“Walks in Pairs” takes place in my Nightsoil Universe. The author and narrator, Liam Wither-Rose, is an elf living in Nightsoil — a city of labor, dehumanization, and terror, shaped by war against humans. The story focuses on the North side of Nightsoil, considered one of the more humane regions compared to the East and West. The North was dominated by factory work, food preparation, and other less exhausting jobs. Despite the easier work, hunger remained a constant problem. This part of the city was mostly women, with some exceptions like Liam himself. Many found other ways to survive — often turning to prostitution to fill their empty stomachs.