‘It isn’t bears I want to find. And I don’t need a guide, either.’

‘There are places where trouble can find you, even if you don’t go looking for it,’ Creed said. The stale-sweet reek of beer was on his breath and his ungroomed pelt was spiky with grease. ‘Especially when you don’t know what it looks like or how to deal with it.’

Pilgrim said, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible, ‘I heard the men’s council gave you a second chance when you came home. Won’t you need their permission to leave the territory?’

Creed’s gaze sharpened. ‘When I was sent into their care, that passel of old fools told me that they were going to see to it that I learned my lesson and paid my debt. Said that I could work as a foreman, and because I owed compensation to my victim, my pay would go to him. I said the man attacked me, if there was any victim it was me, but they wouldn’t listen. Said maybe I could just leave, save everyone the trouble, but no. I was told if I didn’t like the offer I could do another year of hard labour instead. As if I hadn’t already paid the Finfoots with my blood and sweat.’

‘I assume that’s a long way of saying that you need permission,’ Pilgrim said.

‘I need to get out, is the beginning and end to it,’ Creed said. ‘Having had enough of working for no pay and bunking with rovers. You’re planning to leave. I figure I could go with you. You do me a favour, I do you one back. Because, let’s face it, where you’re planning to go, someone like you is you’re going to need someone like me.’

‘Someone like me?’

‘A cripple and a, you know, a pure. Not that it’s anything to be ashamed of. And I respect you found a way of getting on, using your learning and all. But all the learning in the world counts for nothing in a tight spot, which is why you’ll need me riding alongside. I won’t even ask for pay in advance. Just a fair split of the proceeds.’

‘You have been listening to the wrong kind of gossip. This isn’t about money. And I’m not about to run off with a brawler like you,’ Pilgrim said, and nudged the mara into a trot.

Creed had to let go of the bridle or be pulled off his feet, but he tried to keep up, telling Pilgrim that he was making a big mistake, that he shouldn’t rely on the help of strangers, he’d be sorry if he did, tripping and falling to his hands and knees as the mara got into its stride.