Free Sky Child by T. M. Brenner Page B

with it. He always seems to hit a place on an animal that will make it die quickly. It makes me think that he is like me, and doesn't want to see the animals in pain.
    "What is your news, Anchor?" I say.
    "Oh, good, you know me. Wait, you know me?" he says in surprise.
    "You were one of Lagan's friends," I say.
    "Yes, we are friends. I mean, I guess, we were friends."
    The smile leaves Anchor's face.
    "I am very sorry about Lagan," I say.
    "Me too. He was the best of us. He always tried to keep peace among the hunters. Oh, but now we have you," says Anchor, trying to smile through his sadness.
    "So what is your news?"
    "Oh, right. Well, Mast talked to me last night, and he thought we should make you some special armor, since you're our leader now. Something that would be good enough for the Sky Child."
    "Anchor, I am not the Sky Child."
    "That's what Mast said you would say. But don't worry, it's our secret. I won't tell anyone that you are the Sky Child," says Anchor.
    "No, really, I'm not the Sky Child. It's just a story," I say.
    "Oh, right," says Anchor, winking at me.
    Sigh.
    "You will need to come to my room when you are done with breakfast, so that I can get your outline," says Anchor.
    "The armor I have is fine," I say.
    "I am sorry, Sam, but you have the armor of a lead hunter, not the Leader of the Hunt. Notice the difference there? We need to be able to see you when we're hunting, so that we can protect you," says Anchor.
    I think about it for a moment. It does make sense for me to look different than everyone else, just so they know who to follow. Lagan had leather armor that was light gray like a cloudy sky. They had used ash from the Great Fire to color it. It made him stand out very well.
    "Okay, you can make new armor for me," I say.
    "Well, I won't be the only one working on it. You need new armor quickly, so that you can lead the hunt."
    "Who else is working on it then?" I ask.
    "Jib and Stanchion," says Anchor.
    I know that Jib makes armor, but Stanchion is someone that fixes things that are made of metal. We don't have much metal in the Crag. We only have what has been passed down to us from the gray ones many, many snows ago.
    When something metal isn't needed any more, or is broken too badly to be fixed, Stanchion makes new things out of it. Sometimes they are useful things, and sometimes they are things to look at. He has made scraps into objects that are given as gifts. They are very beautiful. It is an honor to have him working on my armor.
    "Thank you, Anchor. I will try to help however I can," I say.
    "See you after breakfast then," says Anchor, walking away with his eggs.
    I collect as many eggs as I can carry in my pockets and walk back to the Crag. After cooking breakfast at the Great Fire, I head back to our room. When I get there, Flot and Jet are awake and dressed. Flot has already heated a pot of water, and set out cups for each of us.
    "What took so long?" asks Flot.
    I give him an angry stare. I set the pan on the red stone floor and all of us wolf down the eggs. About halfway through breakfast, Flot stops eating.
    "Seriously Sam, why did it take you so long to get breakfast?" asks Flot.
    "Anchor was getting eggs too, and he stopped me," I say.
    "Why did he do that?"
    "He needed something."
    "What did he need?"
    "He needed to talk to me," I say.
    "Sam, why are you being a stupid butt?" asks Flot.
    "Because you smell like one," I say.
    Flot rolls his eyes at me.
    "Okay, fine. Anchor needs me to go to his room so that he can make new armor for me," I say.
    "Really?" says Jet.
    "Yes, really," I say.
    "Are you going to make it gray like Lagan's armor was?" asks Flot.
    "Probably not. But we will need to figure out a color that doesn't look like the armor that the hunters already wear."
    "Who is 'we'?" asks Flot.
    "Oh, me and Anchor. And Jib. And Stanchion," I say.
    "Wait, Stanchion is working on your armor?" asks Flot.
    I just nod my head.
    "I don't know what he's making for the armor, but they