Her gut tightened; her skin prickled. She opened her mouth to call, Don’t worry, I’m coming, but no – best go quietly, looking out for danger. Where had that little voice come from? Surely down there, where the rocks formed a sort of mound almost like one of those old cairns, the ones with chambers where perhaps, long ago, dead warriors had been laid to rest. Thornbushes had almost covered it, a fierce barrier. No wonder the little creature was stuck. What if it had some horrible injury? What if she couldn’t free it? Mistress Blackthorn would know what to do. But Mistress Blackthorn wasn’t there.

The thorns were thick and strong. Cara had her good knife at her belt, but she would not blunt it, cutting a way through, unless there was a need for that. She would risk calling out.

‘Who’s there? I can help you!’

She waited for perhaps the count of ten. Then, faintly, came the small cry again. No words; but, undoubtedly, Help! From the cairn, yes; but not near the spot where an entry would be. From somewhere deeper down.

‘Kraaa!’ The crow was up in the birches somewhere, and its call was a stark warning. Don’t. Don’t go there.

‘I can look, at least,’ muttered Cara. ‘I can’t just walk past and do nothing.’

In the end she did use the knife. The thorns were easier to cut than she’d expected. Quite quickly she cleared them away from what did indeed prove to be an entrance, a narrow opening between the stones that seemed to lead to a cave. Or maybe a tunnel. Common sense, along with her knowledge of old tales, said go no further. Caves and tunnels were like mushroom circles: alive with the possibility of danger. Even a person with no belief in the uncanny would think twice about entering a doorway like this, all shadow inside. Especially if nobody knew where that person was, and the doorway was far from any dwelling of humankind.

‘Kraaa!’

‘Hello?’ Cara called, peering into the dark space. ‘Are you there?’ Stupid, really. That little voice had been a creature’s, not a human child’s.

It came again, weaker, more desperate. In pain. Alone. In the dark. Help! Help me!

It should be safe to go a little way in, at least. Far enough to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead, but not so far that she lost sight of the forest outside. Without a candle or lantern, she would be foolish to go right in. But the small voice had not seemed very far away. Perhaps she could reach the hurt one and bring it out to safety.

Cara bent her head and stepped into the passage. Inside, the roof was higher than the doorway had suggested; she could stand almost upright. But the way was narrow. Her body blocked most of the light, making it impossible to see ahead.