The streets Doll led Máire down were winding, narrow, and crowded with refuse. They twisted and turned in a way that had Máire convinced they’d turned around or gone in circles several times, to the point she was ready to turn and leave the boy behind to find Rat herself. But each time she thought to do so, she realized she had no idea of how to get back to where she’d been before, and so kept following the child instead. 

Doll spoke the whole time they walked. The boy seemed to know a great deal about Shieldtown and the undercity at large - his father worked with the caravans pulling meat and supplies between settlements, he claimed - and also seemed familiar with many of the residents in the buildings they passed, able to lavish Máire with more trivia and stories of Shieldtown’s populace than she ever cared to know. 

Máire was getting a headache. This was going nowhere, the boy was clearly leading her in circles as some misguided prank, and her tolerance was rapidly growing thin. She would just find Rat herself - or Bayushi even, at this rate. It would doubtless be quicker than this mindless wandering the boy was taking her along in. 

“Enough of this,” she grumbled, planting her feet. “If you want to play with strangers, try someone else. I’ll find the messenger myse-” 

Máire was cut off by Rat appearing from the alley next to her. She looked at him as he greeted her, then over his head into the darkness he’d emerged from. The HUD in her vision immediately started flagging more bodies within. Four, twelve, thirty-two, fifty-three-

She looked away from the alley. 

Rat was placing a coin in the boy’s hand. Máire tried to ignore the smug look Doll was giving her before tossing him a credstick. His hand caught it from the air in a split second, bringing it up to his face to inspect. “What’s this?” 

“Money.”

“No money I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m sure that bank of yours can exchange it for you.” She leaned toward Rat, silently correcting his grip on the sword. It was hers, but no harm letting him keep it for now. It seemed to make him feel more confident somehow.