soup. She stirred it slowly for about a minute and placed back by the flames again before returning her gaze back to Kate's face. Anxiously, Kate was already planning her route of escape, if it turned out the girl knew her identity. I'll head east, she thought, away from the mountains, away from the police, and away from the girl, and that horse.

The girl spoke again. "Oh, it's nothing really. Just a speck of honesty would be nice, all things considering." She stared into Kate's eyes with an intensity that instantly reminded her of the omniscient glances she'd received from the horse. The girl raised her eyebrows, waiting for a response. Should I tell her? Kate wondered. But old habits die hard.

"I really don't know what you're talking about. My name's Amanda, Mandy for short," Kate said finally, trying to sound confused by the girl's question, not nervous like she was truly feeling. But the girl continued to look at her over the flames with an expression that said that she knew Kate was lying. Kate was starting to feel a bit cornered, like she was being herded into a trap like an animal, so she fought back with the only thing she had at the moment.

"And how do I know your name is even Aly?" Kate asked, trying to turn the tables. The girl looked amused by this, and quickly retorted, "You don't." She then stood up, and walked away from the fire, disappearing into the shadows surrounding the ring of light that came from the bright, dancing flames that flickered in their jail of stones. Kate strained her eyes, trying to see where she'd gone. Is she leaving? Kate thought in a panic. Just as Kate was wondering whether she should try to follow the girl or not, the girl (Aly, she said her name was Aly, Kate thought. Might as well call her that, it beats calling her "the girl") materialized out of the shadows holding a bowl and another spoon.

"Soup's ready," Aly said as she sat back down again on the opposite side of the fire from Kate. Other than that, she was silent, for which Kate was thankful. Aly handed her the bowl filled with soup along with the spoon, and then quickly returned her attention to her own meal which she ate out of the pot. This soup is excellent, Kate thought, or maybe I'm just really hungry. She smiled, probably both. She continued to spoon mouthfuls of soup into her mouth, glancing across the fire at Aly occasionally, trying to read her the expression on her face. But Aly's face was devoid of all emotions. Completely apathetic. How is she not scared, or at least wary of me, Kate asked herself. She doesn't even seem worried about what I could do. But she doesn't know, she couldn't know what I'm capable of, Kate thought. She would've never helped me if she knew what I am. If she knew I was a murderer.

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Aly sensed the glances "Mandy" cast in her direction as she slowly ate her share of the soup. She didn't have to look up, she just knew the woman was studying her from across the campfire. She thinks I'm lying about my name, she thought, silently laughing. It's amazing how some people can't, no refuse, to believe or even speak the truth. She knew the woman wouldn't give her her true identity, and for that same reason she gave the woman her real one. She'll never think, or believe, that I gave her my real name, she thought. But during this time she steeled herself to keep all emotions from showing on her face. Let her wonder what the sixteen year old girl could have done that would have her running from the cops, she thought. Maybe she'll be a bit more open. Probably not, though.

Aly promptly stood up, stretching out the muscles in her legs before gathering up the dirtied dishes and taking them over to the stream to wash them thoroughly. "Do you want any help?" Aly heard the woman say from behind her. "No, I just need to wash these off real quick before I put back in the saddle bags," she responded back. She really didn't need any help; she'd been doing this on her own for a long time now. Just her and Chase. In fact she'd avoided civilization all together unless she had to restock on supplies, which she didn't do too often. Aly had learned to ration out her food a lot longer than was healthy for her body, but she'd gotten used to it after a while. It's safer that way, Aly thought as she walked over to the stream. Less of a chance of someone recognizing me, and turning me in.

Rinsing and drying the dishes hardly took any time at all, but Aly didn't move from her spot on the rock bordering the stream. She glanced skyward, and looked up at the scatterings of stars across the night sky. It seems so peaceful, she thought. But she quickly brought herself back down to reality. The reality that she and Chase along with a fellow fugitive from the law were being tracked, probably at this exact moment, by the police. She knew they could outdistance them, she just hoped that Chase could take the strain of carrying double along with outrunning the police. She wouldn't ride her horse until he dropped dead from exhaustion. If worst comes to worst I'll ditch that woman somewhere, Aly thought. Sure, she'd feel horrible, but if it saved Chase it would be worth the guilt.

Just thinking about doing that made her have pangs of guilt. Aly glanced over her shoulder at the woman to study her since the shadows from the tall pines overhead hide her from view. She couldn't really see "Mandy" that clearly; there wasn't enough light from the campfire and moonlight to study her closely, but what Aly could see was that the woman was starting to nod off as she sat by the fire. Looks like that nap she took on the ride here wasn't enough, Aly thought, giggling silently. She dug around in one of her pockets of her camouflage pants until she found her compass with a built in watch. 2315, so it's 11:15 pm, Aly calculated. It had been about 1 o'clock in the afternoon when she'd picked up Kate, so they'd been on the run for over nine hours. No wonder Chase and the woman were exhausted. Aly wasn't particularly tired, but she'd will herself to sleep later because she'd need the energy it would give her.

Time for some sleep, Aly thought, and walked over to where Chase was grazing. She stuffed the pot, bowl, and spoons into one of the saddle bags attached the saddle which she had laid up against a tree close to where Chase stood. She rummaged through a different saddle bag for a long-sleeved shirt since she had let Mandy borrow her jacket. It wasn't very cold during the summer here, but at night the temperatures dropped enough for one to get slightly chilled if they didn't have adequate clothing. Doubling up on shirts ought to do it for now, Aly thought told Chase good night and rubbed him on his favorite spot, right behind his left ear. He stretched his neck and wiggled his lips in pleasure as she itched it harder. "You're so silly," Aly whispered to him, and with one last pat she walked back towards the campfire.

The woman jumped when Aly suddenly manifested out of the shadows. Aly had to choke back a laugh. She sure must be tired, Aly thought again. She's pretty jumpy. "I think it's best we get some sleep," Aly told her. The woman nodded in agreement, and slowly stood up from her seat by the fire. She turned around, and walked back towards the rock-face they'd made camp against, sitting down with her back pressing into the rock. Aly dealt with the fire, making sure it would burn low, but still produce heat to keep them warm during the night. "Don't you think we should keep watch, take shifts maybe?" Aly heard the woman ask. "No, it's fine. We both can sleep; Chase'll keep watch," she said back as she walked over to the rock-face and sat beside "Mandy". The look on the woman's face clearly said that she didn't exactly think a horse made a good sentry. "Don't worry, he'll warn us if something even comes near this clearing," Aly said, trying to comfort her. The woman nodded slowly in reluctance, but Aly knew that wasn't all. She wants to say something else, Aly thought. I'll let her take her time.

"How do you know you can trust me?" the woman blurted out. Aly smiled faintly, but responded immediately. "I don't. How do you know you can trust me?" With that Aly laid down on her side, and curled up in a ball, waiting for sleep to come. She heard "Mandy" do the same thing next to her, and the last thing she heard before she succumbed to sleep was Chase cropping at the grass, and the gurgle of the stream nearby.