Cut and Run 2 - Sticks and Stones

his thanks before he walked out.
    Ty made a disbelieving sound, shaking his head. “Snakes,” he said to Zane derisively as he passed by, snickering as he stepped through the door.
    Zane just stared at him for a moment before wiping his hand over his face and following him across the dirt clearing.
    He stood at the water spigot where Ty was refilling the canteens for a few minutes, watching Earl and Deuce check their packs, seeing if there were any critical supplies they might be able to get from the ranger. So Zane had at least a few quiet minutes with Ty to broach a question that had been bothering him.
    “Earl doesn’t think I should be here, does he?” Okay, it wasn’t much of a question, but it got his point across.
    Ty looked up at him in surprise, jerking just enough to get his hand wet and splash water over his boots. “Damnit,” he muttered as he looked back down to reposition the canteen. “Why do you say that?” he asked Zane, looking up at him again.
    “Could be that somewhat doubtful look on his face every time he looks at me,” Zane murmured.
    Ty snorted and gave Zane a raspberry. “He looks at everybody like that.”
    “He stated quite clearly that the military would have toughened me up,” Zane added.
    Ty turned off the water and straightened to his full height, frowning at Zane as he screwed the cap onto the canteen. “Yeah, that sounds like him,” he said finally. “He’s not trying to be malicious,” he told Zane softly. “It’s just the way he is.”
    Zane wasn’t exactly sure about that. “It’s a hell of a contrast to his friendly greeting when we met.”
    “How’s that?” Ty asked in confusion.
    “I don’t know,” Zane murmured. “I just didn’t like the implication that I’m not good enough to watch out for you.” He took the full canteen and handed Ty an empty one.
    Ty took it automatically and went about filling it as well. “I don’t know what to tell you, Zane,” he said as he watched the water. “He gives me the same looks he’s giving you,” he said without looking up.
    Zane frowned. “What? Why?”
    Ty shook his head. “I told you, that’s just the way he is,” he repeated, sounding a little irritated. “He doesn’t mean any harm by it, but until you prove yourself to him, he’s going to look at you like you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
    “That’s a good way to describe it,” Zane muttered. Then he straightened. “Are you saying he still expects you to prove to him that you know what you’re doing?” he asked in a hushed but clipped voice.
    Ty shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably and stopped the water again, standing up to fasten the cap on the canteen he held.
    “Ty?” Zane said softly, now feeling some real concern. And it wasn’t for himself.
    Ty met his eyes for a moment, either trying to think of an answer or a way to avoid any more of the conversation. “Don’t let it get to you,” he finally advised as he handed the full canteen to Zane and took another empty one from him. Zane reached out and closed his hand loosely around Ty’s wrist; Ty looked at Zane with a raised eyebrow. “What?” he asked as he gave his hand a tug.
    “Do you follow your own advice?”
    Ty pulled at his hand again and glanced over to where Earl and Deuce were. He pulled Zane closer and grunted, “Quit being weird.”
    Zane gave him a small frown but let go of his arm. “Galloping crazies?”
    “You’re the one from horse country,” Ty reminded with a twitch of his lips.
    “Yeah, takes one to know one,” Zane muttered. “C’mon, partner. Many miles to go.”
    Ty grumbled as he filled the last canteen. “We’re locking ourselves in a dark room for three days when we get back,” he muttered, just loud enough for Zane to hear.
    “Sounds good to me,” Zane answered just as Earl and Deuce approached.
    “You boys ready?” Earl asked them as he took one of the canteens and fixed it to his pack.
    “Yes, sir,” Ty answered with a sideways glance at Zane.
    “Let’s get moving, then,” Earl said as he turned and headed off.

    T HEY spent the next day and a half making their way slowly up the trail, winding ever higher, going farther and farther into the backcountry where not even trail cabins interrupted the wilderness. Earl had slowed their pace to a near crawl, being careful of the treacherous trail made slick and unreliable by the most recent storms.
    Every now and then Ty would check his cell phone, noting that he